The best educators know that being a good listener is a key tenet of the teaching profession. Teaching strategies that include listening are key to the educational process.
So how do we develop good listening skills? Today on TeachHUB.com we examine how to foster good listening skills. Janelle Cox, a frequent contributing writer to both the website and TeachHUB Magazine, today examines helpful teaching strategiesthat can help put us on the way to becoming better listeners.
Janelle’s ideas include asking yourself:
What is an Active Listener?
How are Your Listening Skills?
And More!
Janelle also outlines a couple ways to become a better listener, including:
Focus on the student speaking and don’t let your mind wander or multitask. If you find that you are not focusing, then try and bring your attention back on the student and focus your attention to the students’ lips moving.
Check your body language to ensure that it isn’t sending out any wrong signals. Make sure your eyes are focused on the students’ face, your hands on not waving around or in a position of aggravation, and that you are showing the student that you are interested in what they have to say.
Janelle sums up her article like this: “Becoming a “Listening” teacher is a great way to build a meaningful relationship with your students. It will not only improve your teaching, but the way that your students learn as well.”
Are you an active listener? Please feel free to leave your teaching strategies, thoughts, and comments in the comment section, we would love to hear from you.
Now that we’re in the depths of winter (and many of us in the colder regions are anticipating spring already), it’s time to start thinking about how to apply for those coveted teaching grants.
Today on TeachHUB.com, we look at how educators can begin to apply for teaching grants. We offer up a step-by-step guide on the process.
First, you need to determine which classroom (or school-wide) projects your grant will be directed at. Are you looking to get some iPads? Some more books?
You’ll also need to:
Get the backing of your school’s administrators
Learn how to search for grants
Carefully follow directions
And More!
Do you have your own tips for getting teaching grants?
One of our perennially most popular stories is about how younger teachers can get over their fear of intimidation when it comes to teaching math.
In the article, we addressed some of the myths surrounding the teaching of math, and instruct educators on how to get around them. Some of these popular myths include:
You don’t need to study for teaching math
There is only one right way to get the right answer
Logic is needed for math and creativity is not
And more!
Remember, “In today’s technologically advancing world, learning math is more important than ever. Technologyrequires that we solve more difficult and complex problems all the time. Thinking clearly about math is the first step in teaching children to also think clearly about math.”
Including people and experiences outside the classroom has become ever more difficult with budget cuts. But with the cyber world and the U.S. mail at your disposal, you can connect your kids in lots of ways that are inexpensive or free.
Here are a few ideas to connect your classroom to the outside world.
Teacher retention is a big issue within the teaching profession today. For a variety of reasons, it can be difficult to hold on to teachers. Up to 90 percent of vacancies in the teaching profession are non-retirement leaves – teachers that scatter and contribute to the nationwide teacher shortage.
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox looks at various ways that a stable work environment can create maintain the current level of the teaching workforce. Janelle’s ideas include:
Improve Hiring Practices
Improve Administrative Support and Working Conditions
Janelle sums up her article in this manner: “Retaining excellent teachers is critical for the academic success of all students. Luckily, there is a lot of research that is being conducted on how to decrease teacher turnover and increase the likelihood that teachers will stay in the profession until retirement. To ensure that the turnover rate remains low, policymakers must address this issue now by following the strategies mentioned above.”
What is your take on teacher shortage in the teaching profession? Please share your thoughts about this topic in the comment section of the actual article, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Each and every week, we send out an e-newsletter featuring the best articles and ideas from teachHUB.com. It’s the perfect way for you to keep up with what’s new each and every week – and it’s delivered straight to your inbox!
The TeachHUB.com newsletter also offers up an array of new lesson plans each week, and we spotlight the hottest trending articles from our website as well!
Work today can be plagued by two competing problems. One is information and technology overload. Many employees feel that they are drowning in information and serving their technology more than productivity. The second problem is not enough information and too little technology. What is odd is that the same people and the same workplaces can have both problems, at the same time. Let me explain this seeming contradiction.
When you look around a typical office setting in the U.S., you will see dozens of people typing on keyboards, looking at screens, and occasionally talking on devices or to each other face-to-face. This is what you see. But you also know, because it is true for you, that many of those people have another screen – or two or three – in their pockets, briefcases, or purses. Some are work devices. Some are personal devices. All are connected, really, to the same Internet, the same general cloud infrastructure, though not the same cloud, and all the gadgets can do, more or less, the same things. But both the people you see, and you, are constantly juggling these machines, like the juggling clown on the street corner.
On the “not enough information and technology” side of the coin, consider the typical experience of a digital native who walks into your office as a new employee, on their first day. I will wager that in most workplaces, when a digital native walks in the door they think, “Man is this place backward. Where is all the great technology? What I see is not as advanced as what I have at home or in my pocket.”
The Challenge of the Future Workplace
These issues were clarified recently in The State of Workplace Productivity Report study conducted by Cornerstone OnDemand. As a whole, U.S. employees often feel overloaded, with 50 percent saying they experience work overload, 34 percent information overload, and 25 percent technology overload. Interestingly, Millennials, our tech-savvy digital natives who make up the entry-level workforce, were more prone to feeling overload. Information overload was cited by 41 percent of them versus just 31 percent among older generations, while technology overload was cited by 38 percent of Millennials versus 20 percent of older generations.
As for the number of gadgets used at work, venerable desktop computers were used by 76 percent of all workplace device users, laptops by 43 percent, smartphones by 36 percent, and tablets by 15 percent. Millennials are about twice as likely to use personal devices, smartphones, or tablets at work. In other words, they are jugglers, and this may help explain why they are more prone to feeling overloaded.
Here is the challenge when we look at the future. The number of available devices is likely to increase, not decrease. The amount of information is obviously continuing to explode. By one estimate, the amount of new data added to the Internet every two days exceeds all the information in the world prior to 2003. This does not include all the information in private clouds and company servers. What we need are better ways to find information, focus clearly on what is most important, and to collaborate with others. It is not an easy thing to do. Employees make their best efforts, according to the study, even spending their own money to obtain apps for work purposes, hoping for apps that improve ease of use, convenient access to information, productivity, collaboration or access on multiple devices.
As providers step up to the challenge of an improved environment for information, technology and collaboration, interestingly the solutions that can reduce overload will be the same solutions that solve the problem of not enough information and inadequate technology.
To read more about Cornerstone’s The State of Workplace Productivity Report, cli
Are you searching for time-honored classroom activities that celebrate the love-filled holiday called Valentine’s Day? If so, look no further than TeachHUB.com today for classroom activities that will have your kids’ hearts smiling with joy.
Frequent TeachHUB.com contributing writer Janelle Cox, a seasoned educator in the East Coast, today illuminates us on some classroom activities that you can use today.
Janelle’s ideas include:
A Note of Kindness
Door Decorating Contest
Friendship Bracelets
And More!
Janelle sums up her article by intoning that readers play a rousing game of Valentine’s Day Bingo: “Play a fun game of Valentine Bingo using candy hearts. Give each student a blank bingo board and instruct them to write the following words randomly in each square, hugs, love, wow, cutie, best friends, be mine, 2 cute, hearts, you’re great. Then, using the candy hearts students will play bingo. The first one to get three in a row yells “Valentine’s” and wins!”
What Valentine-related activities do you do in your classroom? Please share your ideas in the comment section.
It’s a well-established fact that classroom games are very effective in teaching kids a variety of skills.
“Play to learn” is an axiom that many teachers have heard throughout the years, and today, frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Janelle Cox outlines several classroom games that can me altered for students of all ages, including:
•Spot It Fast
•Life-Size Tic Tac Toe
•Without a Word
•And More!
Janelle instructs educators to roll out some classroom games once a week, noting that by doing so, teachers will be engaging and motivating their students.
Do you have any fun learning games that your students love?
Since the onset of time, teachers have been looking for new and creative ways to learn how to save money. Schools these days are underfunded, which means that many teachers are forced to buy their own supplies. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox makes a few suggestions educators can use to learn how to save money. Janelle’s tips include:
Ask for donations
Share with co-workers
Buy in bulk
And more!
If you follow Janelle’s tips, you’ll find yourself with a few extra dollars in your bank account at the end of the year – hard-earned money you can spend on yourself! Do you have any money saving tips that you would like to share?
You’ve toiled all year long to bring about a love of reading in your students. But then summer comes along, and some kids might not pick up a book for two months!
It can be a frustrating conundrum for even the most seasoned educator: How do you learn how to motivate studentsto read during the summer?
Today on TeachHUB.com, seasoned education writer Janelle Cox, also a known educator, educates us on how to inspire and spark your kids’ interests in summer reading. Janelle’s ideas include:
•Create a Summer Book Club
•Set a Goal
•Take Advantage of Free Reading Materials
When used properly, Janelle’s ideas can partially ensure a successful summer, filled with books and much reading.
How do you encourage summer reading in your classroom? Do you have any ideas that get your students excited to read?
Teaching strategies in the form of colorful, eye-catching bulletin boards are not just great ways to decorate your class. In fact, teaching strategies in the form of bulletin boards can help generate excitement, get kids to appreciate hard work, and make them appreciate the hard work of their peers, too.
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned elementary school teacher based on the East Coast, takes a look at some teaching strategiesthat can help you get the most out of your bulletin boards.
Janelle’s ideas include:
Make Student Work the Main Focus
Choose Your Location Wisely
And More!
Janelle sums up her article thusly: “As a busy teacher, you may choose to opt to purchase some of the materials for your bulletin boards. If you plan on doing that, then try and only purchase boarders, backgrounds, or fillers. Leave the content to the students or be sure to make that yourself.”
Do you have any tips or suggestions on how to get the most out of your bulletin boards? Please share your ideas, we would love to hear what you have to say.
It’s not just about reading, writing and arithmetic these days. Now, educators are expected to instruct students on topics like how to interact with their peers, how to listen, and how to resolve conflicts, among other things.
Indeed, it can be a challenge to teach kids concepts such as encouraging others, following directions, and listening actively.
In today’s TeachHUB.com centerpiece article, author Janelle Cox outlines some teaching strategies that educators can use to alter their curriculum to address these fundamental skills.
Three key foundational elements Janelle lays out include teaching the social skill, practicing it, and reviewing it. She also gives distinct classroom examples on how to carry out each of those elements.
By following the teaching strategies mentioned, 21st-century educators will be better equipped to instruct their classes on the social skills they’ll need to succeed not just in the classroom, but in the workplace following graduation.
In this politically tumultuous time, a presidential election year when even the safest of political discourse becomes controversial, it’s imperative that your students, no doubt bombarded with rhetoric from all directions, understand how the political process works.
With a Supreme Court vacancy now leaving the nation’s highest court down a justice, now is the rare opportunity for your students to learn exactly how the Supreme Court works.
So today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jacqui Murray, who is a teach teacher based in Northern California, points out six websites that illuminate users on the intricacies of the Supreme Court, including:
Jacqui sums up her article like this: “Use all of these in your curriculum. Start with the first four as background sites. Once students are familiar with the Supreme Court, test their new knowledge with the games. This is a great way to infuse authenticity into a current events topic that likely will dominate the news cycle.”
How do you teach the Supreme Court to your students? Let us know!
Plan Your Next In-Service Day with our In-Service Professional Development Speakers
Did you know that the K-12 Teachers Alliance, the parent organization for TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB magazine, can staff your school’s next in-service day with the help of our professional development speakers?
It’s true – our team of experts is ready to energize your faculty with our turnkey solutions to your needs. We can address anything:
•Common Core State Standards
•Motivation
•Anti-Bullying
•Co-Teaching
•Brain-Based Learning
•Six Traits Writing
•Singapore Math
•Guided Reading
•Urban Education
•And More!
Best of all, our in-service speakers can fit into any budget, and satisfaction is 100% guaranteed!
Here’s what one seasoned teacher said about our professional development solutions:
“The material was presented in an honest, relevant, and engaging way. I plan to start using some of her techniques this week!” — Michelle G., high school science teacher
As we teach and prepare students for 21st century careers and college, the effective integration of technology is an effective pedagogical tool for meeting the needs of diverse learners.
Technology tools, like iPads are particularly useful in meeting the diverse needs of our students with special needs. Technology makes what was once inaccessible for many of the students accessible. Since iPads are relatively easy to use and don\’t have a significant demand on fine motor schools, they are becoming increasing popular for instruction of our students with special needs.
There are thousands of apps that can be used to develop students’ skills. I am always collecting apps that can be effectively integrated into instruction.
Here are some of my current favorite apps that benefit all children but are particularly useful for reaching and teaching students with special needs.
Acharya Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray: Father of Indian Chemistry
Acharya Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray, popularly known as ‘Father of Indian Chemistry’ also known as ‘Father of Indian Chemical Science’ well-known scientist, a great human being, legendry personality and first ‘modern’ Indian chemical researcher, was born on 2 August 1861. From childhood, he was a brilliant student and in 1882, Prafulla Chandra won a scholarship at Edinburgh University, UK and subsequently was awarded Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in 1887. He discovered the stable compound mercurous nitrite in 1896 and established Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited in 1901, first pharmaceutical company of India.
prafulla-chandra-ray
From UK, he returned to India in August 1888 and subsequently joined Presidency College, Calcutta as Assistant Professor of Chemistry in 1889 and worked there up to 1916, and subsequently joined Calcutta University College of Science (also known as Rajabazar Science College) as its first “Palit Professor of Chemistry”, a Chair named after Taraknath Palit (Taraknath was born in 1831 in then Calcutta, the only son of a millionaire, who donated money to set up the Chair). Since Dr Roy got a dedicated team so fully involved in research and worked on compounds of gold, platinum, iridium etc. Altogether 107 research papers of all branches of Chemistry were published based on his research works up to 1920. In 1936, at the age of 75, Dr. Ray retired from active service and became Professor Emeritus.
Anyway Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray and the company established by him Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited in present days is in the news because of the medicine Hydroxychloroquine or HCQ, the anti-malarial drug publicized by some as a potential weapon against COVID-19. It may be mentioned that Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited, the only public sector unit manufactures anti-malarial drug in India started Hydroxychloroquine’s production long ago but was stopped decades ago. Again in view of COVID-19, the Company has obtained licence to produce Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).
Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray was also a great human being and involved with many humanitarian activities. In 1923, people of Northern Bengal suffered awfully because of flood as sequel millions of people became homeless vis-à-vis hungry. Dr Prafulla Chandra organised Bengal Relief Committee, which collected nearly 2.5 million rupees in cash and kind and distributed in the affected area in an organised manner. Further, he was greatly motivated by his father and influenced by the Brahmo Samaj, a religious sect. It is pertinent to mention that the Brahmo Samaj literally denotes community (‘samaj’) and in reality Brahmo Samaj does not discriminate any one based on caste, creed or religion. Raja Ram Mohan Roy (22 May 1772 – 27 September 1833) was one of the founders of the Brahmo Samaj. In those days because of ‘ugly face’ of Brahmanism in Bengal many were fed up with Hinduism and thus Brahmo Samaj could penetrate among the common persons. Dr Prafulla Chandra used to donate money regularly towards welfare of Sadharan Brahmo Samaj, Brahmo Girls’ School and Indian Chemical Society. In 1922, he donated money to establish Nagarjuna Prize to be awarded for the best work in chemistry. In 1937, another award, named after Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, to be awarded for the best work in zoology or botany, was established from his donation. Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was a prolific Bengali educator, jurist, barrister and mathematician. He was often called “Banglar Bagh” (“Tiger of Bengal”) for his high self-esteem, courage, academic integrity and uncompromising attitude towards the British Government.
The Royal Society of Chemistry dedicated its prestigious Chemical Landmark plaque to Dr Ray in 2011, the first non-European selected on his 150th birth anniversary. In addition Dr Ray was awarded many laurels.
Although Dr Ray (remained bachelor) left for heavenly abode on 16 June 1944 at the age of 82 years but he will be remembered not only by Indians but people across the world for his enormous contribution in the field of Chemistry and establishment of Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited, only public sector undertaking authorised to produce Hydroxychloroquine or HCQ.
Work today can be plagued by two competing problems. One is information and technology overload. Many employees feel that they are drowning in information and serving their technology more than productivity. The second problem is not enough information and too little technology. What is odd is that the same people and the same workplaces can have both problems, at the same time. Let me explain this seeming contradiction.
When you look around a typical office setting in the U.S., you will see dozens of people typing on keyboards, looking at screens, and occasionally talking on devices or to each other face-to-face. This is what you see. But you also know, because it is true for you, that many of those people have another screen – or two or three – in their pockets, briefcases, or purses. Some are work devices. Some are personal devices. All are connected, really, to the same Internet, the same general cloud infrastructure, though not the same cloud, and all the gadgets can do, more or less, the same things. But both the people you see, and you, are constantly juggling these machines, like the juggling clown on the street corner.
On the “not enough information and technology” side of the coin, consider the typical experience of a digital native who walks into your office as a new employee, on their first day. I will wager that in most workplaces, when a digital native walks in the door they think, “Man is this place backward. Where is all the great technology? What I see is not as advanced as what I have at home or in my pocket.”
The Challenge of the Future Workplace
These issues were clarified recently in The State of Workplace Productivity Report study conducted by Cornerstone OnDemand. As a whole, U.S. employees often feel overloaded, with 50 percent saying they experience work overload, 34 percent information overload, and 25 percent technology overload. Interestingly, Millennials, our tech-savvy digital natives who make up the entry-level workforce, were more prone to feeling overload. Information overload was cited by 41 percent of them versus just 31 percent among older generations, while technology overload was cited by 38 percent of Millennials versus 20 percent of older generations.
As for the number of gadgets used at work, venerable desktop computers were used by 76 percent of all workplace device users, laptops by 43 percent, smartphones by 36 percent, and tablets by 15 percent. Millennials are about twice as likely to use personal devices, smartphones, or tablets at work. In other words, they are jugglers, and this may help explain why they are more prone to feeling overloaded.
Here is the challenge when we look at the future. The number of available devices is likely to increase, not decrease. The amount of information is obviously continuing to explode. By one estimate, the amount of new data added to the Internet every two days exceeds all the information in the world prior to 2003. This does not include all the information in private clouds and company servers. What we need are better ways to find information, focus clearly on what is most important, and to collaborate with others. It is not an easy thing to do. Employees make their best efforts, according to the study, even spending their own money to obtain apps for work purposes, hoping for apps that improve ease of use, convenient access to information, productivity, collaboration or access on multiple devices.
As providers step up to the challenge of an improved environment for information, technology and collaboration, interestingly the solutions that can reduce overload will be the same solutions that solve the problem of not enough information and inadequate technology.
To read more about Cornerstone’s The State of Workplace Productivity Report, cli
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Jordan Catapano addresses the common refrain “I just don’t know what do!” – the common, exasperated expression parents and teachers alike mutter when faced with the frequent dilemma of how to help a struggling student.
Jordan offers up several ways that both parents and educators alike can help the student who is having a rough go of it, including:
Talk and Love Go a Long, Long Way
Be Firm and Consistent
Be a Team Player
It’s a great template for anyone, parent or teacher, who is at the end of his or her rope when helping a faltering child.
What would you add to this list? What is important for both teachers and parents to do to help a struggling student?
Our In-Service Program Can Address Anti-Bullying Efforts
Did you know that TeachHUB’s in-service professional development program can include an anti-bullying focus?
In a TeachHUB in-service day, teachers will participate in various anti-bullying activities and learn strategies they can use to help prevent and intervene with bullying behavior and participate in modeled exercises to create self-awareness within a child.
Teachers will learn how other educators are encouraging anti-bullying behavior in and outside of the classroom across the country.
Why book an in-service day through TeachHUB.com?
TeachHUB.com professional educators can help you design original seminars to fit your school, district and teachers\’ needs
•Established seminars can be brought to your school or district
•Wide variety of speakers and topics
•We work within your budget and schedule
•Superior customer service and accessibility
But our expertise isn’t limited to just anti-bullying seminars. We’re also prepared to address differentiated instruction strategies, tiered activities, inclusive education and more!
We all remember the early days of our time in the teaching profession, the trials and errors, the triumphs and tragedies, and those times when we perhaps relied on more seasoned teachers to offer up some positive words of encouragement,
Today on TeachHUB.com, we take a look at some words of encouragement about the teaching profession that you might share with younger, newer colleagues who might be struggling.
Penned by Jordan Catapano, who is a seasoned English teacher based in the Chicago suburbs, the article points out specifics of what to verbally pass along, including:
“It gets better”
“Here’s something simple to try”
“Come and watch my class”
“What would you do next time?”
And More!
In summation, Jordan notes: “Teaching is no doubt a rewarding though challenging profession. While all teachers have lots of opportunity to learn year after year, our newest teachers are the ones who face many of the most intense pressures. As veterans, let’s not leave our new teachers to sink or swim on their own. We’re all in this together.”
What teaching profession advice would you share with a new teacher? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
The TeachHUB.com weekly e-newsletter is the best way for you to learn about what’s new on TeachHUB.com any given week. It’s a top-to-bottom rundown of the best articles we’ve published every week, and it’s delivered straight to your inbox every Friday – for FREE!
By subscribing, you’ll receive the latest, cutting-edge educational news, free lesson plans, and more!
In a recent issue of TeachHUB magazine, we spelled out some GREAT gift ideas for your teaching colleagues for under $5 – but our ideas are NOT the typical coffee mug fare.
Likewise, we take a looked at three smart boards you may want to incorporate into your classroom, and offer up some tasty holiday treats guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of your guests.
Did you know TeachHUB magazine is FREE? It is, and it’s a wonderful resource designed to help you become a better educator.
Groundhog Day is a great occasion for teachers to educate on various topics. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox calls out some of these classroom activities, including:
Making predictions
Studying shadows
Reading groundhog-specific books
And more!
With a little forethought and with resources like TeachHUB.com, teachers everywhere can prepare for Groundhog Day with fun and educational classroom games and classroom activities.
How do you celebrate Groundhog Day in your classroom? Do you have any special activities or games that you play?
Recently, we published an article by frequent contributor Jacqui Murray on four technological aspects that teachers of every subject must address. They are:
Vocabulary
Digital citizenship
Keyboarding
Research
Indeed, upon further review, students enrolled in math, government, and even physical education need to incorporate various degrees of the aforementioned things. The TeachHUB.com article spells out how teachers of any subject can do just that.
Do you have other topics you feel must be included in today\’s learner?
Twitter, that 140-character social media tool popular just about everywhere, is not just a means of communication, it’s also a great classroom resource as well!
In a recent article, we spelled out 50 specific ways that educators can use Twitter, including:
