news & tips for teachers
Expert’s Corner
Cracking the Code: Should Schools Require Students to Learn How to Write Software?
April 3rd, 2013
By Brian P. Gatens There’s a part of my personality that naturally keeps an eye out for cultural shifts and trends. For example, I remember walking through the mall last summer and hearing a group of kids singing “Now here’s my number, …
Teachers vs. Administrators: Ending the Adversarial Relationship
February 27th, 2013
by Terry Wilhelm An administrative colleague of mine recently retired from the school where she’d worked for many years and wrote a farewell open letter to her staff. As part of a warm, positive goodbye, she said the following: Over the years, …
STEM Education and the Socioeconomic Construct: Overcoming the Barriers
February 22nd, 2013
by Jacquie McGregor “Everyone has a stake in improving STEM education. Inspiring all our students to be capable in math and science will help them contribute in an increasingly technology-based economy, and will also help America prepare the next generation of STEM …
Lessons from Online Education for Brick-and-Mortar Schools
February 11th, 2013
by Jacquie McGregor The Center for Education Reform reports that in 2000, approximately 45,000 students were enrolled in online learning programs nationwide. By 2011, almost 2,000,000 students enrolled in online learning through K-12 school districts, with an additional 275,000 enrolled in full-time …
Gamifying Education: Think Differently, Start Small
November 30th, 2012
Gamification, that is in education applying game design thinking to non-game applications to make them learning the 3 Rs more fun and engaging, is more than just a buzzword, another task to check off. Experts argue that it can improve learning and …
Teaching Critical Thinking Through Debate
October 17th, 2012
As the time draws near for U.S. citizens to exercise their voting rights, teachers have an opportunity to engage students in classroom discussions surrounding the presidential elections. Students must be taught to frame their knowledge with deeper concepts than what immediately surrounds …
What Is Bullying and Who Does It?
October 15th, 2012
By K’Lee Banks, M.Ed. In this second post about bullying to coincide with this month’s recognition and awareness for National Bullying Prevention Month, we examine both the actions of bullies and the individuals who are likely to . What Is Bullying? Bullying …
October is National Bullying Prevention Month
October 8th, 2012
By K’Lee Banks, M.Ed. The month of October is designated as the time to talk about bullying prevention. This national awareness day appears under different names: National Bullying Prevention Month National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month Stomp Out Bullying …
Lesson Plans for the Presidential Election 2012
October 3rd, 2012
Primaries, caucuses, polls, election day, ideology, deficit, debt: it is impossible to escape the rhetoric circulating around November 6, 2012 voting expectations. Helping students understand the semantics and processes of voting in the United States is a subject that many teachers find …
Ed Tech: 4 Tips from Cool Cat Teacher that Will Make You a Tech Savvy Teacher
October 3rd, 2012
By HotChalk Staff Vicki Davis is a technology teacher and has a lot going on. She’s a fulltime teacher, mother of three, an author and co-creator of the Flat Classroom Project focusing on technology that expands learning. Oh, and she blogs. In …
Six Hispanic Heritage Month Lesson Plans for All Ages
September 26th, 2012
In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that more than 50 million Americans have some Spanish ancestry. It is necessary for students to understand and recognize this rich culture and its influence on America. These lessons will help engage and enlighten learners …
Classroom Activities for Hispanic Heritage Month
September 26th, 2012
Because September is both National Hispanic Heritage Month and the time when several Spanish-speaking regions celebrate their independence, now is the perfect time to use lesson plans that incorporate Hispanic culture. Hispanic culture in America is a vibrant mix of language, folklore, …
Celebrate Back to School with Teacher Supplies Contest!
September 10th, 2012
What’s at the top of your back to school list? A new whiteboard? A case of colorful construction paper? How about a set of new books? Hotchalk Lesson Plans Page and Really Good Stuff want to know the 3 things you can’t …
7 Free Preschool Lesson Plans for Back to School
September 6th, 2012
According to Beginning to Read, children that are not proficient in reading by the time they reach fourth grade will likely end up in jail or on welfare. It is estimated that seventy-eight percent of children that fall behind in their educational advancement must …
The Power of Student Blogging in the Classroom
September 4th, 2012
Anyone can publish their thoughts and ideas with the whole world as their audience, the incredible potential of the Internet and blogging is undeniable. The problem is how to get people to make use of that potential. Or more specifically, how can you …
13 Classroom Management Tips from Twitter
August 30th, 2012
By K’Lee Banks, M.Ed. If you haven’t yet discovered the power of social media through sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, you are missing out on valuable tools and sources of information. By exercising some discernment, you can glean useful tips …
7 Tips for Writing a Lesson Plan for Back to School
August 30th, 2012
It’s that time again: time for teachers to write lesson plans for the first days of a new school year. In order to ensure that you address the needs of all your students, it is essential to write lesson plans that are …
Write Your Own Lesson Plan With Our Free Lesson Plan Template
August 30th, 2012
“So today, class, we are going to learn about…” Whether you are a teacher with many years of experience or are just considering a career as an educator at the elementary, secondary, or college level, you should know that one of the …
These ESL Lesson Plans Are Encouraging and Fun for Students
August 3rd, 2012
Make it fun to make it memorable. That is an essential rule for teachers whose classes include learners of English as a second language. Instruction that accommodates ESL learners is good for all students. Excellent ESL lessons are designed to introduce and …
Make the Most of Your Summer Planning for Next School Year
August 1st, 2012
It is a common misconception that teachers have the summers off. Though you may not actually be inside the school building, you will undoubtedly be planning for the next academic year. Below are some tips you can use to make sure that …
7 Lesson Plans for Summer School Students
July 25th, 2012
Teachers are the first line of defense for engaging students academically. Summer school programs often help students develop a better understanding of core academic subjects. Rather than thinking about summer school as tutorial or remedial, we need to enlist our best teachers …
This Company is Tying Early Childhood Education to America’s Economic Success
July 25th, 2012
Early childhood education forms a foundation of knowledge that children will build on for the rest of their lives. If the child’s early learning experiences are lacking, his future educational endeavors will suffer as a result. In fact, many industry experts view …
3 Signs You Are Ready to Start a Master’s in Education Program
July 25th, 2012
Making the decision to further your education with a master’s degree will require a commitment of time and money and is a decision you should consider carefully. It will require study, work and intense research with a demanding course load. There are …
Keep Students Focused with these 5 Tips for Classroom Management
July 25th, 2012
Classrooms today are full of distractions, especially when students carry cell phones, iPods, or other digital devices, and surreptitiously use them in class. In other cases, students enjoy socializing a bit too much or they have legitimate learning or developmental disabilities that …
Inspiring Teachers That Are Changing the World, One Classroom at a Time
July 25th, 2012
Education is paramount to succeed in our society. An educated child has a better chance in obtaining everything that they want in their lives, such as finding their dream career, having a fulfilling social lifestyle, and creating innovative technologies that help our …
Teachers Pay Teachers is Changing the Way Educators Make a Living
July 25th, 2012
Teachers never get a break from school-related activities even when summer arrives and the kids are at home. Many teachers prepare for the coming school year by creating lesson plans, projects, powerpoint slides, and smartboard activities. They develop ways to educate the …
How to Inspire Strong Writing Using Video Writing Prompts
July 25th, 2012
If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn. ~Ignacio Estrada Have you ever seen a beautiful sunset that initiated a flood of emotions—and adjectives? If so, you experienced a prompt from nature that …
5 Ways Studying Abroad Will Make you a Better Teacher
July 25th, 2012
When studying to become a teacher many things can help you to expand your horizons and become a better teacher. Nothing in life can make you a better teacher than studying abroad. Having the opportunity to meet people from other cultures and …
Environmental Literacy: A Vital Topic in the Modern K-12 Classroom
April 26th, 2012
“Preparing our students to be good environmental citizens is some of the most important work any of us can do. It is for our children, and our children’s children, and generations yet to come.” —U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, September 2010 …
What NCLB Waivers Mean for States
March 20th, 2012
To circumvent congressional gridlock and promote the Obama Administration’s “We Can’t Wait” educational initiatives, the Department of Education granted waivers last month to ten states whose schools faced a failing grade in their No Child Left Behind assessments. These ten states were …
Tinkering as a Teaching Tool
November 21st, 2011
A few days ago, I walked into a science class and was instantly reminded of my grandfather’s garage. There on a table in the corner was a dissected toaster and next to that was a dissected computer printer. Two generations of technology …
Integrating 21st Century Technology To Enhance Established Teaching and Learning Principles
November 7th, 2011
Many articles on 21st Century classrooms and education fail to acknowledge what’s working in education. And, what in fact has worked for many years to facilitate critical and creative thinking and skill building that can be applied to the workplace once students …
Teaching through Tragic Times
September 8th, 2011
It is a warm September day and the Physics teacher runs over and tells me to turn on the TV. Someone has attacked the twin towers in New York. Iowa is far from New York yet we knew about the twin towers …
Could Have Had Us at Hello
September 7th, 2011
As I watch Predsident Obama bow and sway, falter and concede I can’t help but imagine what his classroom might look like if he were a teacher. Would he cave in to the class bully at the slightest threat? Giving a test, …
Building Community in your Science Classroom
August 19th, 2011
One of the keys to good classroom management is to have a positive and powerful community among the students and teacher built from the start. It takes a village to make your class work effectively. Your village is your students. Building community …
What Have We Learned?
August 8th, 2011
We are a few weeks away from the anniversary of what has become the darkest day in the history of our nation. September 11, 2011 will mark the tenth anniversary of the day that terrorists used our own commercial aircraft against us …
Top Ten Things You Should Know About Geocaching Before You Get Started
July 20th, 2011
I recently had a friend ask me what advice I would give someone who was just starting out in geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt game I have referred to in past blogs and articles. I thought for a while, and also asked …
The Effect of Glee
July 7th, 2011
It comes as no surprise to students who are or were ever a part of a school choir; singing has always been cool. The success of the hit television show “Glee”, which has refocused the national spotlight on school music programs, has …
Fire and Water
July 4th, 2011
My Father lives in Los Alamos New Mexico and I live 5 miles from the Missouri River. One location this summer was dealing with the largest forest fire in New Mexico history and the other was facing a 100+ year flood event, …
Your Summer To Do List
June 23rd, 2011
The best time to update a course, curriculum or even just lessons is in early summer. We have a clear view of what worked, the motivation to put in a bit of work on the task and we are aware of how …
Give Yourself a Whack on the Head
June 20th, 2011
The summer offers a great opportunity for us to spend time working on ourselves, exploring creative endeavors and honing our skills. It is an excellent time to work on enhancing our creativity and add to our creative problem solving toolbox. As arts …
Animal Art
June 2nd, 2011
Last year in Southern Utah an art competition was held. Two fine artists, Daphne and Holly created paintings that sold for $450.00 and $355.00. Nothing remarkable except that the two lady painters were pigs- the four footed kind. At Best Friends Animal …
City Renaissance
May 13th, 2011
Foreclosures have taken their toll on cities, not only in reduced property tax revenue, but by leaving the landscape looking bleak and abandoned. Empty storefronts discourage foot traffic which results in decreased pedestrian shopping in businesses that remain open. Empty businesses become …
Teaching Controversial Topics
May 10th, 2011
A few years back I added a unit on global warming in one of my classes and there was an unexpected push back from my students based primarily on the views of their parents. I did not handle the controversy as well …
What Color Is Your Soul?- Graff 2
April 18th, 2011
Graffiti. Love it or hate it, it is an art form that has been around for quite some time. Graffiti art has been a barometer of the counter culture movement of the art world for decades. It has definitive styles, techniques and …
The Pink Slip
April 11th, 2011
It was the early 1980’s and I was a wide eyed fresh out of school teacher with a passion for teaching science. I was anxiously planning the next unit then my administrator came to my door and sadly told me that I …
The Great Healer
April 3rd, 2011
This past fall I experienced a succession of stressful events in my life. First I received a devastating, terminal diagnosis for my beloved dog. Not two weeks later, while still trying to cope with his illness and prognosis, I fell off a …
Reach Out and Skype Someone
April 1st, 2011
Before the holiday break, I had opportunities to video chat with some friends in other parts of California. Neither situation had much preparation – in fact, one was a bit of a surprise – but both were worthwhile experiences for all the …
Earth Day 2011
March 31st, 2011
In 1970 the first Earth Day was organized. It was an international teach-in for raising awareness of environmental issues. Since then each April several organizations take stock of how we are doing in terms of environmental issues solutions and awareness. This is …
Commitment to the Future
March 19th, 2011
On Monday March 14th, President Obama gave a speech pushing for changes to education. “I want every child in the country to head back to school in the fall knowing that their education is America ‘s top priority.” he said. The following …
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