Improving Collaboration in Your Classroom

Challenges and Rewards

Hardest thing I have ever done (physically): Hike from Wild Basin Trailhead to Ouzel Lake Campsite and back again in Rocky Mountain National Park with a 40 lb. pack.  

Most rewarding thing I have ever done (physically): Hike from Wild Basin Trailhead to Ouzel Lake Campsite and back again in Rocky Mountain National Park with a 40 lb. pack. 

Hardest thing I have ever done (professionally): Teach students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders. 

Most rewarding thing I have ever done (professionally): Teach students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders. 

When I sat down to write a blog on classroom management, I started thinking about experiences I have had in my life that were similar to changing challenging student behavior. The hike referenced above came to mind. I was surprised at the number of parallels. Take a look!

**This blog was originally published in 2017, but we thought it would be a good  topic to highlight for those special teachers that are embracing the adventure that is summer school!** 

Every spring as the school year began to wind down, I began to gear up for summer school, or Extended School Year (ESY), which is specifically for students with special needs. Sometimes my teacher friends questioned my sanity for signing up for ESY in special education every summer, but I truly enjoyed it!ESY was the perfect opportunity for students to work on their academic and social/emotional/behavioral skills based on the needs outlined on their Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in a small, laid-back summertime setting. 

Please allow me to take you through a typical summer school/ESY morning. 

The topic of minimalism has been popping up all around me the past few years. According to the website The Minimalists, “minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.” Eager to find out how this movement could impact my own life, I picked up some books on the subject from the local library and set out on a journey to downsize, declutter, and make way for more living. I’d like to share with you what I learned and how these concepts might help you as teachers design more organized, vibrant classrooms!

Managing make-up work can be a daunting task for both students and teachers. Learn how  to create a homework station for students to access in your classroom to ensure students have the materials and information they need when they return to school.

Late spring is a time when teachers typically wrap-up and pack-up classrooms for summer break. The school year has been a whirlwind (I’m 100% sure about this) and students are buzzing with energy for “movin’ on” with their lives. Teachers begin to feel a faint sense of relief tinged with a hint of hope that all their Herculean efforts to instruct and inspire have impacted their beloved students. Soon year-end testing will be checked-off the list, report cards will be completed, and then it’s “School’s out for summer!”  But not until classrooms are cleared and cupboards and closets filled with materials and random left-overs from learning….  

Every spring as the school year began to wind down, I began to gear up for summer school, or Extended School Year (ESY), which is specifically for students with special needs. Sometimes my teacher friends questioned my sanity for signing up for ESY in special education every summer, but I truly enjoyed it!ESY was the perfect opportunity for students to work on their academic and social/emotional/behavioral skills based on the needs outlined on their Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in a small, laid-back summertime setting. 

Please allow me to take you through a typical summer school/ESY morning. 

National Bullying Prevention Month is a nationwide campaign founded in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center. The campaign is held during the month of October and unites communities around the world to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. The goal is to encourage communities to work together to stop bullying and cyberbullying by increasing awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children of all ages.

According to Sameer Hindua and Justin Patchin authors of, School Climate 2.0: Preventing Cyberbullying and Sexting One Classroom at a Time, cyberbullying is defined as willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. In short, it is bullying using technology.

Learners Edge is lucky enough to review outstanding coursework from teachers across the country. Sometimes their coursework is so fantastic, we think it needs to be shared! Below are some great suggestions from submitted coursework along with some ideas from our own Curriculum and Instruction team on how to build community within your classroom…

There they are – staring at you. Cute lil’ folks in desks or at tables, looking a little fearful but mostly excited, catching side glances from their buddies. You stare back – trying to figure out what you were supposed to be doing with them, completely drawing a blank and your heart beginning the telltale palpitations of increased nervous adrenaline….

It’s the start of a new school year and that means you have a blank slate in terms of setting up your classroom. This is a great opportunity to reflect on what worked well and what you want to change. Well-run classrooms begin with the room’s physical layout. Keep these teacher-tested tips in mind as you work on this year's classroom design.