Last Weeks of School / New Teacher Tips
by Curtis Chandler · Published 04/12/2023 · Last modified 05/21/2023
To avoid having movies and parties consume valuable learning time during the last weeks of school, teacher educator Curtis Chandler suggests ways to celebrate and solidify knowledge gained during the year. Tips for new teachers and veterans, including a list from ChatGPT-4.
New Teacher Tips / Strong Class Starts
by Curtis Chandler · Published 12/12/2022 · Last modified 03/01/2024
Wrestlers – like Curtis Chandler’s youngest son – need a strong start to succeed in each match. Students benefit from strong starts each day too. Curtis shares tips for new and veteran teachers to begin every class: bait and switch, informational hooks, and many more.
Classroom Decoration / New Teacher Tips
by Curtis Chandler · Published 10/25/2022 · Last modified 10/30/2023
How can teachers make sure “visual classroom noise” doesn’t diminish learning opportunities for students? Curtis Chandler draws on research to suggest we choose colors carefully and reduce clutter – stowing away anything that doesn’t have a direct, daily impact on learning.
When Curtis Chandler began ‘longboarding’ to work, he endured a newbie’s trial-by-fire. After many bruises he took a friend’s words to heart and opened to the learning experience. The tips he shares here can help beginning teachers “embrace the challenging reality of our profession.”
Positive phone calls and texts to students’ families are powerful, writes principal and NBCT Rita Platt. Parents and caregivers enjoy hearing good things and will be more responsive when you get in touch with less happy news. Rita includes several starter scripts and scheduling ideas.
Teaching experts Annette Breaux & Todd Whitaker are back with more teaching ideas from the 2nd edition of Seven Simple Secrets. This time it’s advice on keeping instruction real for today’s students. Read the classroom tales of Teacher A & Teacher B.
Teaching experts Annette Breaux & Todd Whitaker contrast the typical characteristics of effective and ineffective classrooms using two simple but compelling bullet lists. Excerpted from the 2nd edition of their bestselling book Seven Simple Secrets with new teachers especially in mind.
