This is such a great resource – a clear and concise explanation of the practices and belief of Orthodox Jews and how it affects Orthodox Day School practices. Great for explaining school policies to non-Orthodox teachers and anyone else who might want to become culturally sensitive. http://prezi.com/y6z1gjiukc10/orthodox-judaism-101/Read More →
It’s only a few short weeks until the first day of school. Right now I’m buckling down and getting ready for the year. The first thing that I think about is what do I want my classroom to feel like emotionally every day. The classroom environment sets the stage for everything that happens inside the classroom. It is just as important to plan for the classroom culture as to prepare lesson plans and study the content.Here are a few principles that have worked for me and are easily transferable to all grades. 1. Develop a relationship – One of the biggest motivators for a studentRead More →
Teaching elementary school is sweet. The students are uncomplicated. Their hearts are open and they are excited by new ideas. They have questions and want to learn the answers. Unfortunately, many times, the answer to those questions, the true answers, the fullest answers, are simply beyond their grasp. The answers require maturity, awareness of the human condition and abstract reasoning. By the time they get to high school, many students don’t bother with the questions anymore even though they are ready for the answers. Many are apathetic. Others want to follow a leader and are intimidated by aura of authority that a teacher has. SomeRead More →
Learning happens when kids are invested in what they are doing. This works best if they buy into the process and know why they are doing what they are doing. Over the years, I have developed questionnaires to help the students figure out what they need to best learn and why we are doing what we are doing. This tool promotes a better classroom climate and learning. Research says that students who set personal goals for learning learn more effectively (Marzano). I have combined this goal setting with getting feedback to help improve my teaching and student learningI have used this technique in my highRead More →
