Day 129 AIM: Should I allow my students to eat in class?

Do Now: This is a mixed bag. On one hand, student performance is inherently tied in with blood-sugar levels. Early mornings can be as disastrous as story time with Stephen Hawking unless you get some bagels in your sleepy scholars’ mouths. Afternoon classes will be absolutely silent unless sandwiches manifest themselves. I have a rule [...]

Helpless or Hopeless?

One of the pillars of Teach For America has always been the respect for low income communities, and a key metric of this dogma has always been in the exoneration of parents/guardians and the defense of their attitudes. It has always been assumed that all parents want their students to learn, succeed, and go to [...]

Day 128 AIM: Why aren’t my students coming to class anymore?

Do Now: Be observant. Teachers have to utilize all of their senses, including the all-too-famous sixth one, which we in the industry like to call, teacher intuition. It’s that fuzzy feeling you get when your lesson isn’t going quite right. It’s the force, only it can only inform and not manipulate the situation, which is [...]

Step Up to Parent Teacher Conferences

I am sitting here in my classroom, currently waiting for students, parents, or a combination of both to walk through my door. I have my grade book set up and the lighting just right so that everyone can see the yellow line that denotes homework disappear into obscurity. I hear my co-teacher speaking to a [...]

Day 123 AIM: How can I use March Madness in a lesson in my classroom?

Do Now: Let’s face it: everyone loves March Madness, and everyone loves teachers. Even Dick Vitale was once a teacher. Bracketology should be part of every child’s education, and commentary from the Duke-Kentucky Laettner shot game should be recited like poetry. Show a clip of Jimmy V running onto the court and have students write [...]

Day 121 AIM: How can I set my people back hundreds of years?

Do Now: Make a stupid youtube video and sport Yao Ming jerseys.

Organizing Seven Habits of Learning

Dr. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is considered by many to be a groundbreaking and life changing book. Covey interviewed some of the world’s most successful people and synthesized their responses to the challenges, tribulations, and their achievements into 7 habits, or qualities that helped these businesspeople, lawyers, doctors, politicians, and academics [...]

The Chance to Become a Slumdog Millionaire

I don’t see movies all that often, and I hardly consider myself an expert, but I highly recommend Slumdog Millionaire and encourage you to see it as soon as you can. Critics have raved about its classic rags-to-riches story within the allegorical tale of the birth of modern India. Within its two hour duration viewers are exhausted keeping up [...]

Happy St. Patty’s!

Grab some green beer and corned beef sandwiches…

…after school, of course

Day 119 AIM: What do high school students do with their freetime?

These students are in my leadership course. They enjoy knitting, but every once in a while they decide to actually do something with their lives. I believe that Efrain actually might be trying out for the Jonas Brothers soon.

Don’t worry. They told me to do this. Our goal is to try [...]