When I first considered implementing stations with my students, I was excited! I knew they would love the variety of activities and the movement. I wanted my students to practice standards-based skills through discussion and teamwork. But I was also a little worried. After all, managing station work in middle school definitely offers some challenges. Do the Benefits of Station Work Outweigh the Challenges? These days, teachers are expected…
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classroom management
10 End-of-the-Year Survival Tips for English Teachers
The end of the year can be an exciting time for both teachers and students! Who doesn’t look forward to summer break, right? But with that anticipation sometimes comes the question How can I keep my students focused on learning? In class, it takes a little more to hold their attention. Have you noticed grades have a tendency to drop off for students late in the year? And besides keeping…
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How to Stop Writing Restroom Passes (and Keep Students in Class)
Those incessant restroom requests . . . what’s a teacher to do? I admit I’ve always been annoyed by them (What? You mean you want to leave my class?). But how can you say no when students ask? For years, I would just sign the pass, adding wistful words like, “Go quickly!” or “Hurry back!” But once I’d allow one student to go, another and another would want a pass as…
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