Emergencies and Echoes

Works4Me presents weekly practical classroom tips from real experts -- your colleagues!

1. Important Stuff Board

From Brenda Bridges:

"I have a bulletin board next to my desk, which is for me alone. I keep a sheet of paper tacked to the board, and as someone is walking out my door with my borrowed supplies, I jot who it is and what they've taken. I cross it off when it is returned. On that same bulletin board, I hang all important office memos such as bus routes, day care lists, staff building birthdays, blank maintenance request sheets, blank media (usually computer) repair sheets, building schedules, etc. I hang them diagonally at the bottom starting on the right so they overlap every half-inch going left. I also keep a red folder stapled to it for absent students' work, cute things that students have given or made for me as gifts, and photos students give to me. The top left corner is reserved for security information such as procedures for exiting for fire drills, where to go for tornado warnings, leaving the building due to bomb threat or electrical problems, and lock-down drills. I also hang a class list there. Those things are hung vertically about every 2 inches going down so the headings are clearly marked. I also highlight the headings. The top one is marked in large red marker so substitutes and student teachers know exactly where to look."
» Comment on This Tip
» More Bulletin Board Tips

2. Getting Students' Attention

From an anonymous reader:

"Echo Me, Please is a very useful tool for directing everyone's attention to you. You teach the students that whenever you say 'Echo me, please' they are to say it right back to you the same way you said it (mix it up by whispering, making it rhythmic, or singing it, etc). Then, make up something for them to repeat back to you. It can be from any subject, but it's best to keep it short. Even in cases where you have over 100 students, this can work. Once you say it, some students will echo you. Repeat the process until all of the students are echoing you and are looking at you. Have them echo a couple of things, then give whatever instructions you need to give them."
» Comment on This Tip
» More Classroom Management Tips

3. Question of the Week: Single-Sex Classrooms

From the Works4Me Worker Bees:

"What are your suggestions on how to mitigate problems that might arise because of boys and girls being in the same classroom together? (Hormones gone wild.) What are practical tips you can share for dealing with this problem?"
» Submit Your Tip
» View Responses & Leave an Answer

4. Giving F's

Heard Last Week in the Works4Me Lounge from Amy Martin:

"My principal called me in today and said that he was concerned about the number of F's I gave last year. He feels that I give too many, and that I should do something about it. Considering that the students who earned F's did so because they rarely did or turned in work, I am uncertain how to avoid failing students. It does not seem ethical to pass students who make little or no effort by grading? If so, what do you do about it?"
» Comment on This Tip
» More Professional Tips

Works4Me Resources

E-mail Newsletter: sign-up to receive free tips weekly

Previous Newsletters: recently published tips

Tips Library: browse hundreds of archived tips

Discussion Board: ask questions and share tips with other teachers