0 Food Allergies in the Classroom

Teachers in an elementary classroom must wear many hats. Not only are they instructors, but these patient men and women are lesson plan writers, bulletin board creators, first aid specialists, and keepers of piles of papers that need grading. Unfortunately, a relatively recent surge in childhood food allergies sometimes forces teachers to add another responsibility to the list: keeping a student safe from serious allergic reactions.

Are you prepared to deal with food allergies in your classroom?

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0 When Kid Projects Turn in to Parent Masterpieces

If you find yourself attending a 3rd grade science fair, it’s likely you’ll notice a thing or two about the projects. The first is that the experiments will probably run the familiar gamut from growing mold to measuring colors or tastes of favorite candies. The next thing that may pop out is that the quality of work on the poster boards will vary greatly. Some displays will look like professional graphic designers produced them in a studio. Other efforts will resemble crooked, messy presentations that look like they were thrown together by an 8-year-old.
Wait, shouldn’t all the projects look like they were created by an 8-year-old?

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0 Three Ideas to Promote Literacy in the Classroom

Once you start working as an elementary school teacher, you may quickly realize that one of the keys to a student’s success is literacy. It’s important for kids to be able to read at the appropriate grade level and to demonstrate reading comprehension. Developing strategies that inspire kids to read and make connections to the material will be well worth your time. Continue reading

0 Five Fears of New Teachers (And How to Overcome Them)

What by now seems like an eternity ago, you decided to go to school to become an elementary educator. You did the research. You found a school that fit for you, either on or offline. You have an accredited degree, you did the student teaching, and after the stress-filled process of applying for jobs, you’re hired.

Now what?

You’ve probably been asking yourself that question for days or weeks or months at this point, laying awake thinking about every possible thing that could go wrong that first day of school. Between the mental anxieties and physical task of keeping dozens of students interested in what you have to say all day, five days a week, you may be, and be honest here: Freak. Ing. Out.

Don’t worry. It’s natural, obviously with any job, and particularly when you’re dealing with the education and well-being of other people’s children. Below are five fears new teachers are bound to feel and simple answers to how to overcome them.

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