One of the biggest aches and pains I see in my inboxes and remember from my own time in the classroom full time is the burden of grading on high school teachers. This is a huge responsibility that differentiates our workload from that of elementary teachers – and on top
Several years ago my district encouraged us to really start moving towards project-based learning in high school science especially – but really in every department at my school. At first, it just felt like ANOTHER new initiative being forced on us, if I am honest. But the more I studied
When I think back to my own high school experience, I think of late nights. Getting home from a 3-hour dance class or play practice only to find me up well past midnight to finish all of my homework afterward. And most of the time – I was just doing
If you have been around It’s Not Rocket ScienceⓇ long, then you have heard about the secondary classroom procedure I can’t live without. That’s right – BELL RINGERS – or what I like to call “Prime TimesⓇ” because the first five minutes are the most important part of your day.
How to use nontraditional summative assessments in secondary classrooms to assess student learning
We have to have a strategy to minimize time spent grading. Whether we like it or not, as high school teachers grades are of the upmost importance, as our students’ GPAs will directly impact their futures after graduation. This can be a heavy burden for us to ensure we are
I’ve mentioned before that I have a few “series” I want to start writing to on this blog periodically. One of the ones I am excited about is “Teaching Controversy.” Especially as a secondary teacher, there are so many things that teachers debate over and I want to share from
A lot of us teach in schools where the grading policy is set and there can be no changes to it. This was refreshing for me when I was a first-year teacher. It was one less decision I had to make for my classroom and I was grateful. When my
Do you want to know the secondary classroom procedure I can’t live without?? So often in teaching when we try something new we wonder, “Why haven’t I done this all along??” Maybe it’s a grading technique or a behavior management strategy that you’ve implemented that you look back and can’t believe
Midterm and Final Exam review…this could potentially be one of the worst parts about being a secondary teacher. This pressure is especially amplified if your exam is a state standardized End of Course exam. Your principal is sending you “encouraging” emails but they actually come out more job- and life-threatening.
Not sure where to begin simplifying your teaching life? Start by reseting your classroom! Get the step-by-step checklist you need here!
Use these signs to equip your students to take on any question - and never say "I don't know where to begin" again!
