As I watch my grandsons play baseball, I hear parents and coaches yell, "Baseball ready!" to the players.  This might be an old expression, but I don't remember hearing it before.  Some of the boys really respond and jump into their fielding positions ready for action.  Others pretty much ignore the spectators and do their ...

One day when I was really down about my students and teaching, David popped up and gave me some ideas.  He suggested that I try to give my students motivation or inspiration.  At first, I thought, “That’s not my job, that’s their mama’s job.”  But afterwards, I realized that my students are not getting encouragement ...

I have been busier than a dog with flees!!!   I’ve been trying to catch up on paperwork.  I feel like I’m drowing in it.  Failure reports, lesson plans, parental contacts, conferences. . . it never ends.  But, I have learned to organize myself a little better for it. We’ve had report cards again and this time I [...]

So, I’m still trying create a classroom that fully engages students.  On Wednesday, we made vocabulary foldable for our unit on the early Middle Ages.   It was sort of babyish activity for the kids, but I think they really liked it and preferred it to taking notes.  It was interesting b/c there are kids I normally [...]

Remember, I told you a few days ago that I was having my students rewrite children’s songs with our subject matter.  Here are two of the student products.   I figure I can show them b/c they do not have any of the students names AND the student’s faces are shown.  (Let me know if this [...]

I wanted to review how my lesson with my 5th period went today.  I gave each of the students a topic and a children’s song title.  My instructions were to remix/rewrite the children’s song using the topic assigned.  These high school freshman loved this activity–what made them really happy is that I let them pick [...]

    I am at another basketball game; therefore, I get the opportunity to write for my blog.     Thanksgiving break has already started!!!  I was so excited about the break that I did my Turkey Dance for the students.  They loved it!  Some of them did it with me.    I want to post more on the teaching [...]