20 Ways to Teach for

ExcellenceHow To Make Your Classroom An

Environment That Promotes Learning

Create rules with your class on the first day. Be consistent and follow through. Make

sure that the contract created serves all members of the class, students and

teachers alike.

Make practical connections from the subject content to your students lives. They will learn

and retain information this way.

Give kinesthetic learners small tasks or stretch breaks that get them up and moving if you can’t incorporate

physical activity in your lesson.

Use music during group work to help students recognize transitions.

Use music during group work to help students recognize transitions.

Have students completea “getting to know you” note

card to help make meaningful connections.

Keep plenty

of sharpened

pencils handy.

Know the environment and neighborhood your

students are coming from.

Ask students what they

would like to learn about

a subject. Then, do your

best to incorporate these

things.

Give students the first few minutes to settle in, vent, and finish previously begun conversations. This will limit

distractions during the lesson.

Hide the clock.

Take the focus

away from time

and put it onto

learning.

Get on the students level. Don’t stand over them. Get down and work with them.

Provide lots of literature for students to read and explore. They may not

have those opportunities at home.

Teach and model organization in your classroom. This is a skill your students

will need and use for life.

Once a week, give a student a “soap box moment” by allowing them to present something of their choice to

the class.

Ask each student to write something nice to the presenter in response. This builds self-esteem and brings the class

together as a whole.

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Don’t try to intimidate or

frighten students to earn respect or

demand their obedience. It

won’t work in your favor. Besides, school is scary

enough.

Have students

change seats each class.

This way they get to know each other and avoid

cliques, which can be

distracting.

Let students have food and drink in the classroom. Remember that students can only

learn when their basic needs are met.

Do your best to leave your job at the door when you arrive home. This way, you won’t burn out as quickly as you might if you had

no boundaries between work and your personal life.

Listen and be patient. Have compassion and respect for students and be honest.

They will do the same for you.

Above all, do not abandon hope. After all the struggle it took to become a teacher, would you really want it to be easy?

* Picture Credits *3.) http://www.sundancedesigns.net/Teach%20apple%20smA.jpg

4.) Unknown author and source.

5.) http://www.pbase.com/image/28224724

6.) http://www.wdvl.com/Authoring/DHTML/CB/Cards/Card.jpg

7.) http://www.fell2earth.com/puzzles/colored_pencils.jpg

8.) Personal photo. Brigham’s Cove, Maine.

9.) http://www.grist.org/comments/soapbox/2005/06/22/hands_sun.jpg

10.) http://www.tengrrl.com/books/technolit-children/kid-comp-picts/notepassing.jpg

11.) http://www.a1classicclocks.com.au/images/box_main/cogs.jpg

12.) http://www.filmreference.com/images/sjff_03_img1264.jpg

13.) http://www.southalabama.edu/univlib/sauer/eh102/magazines.jpg and www.amazon.com

14.) http://static.flickr.com/78/171477975_a95670ac94.jpg

15.) Personal collection. Unknown author.

16.) http://courses.washington.edu/hypertxt/cgi-bin/12.228.185.206/html/pmontage/dfenster/hazing.jpg

17.) http://www.billemory.com/IMAGES/BUTT&SHOES.JPG

18.) www.rebelhome.net/veggie2.jpg

19.) Personal photo. Sand dunes at Popham Beach State Park, Maine.

20.) Personal photo. Winter surf at Popham Beach State Park, Maine.

21.) Personal photo. Beach front at Popham Beach State Park, Maine.