Relationship building is one of many aspects of a busy educator’s life. Whether you’re aware of it or not, your success as a teacher grows from your ability to connect with and relate to your students. Developing cordial professional relationships with colleagues and administrators is also vital, because you’re all working towards the same goal: providing all students with a high-quality education.

Each of us carries our own thoughts and memories of what a school day involves, how long it lasts and how it feels. But have you ever thought about how different school days can be in certain areas of the world? Different countries treat education in varying ways and this can lead to some striking differences in the school day and environment. From time in class to class size, breaks and lunch there are so many factors that vary across the globe.

In 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was it reauthorized. Part of this reauthorization included a description of and support for the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. The legislators who renewed IDEA wanted a way to help school districts use intervention before relying on special education referrals.  RTI is a multi-tiered approach that is used by classroom teachers and education specialist to help students who are struggling with a particular skill. Every teacher uses interventions as part of the teaching process but RTI is a little more structured than simply giving kids a little extra help.

Research shows that project based learning, also known as PBL, works to engage students and provide them with life-long learning skills. This teaching method leads to higher retention rates and improvements in critical thinking skills. Teachers in project based learning classrooms are responsible for encouraging students to take charge of their own education rather than the teaching and testing model that tends to be the standard in schools today.

Project based learning looks intimidating to many teachers who work within prescribed traditional curriculums. It seems like quite a stretch to get there from where their teaching methods currently stand. But it doesn’t have to be as all-encompassing as you might imagine, and the changes you make don’t need to be drastic.

Starting my career teaching English at an alternative high school, my classes were stuffed with students who had given up on reading. Some students were 2-3 grade levels behind their peers. Others were perfectly literate, but had no interest in reading. As a green teacher, these students seemed impossible to educate. 

Fortunately, I had a good mentor teacher, and after a few years in the classroom, I learned many strategies to engage struggling and non-readers. In this article we’ll explore three valuable techniques rookie teachers can use no matter the subject(s) they teach. So if you’re ready, let’s learn how to turn your students into readers!

If you’re browsing the aisles of your local bookstore during your summer vacation from school, you’re likely gravitating away from the education aisle in favor of lighter fare. The opportunity to decompress over the summer is important, and engaging with books which have nothing to do with kids and teaching is a great way to do that.

But summer’s leisurely pace also makes it an ideal time to invest in yourself through self-guided professional development. Expanding upon your summer reading by adding one (or more) of these well-regarded books is a great way to do that.