NEA Back to School Guide

Educator-tested tips, advice, and resources for a successful start to the school year. Students may still be enjoying their summer vacations, but for educators, the beginning of the next school year is just around the corner. NEA editors have compiled a list of our best articles and resources to help you - whether new or veteran - get ready for the fall semester. 

CLASSROOM SET UP

Classroom Beautiful: Do It Yourself  8 veteran educators share photos of their classroom and tips on how to organize your space for better learning.

Assessing Your Space  What to consider when planning your classroom setup.

Using a Theme  An elementary school teachers shares advice for decorating a classroom around a theme.

Stocking the Classroom—For Free  Savvy educators' tips on scoring no-cost classroom resources.

PREPPING FOR THE FIRST WEEK

Classroom Survival Kit  NEA members recommend must-have items for the classroom.

33 Ways to Start the First Year Off Right  A little planning before school begins can pay big dividends throughout the school year.

NEA's Custom Lesson Plan Search Engine  We've customized a Google search engine with 1,000s of lesson plans from across the Web, each one hand-picked and vetted by our Search Editor.

LOTS MORE IF YOU

Classroom Observations are Not About Compliance

by Peter DeWitt on August 5, 2013 8:25 AM
from EDUCATION WEEK

 "The best thing about being a teacher is that it matters. The hardest thing about being a teacher is that it matters every day." Todd Whitaker 

As much as Todd Whitaker was talking about teachers, I'm sure he'll agree that the same can be said about school administrators. I enjoy reading about systems change, and try to abide by servant leadership every day, but Todd has always been a game changer for me. Long ago when I began to read his books he provided me with the hope and inspiration that what I do as a school leader matters. His words cut to the heart of most issues. Todd gives feedback and it doesn't involve a point scale.

Getting ready for the school year, that seems to be quickly approaching, I have been reading a lot about evidence-based observations. If you're a teacher, and maybe even a principal, you're probably sick and tired of hearing about evidence-based observations. That's most likely because it is accompanied by some state-mandated training.

51 Top Sources to Become [an even] Better Teacher

Teachers may spend their days imparting knowledge to others, but that doesn’t mean they should stop learning themselves. Whether they choose to take classes, read books, or just talk with their colleagues, professional development offers a chance to become a better and wiser teacher.

There are numerous resources out there on the web, making finding, sharing, and accessing great tools for development easier than ever. We’ve collected just a few here that can get you started on learning and growing as an educator. So, in addition to TeachThought, what other resources are out there?

ESSENTIAL RESOURCES 

Don’t miss out on these sites which are filled to the brim with articles, resources, and learning materials for teachers.

1. edutopia.org: TeachThought favorite edutopia has for years been among the best resources anywhere for project-based learning ideas, videos on successful schools, and blog articles written by educators across the field.

2. Education Week Teacher PD Sourcebook: This sourcebook is filled with amazing resources for teachers, including great articles, a directory of useful sites, and links to PD events.

3. Educators Professional Development: EPD bills itself as “professional development for teachers, by teachers” and that’s just what you’ll find here. Listings for local events, conferences, and a monthly newsletter can help you stay in the loop.

4. Teacher Vision: Teacher Vision offers articles on a wide range of education topics, from learning how to be a better teacher to surviving your first year in the classroom.

5. Teacher Tap: Teachers will find a wealth of great reading material on this site, touching on topics like technology, information literacy, and high-tech learning.

5 Tools to Increase Our Productivity

Teachers these days are up to their ears in work that must be accomplished each day. In addition to time spent in front of students, teachers spend hours writing lesson plans and learning objectives, creating and grading tests and assignments, as well as attending meetings, professional development seminars, and courses for keeping up with certification. Any tools that can help a teacher manage time and get tasks done in a timely manner are hugely beneficial. Below are some of the best ways for teachers to become more productive with technology tools.

1. RescueTime

RescueTime is an online time tracking and management program for any busy person who wants to get more done with their time. When entering grades into online grade books, it is too easy to flip over to email or Facebook and lose track of time. RescueTime can block those distractions to make it easier for you to stay focused. It also runs timers in the background to track how much time you spend on different applications. You can check these statistics to see where you are losing time with unproductive activities. RescueTime also helps you track your time off of the computer and sends you alerts to get you refocused on your work tasks.

Take a Risk...Flip Your Parent Communication!

by Peter DeWitt on July 7, 2013 6:17 AM|
from EDUCATION WEEK TEACHER

The Flipped model can clearly be a fad, but it doesn't have to be if it is done with integrity.

Old model of parent communication - Monthly newsletters with important dates & info.

New model of parent communication - Classroom websites, district Facebook pages, school Twitter pages...and monthly newsletters.

But what about flipping communication? Most schools are looking for new and innovative ways to engage parents. Connected leaders have been flipping their faculty meetings in order to model the method for teachers who want to flip their classrooms. Some leaders are doing it because their teachers who flip their classrooms have influenced them and inspired them to take a risk. Yes, risk-taking is reciprocal.

Unfortunately, due to outside influences such as increased accountability, or to inside influences such as...well, staff and school leaders that don't get along, some school leaders are nervous about flipping anything.

They have a fear that the reaction to flipping will look something like this...

Last year I posted a blog about flipping parent communication and there were mixed reactions. I get it! There are educators who hate discussing technology because they believe it is a fad or feel that techies inflate the need for technology in the classroom. I have written numerous times about finding a balance, so even though I feel like it's implied when I write, I will say it again...it's about finding a balance (Finding Common Ground) between being old school and being...well...new school.

Three Things to Make Next Year a Better One

by Jill Berkowicz and Ann Myers on July 9, 2013 5:55 AM
EDUCATION WEEK TEACHER

In 2007, Karl Fisch, Director of Technology at Araphoe High School in Colorado, and the author of The FischBowl, and Scott McLeod, widely recognized as one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues and author of Dangerously ! Irrelevant, developed the video, Did You Know; Shift Happens - Globalization; Information Age. They surprised everyone with some pretty overwhelming information. This link is to the original version. It has been updated several times over these past six years, but even the original message still rings true. We are faced with a world that is continuing to change at an increasingly accelerated pace and we are charged with leading learning institutions inside of the tornado that has become our life.

 Every day there are blog posts and articles that give us (as an example) the "10 most important things to do in order to...." They all have good pointers and are very helpful in helping us manage to keep our feet on the ground and move forward in spite of that tornado that sweeps us off our feet and throws us around. Each of us must choose which applies to our environments and which applies to the readiness level of our teachers and schools. We offer 3 things to do in order to figure out which of the other 10 things are worth doing for your classrooms and schools. If we do these three things, we may be better prepared to handle this next year with more wisdom and preparation than we had in the last.

 Take Control of Your Time

As impossible as this seems, we can do it better. In a long ago post, we talked about the work of Paul Bambrick-Santoyo. In his book Leverage Leadership he suggests that controlling our schedules gives us the opportunity to provide "Quality School Leadership." Certainly this seems impossible with interruptions, a child or parent in need, meetings, Email, phone calls to take and return - especially for building level leaders.

Time for a Music Break

Do you have the mid-winter blues? Us, too! So we thought it was time to shake it off and have a little dance party. We asked our Facebook friends to share their favorite educational songs in the hopes that it would give us the energy we need to make it to spring break. Here’s what they said:

• I love Dr. Stephanie Pasley-Wright’s “Math Party.” I put on the 100 song and make them do jumping jacks while they count. The energy level goes from a level 10 to a level one. Exercise and learning at the same time! —Melissa F.
• I use Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” to teach compare and contrast essays. “All the similarities…all the similarities…” —Coco S.
• Mr. Parr’s channel on YouTube is the best for science songs! —Samantha B.
• I play “Show Me the Money” by Jack Hartmann to teach money concepts. —Laura C.
• I make my own songs! This one’s about figurative language in popular music. —Julie G.
  

Works for Me: Tips for Teachers by Teachers February 20, 2013

Featured Post: Dance Like No One is Watching From May Ryan: Would you do this? Ms. Ryan knows a teacher who rewards her class with a solo dance routine. Of course the kids love it! Click below to read more no-cost rewards to motivate your students.

Question of the Week: Class Competitions From The Worker Bees: Do you challenge your class to compete, battle or race? Against their classmates, their teacher or themselves? What educational competitions do your students enjoy? Send us your “winning” ideas!

Adding Machine Scrolls From Janet Keohane: A fifth- and sixth-grade teacher in Beach, North Dakota: Ms. Keohane's students compete to see who can identify the most instances of words from a weekly list: nouns, adjectives, multi-syllabic words - the list varies. Most interesting is the adding machine tape. Find out how she uses it (hint: displaying the results is a great decorative idea).

Think Politics Don't Matter? Take a Look at Your Paycheck

Payroll Tax Holiday Ends, Hits Take Home Pay

January 07, 2013| By Harold Brubaker, Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer

Despite all the drama leading up to New Year's Day, the tax deal signed Thursday by President Obama did virtually nothing to change the trajectory of the U.S. government's debt-laden finances.

The deal raised some taxes, but not enough to prevent the slow starvation of federal programs to help the poor and elderly, according to advocates for such programs.

By leaving spending cuts off the table for the most part, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 set up what is sure to be an ugly fight over raising the nation's debt limit by early March.

In the meantime, all wage-earners will see 2 percent less money in their paychecks, because the law did nothing to prevent the end of the so-called payroll tax holiday.

CLICK READ MORE to answer some questions and answers on key aspects of the law:

6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use

by Dave Foley

Effective teachers are passionate about educating their students. They want to spend their time teaching, not dealing with classroom disruptions.
Here are some classroom management tips to help teachers settle problems, or prevent them from occurring, so that they can spend more of the classroom hour on teaching and learning.

1. Take Charge of Your Class

Get everyone’s attention before beginning class. That means the lesson won’t be started, the lecture won’t begin, and nothing will be written on the overhead until everyone is in his or her seat paying attention. It doesn’t take a shout of “Let’s be quiet” or “I won’t start until everyone is ready” to get them to focus on you. It can be just as effective to walk to the front of the room and engage them with something interesting to them such as “My thermometer said it was zero this morning. It must have been freezing out there waiting for the bus” or “How many of you saw the Hunger Games?” Open with couple attention getting comments and continue until everyone is with you. Remember, don’t start teaching until all eyes are on you and everyone is in their seat.

Five Practices for Building Positive Relationships With Students

by Kelley Clark for EDUCATION WEEK--TEACHER  
The objective is posted. The Do Now is ready to go. Your well-planned lesson is aligned with state standards, includes a variety of instructional methods, and offers opportunities for both summative and formative assessments.

What might still be missing? A strong positive relationship with your students, the kind of connection that makes them want to go above and beyond in your class.

Can you have a good lesson without having a positive relationship with your students? Yes. But can a strong relationship lead to an even higher level of academic success? Absolutely!

John Henry is Not a Good Role Model: Tips for Busy Eduleaders

by Rick Hess on June 15, 2012 7:54 AM

I'm getting close to finishing up my Cage-Busting Leadership book for Harvard Ed Press (it'll be available this coming February). One point that comes up again and again as I work on the text and talk to school and system leaders is the degree to which we've encouraged a leadership culture where leaders have felt they demonstrate their mettle by the number of hours they work and the number of meetings they take. This comes, I'm convinced, at a big cost to their ability to think, reflect, and learn.

In talking to these leaders, I find myself thinking of the tale of mighty John Henry, who swore he could shovel through a mountain faster than a steam-powered hammer. Big John won all right, but the effort killed him. Johnny Cash memorialized the tale in "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer," singing: "If you bring that steam drill round, I'll beat it fair and honest, I'll die with my hammer in my hand."