Chocolate for the Teach

In my last post, I detailed why a calm, organized start to the school day or class period is necessary. I made it a priority to always get this down, and as a result had really effective starts and positive feedback from administrators. Here I hope to cut through the vagueness and give you concrete ideas on how to implement this.  Actually, when I implement anything, I follow a similar pattern. First, you have to realize that the set-up and practice is worth the long-term gain. You have to change your mindset-- this time of day isn't just something that passively happens. Something that just occurs. Sometimes it's great, other times, not so much. Reframe it to be a crucial part of your classroom learning time. It's worth the work up front.   1. Solidify the steps in your mind, first. Sit down and visualize, in detail, what a quiet start looks like to you. I encourage you to have high expectations for your students while also acknowledging age-appropriateness. It's prob...

I'm sorry to say it took me so long to realize it was possible. It was halfway through my college internship year. I was tasked with watching our class of second graders that morning while my mentor teacher was in a meeting. The morning started pretty typically. The group of eight- and nine-year-olds were meandering, chatting, sharpening pencils, reading books, sharpening pencils again until they were unrecognizable pointy nubs, playing by the water fountain. This was our normal scene. I assumed this behavior was age-appropriate and therefore fine to settle with.  Then the teacher next door walked in to ask me something. It was her last year teaching, and this veteran could not hide her horror.  “Why are they walking around? Is it always like this?" This was one of the pivotal moments in life when I realized it didn't have to be this way. Really.  So when I started teaching full-time in my own classroom, I sought to implement what the veteran teacher had expected all alon...