10 Ways to Beat the Constant Battle for a Work/Life Balance
A teacher’s work is never done. Outsiders don’t really understand how teachers constantly have a never-ending to-do list of things to prep, plan, grade, create, clean, discuss, question, read, learn, analyze, complete, and tweak. And oh yeah, teach somewhere in there, too. The high demands and expectations, coupled with low pay and respect, have led […]
How to Avoid Teacher Burn Out
The days and weeks are long and every once in awhile, teachers need to hit the reset button. In order to put your best foot forward for your students, some time must be set aside every so often to relax, unwind, and clear your mind, to help you and your students continue on the path […]
Ten Strategies to Avoid Teacher Burnout
Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers, but it is also one of the most demanding. Teachers must fill multiple roles, such as record keeping, serving on school committees and, of course, teaching. Burnout is a state of chronic stress. If you are feeling exhausted and distressed, you are not alone. According to the Learning Policy […]
Why It’s Ok to Say “No”
Every good teacher knows this story, you’ve been working at your school for the past couple of years and last year was your first year to get involved in an “extra-curricular” activity. It might have been a club, sport, or even a committee within your school. You had a great time and are planning to […]
Why Multi-Tasking is Your Worst Enemy
For years it was common to hear teachers say “I’m a great multi-tasker” or “multi-tasking is one of my gifts”. From a professional development standpoint, current research suggests that being a multi-tasker isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. In fact, multi-tasking has been proven to lead to lower levels of creativity, higher levels of stress, […]
How Batching Can Increase Your Productivity 10x
A typical day… The last student files out of your classroom and you start to get excited thinking about all of the work you are going to get done during your plan period. As you sit down at your desk, here is just a short list of events that derail your productivity on an average […]
Standards-Based or Traditional Grading – Why not Both?
There are many reasons to support both Standards-Based & Traditional grading. For teachers trying to jump into Standards-Based Grading (SBG) and don’t know how, a hybrid option might seem like an easier transition from a traditional grading system. Other teachers may want to fully switch to SBG but because of their school’s requirements or even […]