Day: April 16, 2020

Technology in the Classroom: Pros, Cons of Revisiting Software

Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jacqui Murray takes a look at the reasons why teachers favor free online tools, as opposed to often-expensive pieces of software that some teachers prefer.
Some of Jacqui’s reasons include:
  • No Ads
  • You Get the Entire Program
  • It’s More Reliable
  • It’s More Secure
  • And More!

It’s an intriguing article that will certainly make you think!
What are your reasons for favoring software or webtools?
Get our reasons for revisiting software>>
Easy Classroom Activities for Special Days in February
February is a big month for special days and themes worthy of celebrating in your class. From Groundhog Day to Valentine’s Day to Chinese New Year, it seems almost every week that there’s a unique occasion for a teacher to call out and acknowledge.
Classroom activities are a great way for educators to give a nod to all the special days this month, and today on TeachHUB.com, contributing writer Janelle Cox spells out several unique ways teachers can get kids to learn about them all. For instance, for Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12, Janelle encourages teachers to:
•  Read the story “Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln”
•  Read the story “Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln”
•  Have students try and come up with a Lincolnesque quote of their own
Janelle offers up a lot of original ideas today, and entrepreneurially minded educators will note that a lot of her ideas will transfer from special day to special day. For instance, Her idea about a presidential scavenger hunt can easily be altered to be a Chinese-themed scavenger hunt.
How do you celebrate these February holidays and events in your classroom? Do you have any activities or ideas that you would like to share?
Get our easy classroom activities to carry out during February>>
How to Motivate Students to Love Math
Getting students to love any school subject can be a tricky endeavor, especially math.
Recently we published an article about how to motivate students to love math. Writer Janelle Cox called out some important tactics to do just that, including:
•  Demonstrate the Usefulness for Math in the Real World
•  Present a Reasonable Challenge
•  Entice Students with a Magical Math Problem
•  And More!
Do you know how to motivate students to love math? Do you have any tricks or tips that you would like to share?

3 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR RECRUITING STRATEGY IN 2018

The “war for talent” has been grabbing headlines for over twenty years, after McKinsey’s Steve Hankin coined the term in 1997 and wrote a book with the same name. Back then, the phrase referred to growing competition to attract and retain employees as Baby Boomers left the workforce. The war for talent still rages on in 2018, but now applies to companies struggling to fill open positions with candidates qualified-enough to fill skill gaps created by emerging technologies.
In 2018 recruiting landscape, top candidates are few and far between, which means they get to call the shots, while companies continue to compete in recruitment. There’s particularly fierce competition among organizations in technology and engineering fields, where skilled employees are especially sparse. This shortage can be incredibly damaging—according to the Hays US 2018 Salary Guide, 92 percent of the survey’s respondents said that a skills shortage is negatively impacting their business.
During this tough time for hiring, it pays to put effort into developing an effective recruiting strategy. Organizations that are able to effectively recruit talent have 18 percent higher revenues and 30 percent greater profitability than organizations that aren’t as apt, according to Bersin by Deloitte’s January report, Six Key Insights to Put Talent Acquisition at the Center of Business Strategy and Execution. High-performing talent teams are proactive, strategic and innovative in their endeavors; they don’t take a scattered “post and pray” approach to hiring. What do these organizations have in common, and how can you apply their methods at your company? To improve your recruiting strategy in 2018, focus on these three areas:

1) Be “at One” With the Business

Talent acquisition should not be separate from the core of the business. For talent teams to be their most effective, they need to be strategically aware of and integrated with overall company goals, so that they are able to participate, and importantly, anticipate future business requirements.
To stay in-tune with company strategy, have regular check-ins with leaders to ensure that corporate initiatives align with hiring initiatives, and adjust them accordingly if they’re out of sync.

2) Make Recruitment About Candidates, Not the Company

Employees want to feel special and wanted, so rather than taking a blanket approach to recruitment in 2018, effective recruiters should take the time to market roles to specific candidates and create a more personalized candidate journey for them. Shift your perspective and consider how candidates experience the hiring process from their first click on the careers page, throughout the application and interview process, all the way until the post-interview stage. Are candidates looked after? Have you built a connection with them? Are you communicating with them consistently?
It’s also important to consider whether or not new recruits will fit into the company culture. Rather than solely focusing on skills and experience, 90 percent of top recruiters consider candidates’ work ethic, values and potential, according to the Bersin report, compared with only 35 percent of low-performing recruiters. A cultural fit is important, because candidates with the right values will continue to feed into and reinforce the company culture.

3) Use the Right Technology

Mature talent teams need to look to the future and find tools that enable organizations to teach employees new skills as skill gaps form. Deloitte’s report shows that forward-looking teams are four times more likely to coach and develop their people than poorly-performing recruiters.
It’s crucial to keep up not only with learning technology, but also other emerging tools. For example, effective recruiters are six times more likely than low performers to use artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive data analytics to stamp out any possible bias in their recruiting methods and constantly improve the calibre of candidates they source.
The war for talent shows little sign of abating in 2018. Companies that want to be the best need to bring the best recruiting strategies to the table, and that means putting thoughtful, proactive effort into talent acquisition rather than being reactive.

Teaching Strategies: What a 21st Century Educator Looks Like

Today on TeachHUB.com, we answer the rhetorical question, “What does it mean to be a 21st century teacher?”
Frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned educator based on the East Coast of the United States, takes a look at some characteristics that a modern educator must possess, beyond the typical mastery of using technology in the classroom — including some sound, applicable teaching strategies.
Janelle notes that (and elaborates on the teaching strategies involved with) a 21st century educator must:
  • Collaborate
  • Be adaptive
  • Be a lifelong learner
  • And more!

In summation, Janelle notes: “21st century learning means teaching just as you have done in the past centuries, but with way better tools. Today’s teachers have a great advantage, in that they have powerful learning tools at their disposal that they didn’t have before. 21st century technology is an opportunity for students to acquire more knowledge. Teachers have the ability to move away from being the dispenser of information to someone who can guide them and prepare them for their future. Ultimately, the 21st century learner will be “learner-driven,” where they choose how and what they want to learn. The teacher will serve as a facilitator and guide to help embrace 21st century learning.”
What do you think a 21st century looks like? Do you think they must have a set of specific skills and characteristics?
Get our ideas on what a 21st century educator looks like>>
Minecraft in the Classroom Teaches Reading and More
Millions of people of all ages have been playing the sandbox-style video game Minecraft (on a variety of platforms, from the Xbox to the PlayStation to iPads and more) for ages now. But did you know that the game has man virtues that can enhance classroom experiences?
Minecraft, which is an open word game with no set goals for any player to accomplish, encourages teamwork, entices kids to read, and gets them thinking about integral classroom topics like physics and biology.
We recently took a look at the ways that Minecraft can help your students’ day-to-day academic trajectories.
Have you successfully utilized the video phenomenon Minecraft in class? If so, how have you used it?

Teaching Strategies: Nurturing Student Relationships

From time to time, especially at the end of the school year, it can be difficult to maintain a level of enthusiasm in your classroom. It’s tough to keep the kids engaged and excited about learning.
With that in mind, today on TeachHUB.com, the folks at Chalkup wrote a centerpiece article on how to nurture relationships with students. It’s a good read that will certainly turn on a few lightbulbs.
The article is summed up thusly: “As we approach the new year, we should focus on relationships, shaking things up, and providing students with a voice and choice in their learning. With attention waning, maybe now is exactly when you should be mixing things up in your classroom routine, trying on new collaborative tools for size, and inviting students to be part of that design.”
How do you nurture relationships with your students?
Get our reasons for nurturing teacher-student relationships>>
Classroom Management: How to Regain Control of a Class
If you’re a brand-new teacher just starting out or you’re a seasoned veteran with years under your belt, you’ve certainly run into situations where you’ve lost control of your classroom.
It’s certainly a frightening situation, and it can come about via a variety of ways: Kids get distracted, they’re ready for the next period, or they are bored.
But don’t let them defeat you! Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Janelle Cox lists several different methods by which an educator can regain control of a lost class, including:
•   Rearrange the seating chart
•   Share your frustration
•   Be confident
•   Lead by example
Above all, Janelle suggests that teachers be confident in their abilities to reign in an out-of-control class.
Learn some time-honored classroom management tactics to gain back control of a wild class >>
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Spark Class Spirit with Tie-Dye T-shirts Project

Having students create tie-dyed T-shirts is a great way to build class spirit. If you choose a class color or color-scheme, it’s also a wonderful way to keep your students together on a field trip or locate them during school activities.

No more searching in vain for your students among hundreds of kids at an event—just look for the tie-dyed shirts that belong to you! In addition, tie-dye shirts give your students a sense of pride during special events like Field Days or Class Kickball Tournaments, and kids can keep them as a memento of a great school year together!

There are several ways to do this project, but many of them are messy and time-consuming. Fortunately, I’ve learned one way that’s quite easy while still being fun for kids.

In this method, the students will tie their shirts themselves, but they won’t actually put the dye on the shirts. Instead, you will dye the entire batch of shirts in a washing machine. Don’t worry—you can get the stains out of your washer by filling it with water, adding detergent and a cup of bleach, and running it through a wash cycle. I’ve done it many times without a problem.v

Are Standards Failing Student?

I had a conversation recently with a colleague of mine who asked one of her AP Biology students why they didn’t seem to care about passing the class. The surprising response is an indictment of what we’re doing to our kids in today’s “high-stakes” public school environment. This student said that he doesn’t care because somebody’s got to flip burgers.

Someone has got to flip burgers. What a sad commentary for a high school student to make. Here’s a student who sees the futility of his schooling. Here’s a student who is so disconnected from the fantasy of public education to the reality of the world. Maybe he’s lucky that he “gets it” in that he knows that public school is never going to give him the tools to meet the challenges facing him after graduation. Maybe he already knows that what you learn in school has no relationship to what you need after graduation. And I know he’s not in the minority.

Too many of our kids find school mind numbing with little connection to their lives. Far too many of our kids are conditioned like Pavlovian dogs to take state mandated tests based on state mandated curricula that have little or no value after graduation. And then we complain that high school graduates have lost the ability to do critical thinking.

Are Standards Failing Student?

I had a conversation recently with a colleague of mine who asked one of her AP Biology students why they didn’t seem to care about passing the class. The surprising response is an indictment of what we’re doing to our kids in today’s “high-stakes” public school environment. This student said that he doesn’t care because somebody’s got to flip burgers.

Someone has got to flip burgers. What a sad commentary for a high school student to make. Here’s a student who sees the futility of his schooling. Here’s a student who is so disconnected from the fantasy of public education to the reality of the world. Maybe he’s lucky that he “gets it” in that he knows that public school is never going to give him the tools to meet the challenges facing him after graduation. Maybe he already knows that what you learn in school has no relationship to what you need after graduation. And I know he’s not in the minority.

Too many of our kids find school mind numbing with little connection to their lives. Far too many of our kids are conditioned like Pavlovian dogs to take state mandated tests based on state mandated curricula that have little or no value after graduation. And then we complain that high school graduates have lost the ability to do critical thinking.

The Difference Teachers Make: Cindi Rigsbee Interview

Former teacher of the year and author Cindi Rigsbee makes a difference, both in the lives of her students and in the lives of teachers.

After being named the North Carolina Teacher of the Year in 2008, Cindi began a year of reflection on what it means to be a teacher. This led her on a journey to find the teacher that changed her life, Mrs. Warnecke. Cindi wrote Finding Mrs. Warnecke about her favorite teacher and how she found the inspirational, life-changing teacher in herself.

Cindi shares her experiences and insights into teaching with us in this TeachHUB interview.

12 Ways to Keep Kids Motivated at the End of the School Year

12 Ways to Keep Kids Motivated at the End of the YearKeeping kids motivated and on task at the end of the year is challenging at best, especially after state tests are over. In fact, the more we prep kids for tests, the harder it is to keep kids on task after testing ends. Yet keeping kids motivated at this time of year is actually much easier than you might think. Since kids are more chatty and restless at this time of year, it’s just a matter of funneling that energy into something constructive
Here are 12 effective strategies to turn students’ end-of-the-year energy into instructional success.
Each of the twelve suggestions below is meant to spark your creativity rather than to provide detailed instructions. If you’re not already familiar with the strategy, you may need to do a little more research before you begin. To save you time, I’ve included links to helpful online resources from around the web.
Learning Centers
One of the easiest ways to keep kids on task is to create some simple learning centers and allow students to rotate through the activities with a partner. If you haven’t used learning centers before, you might be surprised at how easy they are to implement. Here are some additional ideas and strategies on my learning center page.
Literature Circles
If your students are bored by reading a basal text or doing test prep worksheets, they will definitely enjoy Literature Circles. The easiest way to get started is with Classroom Book Clubs, a relaxed and fun method that’s perfect for the end of the year.
Class ScrapbookClass Scrapbooks
Creating a class scrapbook is a terrific way to wrap up the school year. Let each student design his or her own special page. The front of the page can include their name, a photo, illustrations, and other personal touches. Have each student write you a letter about the school year and glue it onto the back of his or her page. Add a student-created cover, laminate all pages, and bind the finished product with plastic comb binding.

The Essential Classroom Management Checklist

Teachers' Essential Classroom Management ChecklistOften teachers are told, “You need to do a better job with classroom management.” Or “You need to do a good better job of differentiating instruction.” But how do we really “do” classroom management, or how do we really “do” differentiated instruction…better yet, how do we really “do” teaching?
In observing teachers, I’ve collected my list of these “grain-level” (1) classroom management practices that master teachers do every day in their classrooms, whether they’re aware of them or not.
As we approach year’s end, it’s a time to reflect on our actual, tangible, teacher-behavior done (or not done) in the classroom. Review my checklist to see what you’ve mastered and what you need to integrate to truly “do” teaching.

“My Classroom is a Hot Mess” Photo Contest

At the beginning of the year, you were brimming with pride at the perfection of your bulletin boards, the splendor of your classroom decor and the clean desks lined inneat little rows (or pairs, or a U, whatever your preference).

Now, all that’s left is in shambles. I blame the students. It’s all their fault.

Show us what a hot mess your classroom has become to earn some well-deserved Back to School cash to start the 2011/2012 school year off right.

Sparking Students’ Creative Thinking

Creativity is unfortunately lacking from many content standards, and yet I feel engendering creativity from all of our students is one of the only ways we’re going to be able maintain the standard of living that this country has gotten a little too comfortable taking for granted.

Here are some other safe and quick warm-ups to get the kinks out of a students’ creatively stiff neck.

Would You Like Being a Student in Your Classroom?

It was a simple question really. “Would I like being a student in my own classroom?” It stopped me in my tracks.

Last year, when the students had left, the chairs had been put up, and the exhaustion hit, I realized that no, this was not the type of classroom I would have wanted to learn in. And so began a quest of soul-searching, revising, and rethinking, in order for myself not to become a statistic; another new teacher who quits.

Stage Swagger & Swordplay: Adapting Shakespeare for Kids

Brendan Kelso is the mastermind behind the Shakespeare for Kids collection, the book series of Shakespeare plays adapted for children that are creating a young fan base for the Bard.

Learn how Brendan’s creative plays are making Shakespeare infectiously fun for you and your students in this exclusive TeachHUB interview.

Where did your passion for Shakespeare stem from?
11th grade – I entered a Shakespeare competition and did a soliloquy from Midsummer – it was Bottom’s speech, “Methought I was…” out of 120 kids, I received honorable mention – there was something about that moment in front of the judges where I just clicked. I felt like I rose to another level. I could see and think about what the audience was doing, while still performing – it was like I was in two places at once. Serious dose of adrenalin there! And my 12th grade year, I went to the Ashland Oregon Shakespeare Festival, best in the country.

How did the Shakespeare for Kids Books come to be?
About 7 years ago, I took a year off of work to be with my newborn son. Soon, my wife basically said, “you need to bring in some cash”. She was already in with the Parks & Rec as a after school science program, so she got me to do “Hamlet in a can”. I wrote up my first script. The kids LOVED it.

My first group wanted to do another play and, at the same time, a home school group requested that I teach their kids. At that point, I started doing session after session with kids constantly returning for another dose of the Bard. I got approached by two different theater groups who paid me, so they could use my scripts with their kids. It was clear there was a demand for this, so I found an on-demand publishing house and went to it.

Fun Teaching Strategies that Integrate Movement

Research continually shows that any type of physical activity increases blood flow, and that there is a direct correlation between movement and learning. So it’s of increasing importance for educators to integrate any type of physical activity into their classroom.

With that in mind, today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned educator based on the East Coast, looks at some clever ways that teachers can bring about a greater amount of movement to typically sedentary lesson plans.

Janelle’s ideas include:

  • Learning Stations
  • Gallery Walks
  • Musical Mingle
  • And More!


Janelle sums up her article thusly: “If you find that your students are doing too much sitting at any point in the day, then try to integrate one of these strategies into your lesson. Any way that you can increase their physical activity so that the oxygen in their blood can increase will be a great benefit to your students’ learning.”

How do you integrate movement into your lessons? Have you tried any of the above strategies in your classroom?

Get our teaching strategies that incorporate movement into your class>

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This month in the always FREE TeachHUB Magazine, we offer up some new female heroes to honor during Women’s History Month, and we review three new apps designed to help kids learn and enjoy reading.
We also explain why music and arts important in today’s curriculum, despite the fact that they are often among the first casualties of budget cuts.
Download the latest issue of TeachHUB magazine now>>
Engaging Classroom Games for All Grades
One of our most popular stories in the history of TeachHUB.com has been one in which we lay out some popular classroom games. These games are time-tested, and work at just about every grade level.
Classroom games add flair and student engagement to more tedious, yet necessary tasks like teaching math facts, grammar rules and vocabulary, reviewing for tests or even completing lab experiments. Adding an element of competition motivates and energizes students.
Our list of great classroom games includes:
•   Educational Bingo
•   Memory
•   Around the World
•   And More!