The world of education is constantly changing as research uncovers new methods for educators to use in the classroom. If you are a teacher looking for the latest news and developments in education, let us guide you to the resources you need. Browse our library of helpful articles to get practical advice for your classroom. You can also read inspiring stories of other teachers who have experienced the triumphs and failures that come along with a career in education. Look for opportunities in continuing education and stay on top of changing laws that will affect the public school system. We understand that your time is consumed with grading papers, making lesson plans, and mentoring students. That is why we provide all of the latest education headlines in one quick stop.
Mar
01
The Importance of Hands on Learning for Kindergarten
Teaching kindergarten is tough. You have a classroom full of children who are not only new to the school experience but also have a bottomless well of energy. It falls on their teacher to come up with a way to channel their energy and teach them how to learn. One of the things that most schools are starting to realize is that when it comes to kindergarteners, it is important that a great deal of their education comes from hands on learning.
While there are some exceptions, most kindergarteners have not yet learned how to sit still for very long. This is just one of the things that the teacher needs to do for them. Ideally the teacher wants the student to not just memorize what they are being told, but to also figure out how to draw their own conclusions.
Hands on learning also helps break up the day. Five year olds have a limited attention span. Having them sit still for an hour and stare at a drawing board while the teacher tries to explain the difference between A and E is asking a lot. Having the kids get up and draw the letters on the board or come up with examples of words that start with the letter that they are learning helps prevent the students from getting bored.
The most important responsibility the kindergarten teacher has is to teach the students to enjoy school. There is very little worse than having a child who hates going to school. When a child hates school they tend to let their grades slip, they can develop behavioral issues, and they put a great deal of stress on their family. The worse thing about a child who hates school is that the situation never ends. Children who do not like school in kindergarten will still hate school when they enter their senior year of high school.
A hands-on learning experience is one of the best ways for a kindergarten teacher to show the child that not everything about schooling is loathsome, and that some of the lessons can be fun and interesting.
Jan
29
Keys to a Successful First Year as a Teacher
Teaching is an important job that is very rewarding, but it can also be a little scary in the beginning. The first year can be overwhelming as you juggle lesson plans, learning styles, and student needs. If you are facing your first year as a professional teacher, there are some things that you can do to make your life easier and the first year a little less stressful.
The first thing you need to do is meet your co-workers. Most of them are going to be friendly and have plenty of advice about what you can do to make the first year a great deal smoother. You want to try to find one who will be willing to act as a kind of mentor to you. This is someone who you can meet with a few times a week and discuss situations that crop up. In addition to offering advice and helping you prepare for upcoming events, you mentor will also have a shoulder you can cry on when you have a day where nothing seems to go the way it was supposed to and you find yourself questioning not just your teaching abilities but also your career choice.
Secondly, it is in your best interest to keep an open line of communication between yourself and your principal. The principal is the person who will have to deal with things like parental complaints, disobedient children, and administrative problems. The more open you are with them, the easier it is going to be to smooth out the occasional problem that invariably crops up. It is always a good idea to have the principal on your side.
Third, make sure that you have your lesson plans ready to go. The plans should be filled out a week in advance. They should also be quite detailed. While there are going to be times when things seem to go off track, your lesson plans will help you steer things back into the correct place and also help you look organized and competent.
Before the very first day of class, you need to sit down and decide on your class rules. This is something that you mentor can help you with. When classes begin, you need to explain your class room rules and you need to stick to them. Your students will respect you more when they know that there are boundaries.
Teaching is a lot of work and it is full of stress. When you are not in the class room you have to make sure that you take a little time out for yourself so that you can decompress and relax. This will make you a better teacher and help you survive and thrive in your first year of education.
Aug
03
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
As my child turns another year older it amazes me to think that this little boy that once barely filled my two hands would be old enough, big enough to head off to kindergarten. I have to say time really does fly by. I would do anything to keep my son small and young forever but that is not how it goes. As the days count down it’s time to think about his education, kindergarten, elementary education.
My son has a late birthday so he will be pre-k one more year before he will start his kindergarten education. Until then it’s time to prepare him. We plan on homeschooling him so I’m sure that we need all the time we can get to prepare him and I for the first official day of homeschool education.
As I look through countless webpages on what schools are requiring for your child to know for kindergarten screenings is astounding. Why has kindergarten education become so tough? I remember my screening, I had to recite the alphabet and count to ten, know the primary colors and that’s it. Our kindergarten education involved coloring, learning to use scissors, reading, writing, learning about money and how to tell time and most of all how to play in groups of other children and of course nap time was always a hit.
Now your child has to know rhyming, pattern recognition, how to write and have a concept of time before their first day of school. I gave my son a Kindergarten IQ test, 45 questions long! He barely is kindergarten ready. What happened to having fun in kindergarten? Now our schools send homework home for a kindergartener. Education is priority but so is living life to it’s fullest, you’re only five once.
Apr
19
Creative Ways to Keep Your Kids Reading This Summer
Summer is always the break that every teacher and student long for. It is 3 months of warm long days and a lot of relaxing and vacationing. Many kids forget everything that happened the school year before and look to the future. Many kids do not even pick up a book while away from school. Many parents still want their kids to continue reading through the summer to keep them learning and engaged. There are some creative ways to keep your kids reading during those summer months.
One way is to make weekly trips to your local library and let them pick books out. They are more likely to read and enjoy it if it is a book that excites them and makes them want to read. Libraries have reading programs during the summer and very cool crafts days that can get kids involved in reading while they make things that have to do with what they are reading.
Another creative way to keep your kids reading this summer is to keep a chart of how many books they read in the summer and tell them about rewards they will earn through the summer and at the end of the summer. Make the end of the summer reward pretty big and hard to get. This will show them that they can read more than they ever thought they could and it will get them excited about the rewards that they can earn. Many teachers can tell when a student has read through the summer and kept their brains engaged in books and stories. Kids can come back to school ready to read more and learn more.
Feb
28
My Dock Building Education
As with most homeowners I am constantly searching for new and innovative things I can do to my property to not only help with the look but to also add value. Unlike most homeowners my home is located on about 200 feet of lakefront. This adds several new elements to the mix as well as making the job a little more difficult. What follows is a journal type entry of my education in the process of building a beautiful dock in the backyard of my lake home. In is completely unedited as to offer you the most comedic relief possible.
As the Dock Building process began I found myself staring helplessly on isle 16 at the many different types of lumber that could be used for this project. Obviously I knew that deck boards would be a logical fit but what I didn’t know was the difference between using 2×4, 2×6 or 2×8 boards. I wanted the strongest dock possible so I assumed that using the largest boards possible would make the difference. Instead of purchasing a slew of 6×6 treated posts, I opted to go with the 8×8 railroad tie. Instances like this riddled my trip to the lumber yard. As it was all said and done, I ended up spending 4500 dollars on the wood alone. If I had known what I was doing it would have been more like $2900. Ouch.
I felt that I had something to offer in the way of construction because after all, I had watched the crew install the walkway for sedge medows. How was I to know that it wasn’t as easy as they made it look? So as I entered the work zone I began the process of installing my railroad ties for the support system. Attached to these would be the elevated boardwalks that allowed you to walk in several different directions. The job itself was very time consuming and full of busted knuckles, bruised fingers and an injured ego. I fell into the water numerous times and lost several hammers to the lake’s depths. However, the job was eventually finished and here I am 3 years later ready to add something special.
After the docking incident I became aware that I was constantly bombarded by insects. The answer? A screened in dock made possible by the brand new TrackSystems form of screening. It makes screening easy since all you have to do is install a track and then roll your screen into the slots. Suffice it to say that I now have the most eye catching Floating Boat Piers in the neighborhood.
Feb
07
Reflecting on My Elementary Years
Elementary years are often marked by new friends and budding relationships. Sometimes a favorite teacher is discovered and other times they are not. Some students fall in love with education and are forever held in its grasp and yet others are turned off by over bearing teachers, snobby students, or just a total lack of interest in their studies. Regardless of where you fall in that conversation, elementary school is always remembered.
My elementary years are best summed up with one word: Football. Third grade was the first time that I ever had the opportunity to play competitive football. I will never forget the feeling of putting on those shoulder pads and the helmet. It was like I transformed into Mean Joe Greene. I will also never forget the feeling of my first real hit. It wasn’t me doing the hitting but being the one hit. Football was great and I quickly became the starting left guard on offense and the right defensive tackle. That’s right, I was a chubby kid. They always put the fat kids on the line.
Because I was on the football team I was allowed to wear my Jersey on Friday’s. This was the day before our Saturday game and it allowed us to show off a bit. Of course the best part about elementary school football was that the girls liked to wear the guys jerseys. This usually meant that the girl wanted to “go” with you. Whatever that means. Watching the other guys get jealous was awesome. But watching the other girls get jealous was even better. Yes sir, my elementary school years were a blast and I’ll never forget those years of playing professional elementary football!
Nov
18
Choosing the Right Education for Your Child
Education is important in every person’s life. Education looks different to every person. There are many different ways to educate and train your child. Every family looks different and views education differently. Each child benefits from different kinds of learning and training. A child must be educated and learn the ways of life. There are dozens of ways to educate but let’s look at three.
One way to educate is Public Education. There are public schools in every city and full of children. Public Education was created for the purpose of the giving each child an opportunity to learn and be educated. Public Education was also a way for government to be a part of the education process. Funding for these public schools comes from taxes and government. They get their books, food, and classroom supplies from money from the state that they are in.
Another way to educate is to place your child in a Private School. Private schools are usually not funded by the government and gain financial support by fundraising and businesses. They usually are much smaller than a public school and more geared towards a specific subject or way of learning. Some Private School are religious and so they may be funded by a church or local organizations. They usually teach religion on top of all the other subjects of education.
One more way to educate is to homeschool. Many families are turning to homeschooling for their children because they feel that schools are not meeting the needs of their child. They also may want to teach in a way that the child learns by living life everyday. Many homeschool families are Christian and spend a portion of their education time on teaching their children how to walk with God and follow His commandments.
Whichever way a family decides to educate is that family’s decision. They know their children and what they need. Ultimately, education can be done in different ways. Choosing which way takes time but is worth the time in the end.
Jul
17
Mrs. B. Loves Casino Games!
Anyone out there who also makes a living as a teacher will definitely understand when I tell them that I have been keeping my love of casino games a secret. While there is nothing wrong with teachers wanting to have fun in their down time, students can sometimes make their own assumptions when they see their teachers outside of the classroom. I would hate for my students or their parents to assume that I spend all of my time gambling at the local casino.
For this reason, and because I prefer online games, and I have chosen to keep my love of casinos to myself for the most part. My friends are the only ones who know the real me and understand how I get very excited about games like gonzos quest slot. This is one of my favorites because I like that slot machines do not require much skill to play. Another slot game that I like to play on occasion is a game called frankenstein slot.
When I first started looking into playing casino games online I was not sure which site to visit first. There were many different online casinos that came up when I did a search and sorting through them did not seem like it would get me to the sites I was looking to find. What I decided to do was look up review sites in order to find out what sites other players recommended for those just starting to play casino games online.
The first site that I was referred to after searching on a review site was the Mr Green Casino website. This is a great site for anyone from experts to beginners to find the perfect game to suit their needs. I really like that they were able to offer games for me to play and not feel like I was new to playing the games. A lot of them were easy to learn and I cannot now honestly say that I am almost an expert in most of the games that they offer.
Though I have visited many of the different sites that offer casino games, one that I have not tried yet is caesarscasino. I have heard some great things about this site, but I am so addicted to the games on the other sites that I don’t know when I will get to play the ones offered on this new site. Maybe I will go back on the review sites to see what games others recommend trying on the ceasars casino site.
Other kinds of sites that I have not tried yet are the many Uk casino sites that are available online. I will definitely have to see if these sites offer slot games to play because those really are the games that I prefer to play if I have the option. I also tend to choose games that offer larger cash prizes so that I can make the most of the time that I spend online.
May
31
Getting Through the Day with Help of E-Cigs
Have you ever been the only adult in a room full of teenagers? As a high school algebra teacher I find myself in that position every single day. I really do enjoy my job, but there are times when dealing with teenagers and all the drama that they surround themselves with makes me feel like I am going to explode. The best way I know to deal with this situation is by enjoying smoking a cigarette.
The problem is that while smoking a cigarette is a great way to get through the day, it is also forbidden on the school grounds where there is a no tobacco rule. I could circumvent this rule easily enough if I was to hop in my car and down the road, but I do not know what I would do about the smell. The second you light up a cigarette you immediately reek of smoke, and no matter what you do, you can’t seem to get rid of it. I was so worried about the smelling like smoke and the school having an excuse to fire me that I wouldn’t even smoke inside of my car.
I figured that I was doomed to a professional life of frayed nerves and splitting headaches when I stumbled across an advertisement for e cigarettes. It turned out that they are a type of vaporizer that is designed to look and feel just like a real cigarette. They are powered by a lithium battery and have a tiny cartridge inside that is designed to release a vapor that not only looks and feels just like the smoke that I would get from a real cigarette, but that even has nicotine.
The thing that most impressed me when I was reading through the e-cigarette reviews was that the electric cigarette did not release any secondhand smoke, nor did it contain any tobacco. I immediately went on a mission to compare electronic cigarettes to find the best brand for me.
I started by reading the Safe Cig electronic cigarettes review. I learned that the starter kit came with a few electric cigarettes, a couple of cartridges, a charger, and case to keep all the various parts in one place. I could not believe how quickly they promised to ship the kits. You could literally have them delivered the next day. I continued reading the Blu Cigs reviews and other forums until I was sure I had picked out the brand I wanted to try first.
I will not use the e-cigs on school property, I feel that it would be setting a bad example, so when I am having a bad day and feel the need for some nicotine, I jump in my car and drive as far away from the campus as possible and then activate an electronic cigarette. After just a few puffs, I can feel my tension start to melt away, and I am ready to tackle the rest of the day.
Since the e-cigarette is smokeless, I never have to worry about smelling like an ashtray when I return to school. I have recently purchased another starter kit that I first saw on the NJOY reviews. This one contains e-cigs that are designed to purposely not look like a cigarette. I am still careful to not use them on school property, but at least this way if someone happens to see me parked behind the grocery store, they won’t know what I am doing, they will just think that I am chewing on the end of my pen.
Apr
12
The Name of the Game
One of my favorite teaching tools for my fifth graders is the game of bingo. The basic concept is simple and I can easily adapt it to whatever subject we’re studying at the time. My kids love it, which means they pay more attention and learn better than they might in lessons they don’t enjoy. Of course, the best part in their minds is not learning but winning the bingo bonus.
Using bingo in the classroom to promote learning isn’t a new concept, but I will admit that it took me a while to adopt it. But when I saw the results in other classes, I asked my coworkers for more information. She showed me how easy it is to adapt the game play to the lessons, and then she encouraged me to play bingo online for myself, to see how it could work.
Sure, even the best online bingo site isn’t going to have lesson plans, but it did open my eyes to some possibilities. The first thing I noticed was how much fun it was; if a practical adult such as myself can get into a game, then the children won’t have any trouble. The next thing that struck me as I surfed several cash bingo online sites was the multitude of themes and designs for the games. I can make the design of my games match the topic, which will keep the kid’s interest longer and provide additional information about the unit.
I settled on one bingo game per week with an additional bingo bonus round once per month. The prizes vary, usually being small toys and stickers and the like. The monthly game is for higher stakes, often a small gift card to one of their favorite hangouts or the movie theater. Another thing I took from my attempts to win free bingo money is making tournaments with other classes. The other teachers and I plan a big bingo game for all the classes at the end of each term with even bigger prizes. These tournaments have a higher participation rate than the city-wide spelling bee.
More than the excitement of awarding prizes, I love seeing my students take the classes more seriously and applying themselves to learning. With all the digital distractions available, children’s attention spans get shorter and shorter, so it’s crucial to find a way to keep them engaged in the classroom. As a culture, we’ve become accustomed to “downloading” information instead of discovering it, and our inability to think and learn shows through.
I wish I’d caught on to adding bingo to my lesson plans sooner. Nonetheless, I’m glad to add it to the curriculum and glad that it’s successful in making my students successful. I guess I should also add that I’ve developed my own bingo addiction in the after school hours! I discovered that I love to play free UK bingo after a stressful day in the classroom. It helps me to relax and get rid of the stress from a day full of noisy ten year olds.
Apr
01
Stress Relief from Teaching
I’ve taught Physical Education for a number of years and most of the time I love it. I coach girl’s hockey, so I don’t get to throw a football around very much. I do love keeping track of the NFL and other sports via television, but I also have another hobby; online betting.
Betting online has become a great stress reliever for me. Teaching is a lot more stressful than people understand and it takes up so much of your time! I’ve always enjoyed the bets we teachers make on certain teams, but we really don’t have a whole lot of time for it. We’re always coaching the kids or talking to their parents, attending all the High School sports games, or grading papers after we finally make it home. I also have to be in pretty good shape to teach hockey, so I go to the gym at least an hour a day. I do a complete workout to keep me fit.
Sports betting is an easy way to follow my games and also interact with people who enjoy the same sports I do. For me, NFL football betting is probably my favorite. Football has always been a sport I enjoyed. I actually did get to play on my college team as it was pretty progressive. But I’m no match for some of those guys and I’m not getting any younger so, following the games and football betting have become my outlets.
It’s easy to get online and find a sports betting site with plenty of opportunities for gambling. Aside from football, I often bet on basketball games and once in a while, even cricket.
You can bet on local games or those that are thousands of miles away. I use a number of different sites to play so it never gets boring!
The number of people who use the online betting sites is unbelievable, especially at playoff time. March Madness always has a heated gambling pool, but the hottest time to play is during the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to get in on the bets for that big game! I love interacting with others who enjoy online betting. There are several chat rooms available where you can talk sports, no matter what part of the world you live in. After all, no one knows who you are except you. A user name and password are all you need to get on. Easy breezy. You can pick up some betting techniques while you’re there, or give some tips yourself. There are hundreds of articles online that will tell you how to begin betting online and teach you how to place your bets or manage handicaps.
I would recommend sports betting to anyone who enjoys a good game. You can play from the privacy of your own home while you relax after a long day at work. You get a great social experience through the chat features and you get to track the progress of all of your favorite teams. It doesn’t get any better than that, does it? If you want to give it a try, here are some of the best links to get started:
- Click this link for online baseball betting sites that have gotten high reviews.
- Before you start betting online, read about which online sports betting sites have the highest pay outs here.
- If you are a big NFL fan, try online NFL betting here. NFL football betting is my favorite!
- Europe sports fans will enjoy cricket betting at this site.
- If you are a fan of mixed martial arts, you will love this MMA betting site.
Mar
31
The Educator’s Favorite Activity
Professional educators know that it takes more than a lecture and a textbook to help students retain knowledge. If you want to really get information to stick, you need to find a way for students to apply it and use it in some way. That is why teachers have turned to games for centuries. Games offer a hands-on activity that is both fun and educational. Playing games can reinforce a concept and show a student the importance of applying it correctly in life. While teachers use many different activities to promote learning in the classroom, one of the educator’s favorite activities of all time is the game of bingo.
Playing bingo is simple and even young children can do it. The game transitions easily from preschool all the way to senior care centers. Depending on the symbols you use and the approach to playing, you can use bingo to teach all kinds of concepts. Bingo for preschoolers usually centers on shapes or colors. Kindergarten students play bingo to learn letter recognition. Teachers take it to the next level by calling out the phonetic sounds while students mark the appropriate letter. As kids get older, bingo can be used for reading skills and site words. Many teachers use it for math to help students learn multiplication tables. Memorizing multiplication is a lot more appealing if you want to win bingo after lunch!
Adults can benefit from playing bingo too. While we may not play in the classroom setting, there are still many educational benefits to playing bingo online. When you log in and play a round of Love You Bingo, you are engaging your short term memory and basically exercising your brain. Research has shown that doing these kind of activities can help you preserve your memory and prevent the progression of dementia and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Bingo also offers many social benefits. For students in the classroom setting, bingo games provide an opportunity for them to interact and learn to socialize appropriately. It also gives teachers the chance to help children learn how to have a good attitude despite losing and to be a good sport to those around you when you win. For adults, online bingo offers the benefit of social opportunities that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. When you log in to play Love You Bingo or Diva Bingo, there are chat rooms where you can talk with people around the world. This is a great opportunity to practice your social skills and make new friends.
Whether you are a teacher or just an average citizen looking for a way to keep your mind sharp as you get older, bingo can be a great resource. The internet has bingo games that are appropriate for all ages. From Hollywood Bingo to Moon Bingo, there is a site for every preference and personality. If you are new to the world of online bingo, here are some links to help you learn more:
- Learn the basics of playing at sites like Love Your Bingo and Diva Bingo here.
- Find out how to enjoy the optional chat feature at Costa Bingo here.
- Jump in and play a round of Redbus Bingo here.
- Read about new bingo sites no deposit games here.
- For an old favorite, read this tastybingo review.
Nov
01
Homeschool vs. Public School
There was a time when it was very unusual for a parent to home school their children, however that is rapidly changing. Over the past decade, the number of children who are being pulled out of traditional schools and are being taught at home by their parents has gone up about 10%. Before you decide to teach your children yourself you need to sit down a seriously consider all the pros and cons of both types of schooling.
Home Schooling
As schools are forced to cut more and more programs many parents feel that the only way their child will get a well-rounded education is by teaching them at home. This allows the parents to mix traditional academics like English and arithmetic with art program which are disappearing from schools. Having their child at home also allows the parents to provide their child with hands on learning that schools simply cannot provide.
Bullying seems to be becoming a bigger and bigger problem in schools. In some cases the bullying and hazing has become so severe that the victims have turned to violence and suicide in an attempt to escape.
Drugs, alcohol, and parties are another thing that you are going to need to think about, particularly as your child becomes older and more independent. If you are worried that you have a child who is prone to making poor decisions, especially if a little peer pressure is applied, than sometimes keeping them at home is the best option.
Public Schooling
There are some really good things about the public school system. The first is that the people who would be educating your child are experienced and well trained teachers. They know the subject material inside and out, and also know different methods that can be used to help your child learn things that they simply do not seem to be grasping. The public school also uses things like standardized testing to make sure that you child is actually learning everything that they need to know if they are going to be successful later in life.
Learning the proper way to behave in a social setting is important. The sooner your child learns how to act when they are around others who are their own age, the easier their life is going to be. Most children find that it is very difficult to learn how to behave socially if they do not get acclimated until they have become teenagers.