A Teacher’s Ramblings: A Lesson Plan for Classroom Rules

Who says you can’t teach classroom rules as part of your curriculum? They are, it seems to me, every bit as important to the success of our teaching as spelling and multiplication tables. Here is a lesson plan I use every year, and have never had pushed back as inappropriate. 

A Teacher’s Ramblings: Classroom Rules – The No Parking Zone

In most classrooms all too many students are ‘present’ but not taking part in the class. I created my ‘No Parking Zone’ rules specifically to make class participation a priority for my students. 

A Teacher’s Ramblings: Classroom Rules – The Quiet Zone

A classroom can devolve into chaos so easily , even on the best day. In this article I talk about the ‘Quiet Zone’ my class rules are intended to create. 

A Teacher’s Ramblings: Classroom Rules – the Safe Zone

I believe in rules, and my teaching life would be impossible without them. In this article I talk about the ‘Safe Zone’ my classroom rules are intended to create.

A Teacher’s Ramblings: My Class Rules

No organization can operate without rules, least of all a classroom. As teachers we have the responsibility for creating rules, teaching them, and enforcing them.

What I Look For When Hiring A Teacher

I have been a College Teacher, High School Teacher, Adult Training Manager, and the Director of a Tutoring Center. This article describes my process when I set out to hire a teacher.

A Teacher's Ramblings: What to Do NOW – No Matter How Crazy It's Become

Lesson plans – Pacing Guides – Standards – Expectations! None of these stands a chance in an out-of-control classroom. Every teacher faces this problem, sooner or later. This article summarizes a few ideas that I have come up with based on my experience.

How Standardized Tests Help Teachers Do Their Jobs Better

There is a debate raging about the usefulness of standardized test scores in evaluating teachers. It will rage a while longer, as those on each side are convinced and immovable. This article, on the other hand, sidesteps the debate and examines ways that teachers can use test results for the good of their practice and their students.

From the SAT Expert: Five Grammar Rules You Positively Must Know

In 2005 the College Board added the Writing section to the SAT. The results of a study released three years later indicated that the Writing section was a better predictor of college success than either of the other two sections, which were, themselves, already accepted as excellent predictors. It stands to reason that it is in your best interest to KILL this section. This article reviews the grammar rules that are most important for this test.

From the ACT Expert: Exactly What Math is Needed for the ACT

Standardized tests are an inescapable part of the college application process.  The ACT is a test taken by many applicants.  This article is a 'laundry list' of the Math you should prepare specifically for the ACT.