November is Reader Appreciation Month at So You Want To Teach? Today’s featured reader is ms_teacher.
Name: ms_teacher
Location: Northern California
Occupation: Professional Educator (aka teacher); Grade 6, mostly Language Arts and Social Studies
Blog: ms_teacher
Tell me some of your favorite things about your job
Favorite things about teaching: Being able to interact with kids who are mostly good and do try to do what’s expected of them; sharing my enthusiasm for my subject matter – you should hear me talk to them about why I love Mesopotamia, even more than the ever popular Egypt! I also enjoy seeing their growth over the nine months I have them. They come into middle school as scared elementary students and leave at the end of the year, as (mostly) prepared 7th grader.
Tell me some things you loved about your favorite teacher(s)
I moved around a lot, so I have vague memories about many of my teachers. However, the few that do stand out are those who challenged me to think beyond just the answer in the textbook. I tell my own students that if their brains aren’t hurtin’ then they aren’t learnin’ J
List some of your most effective classroom management strategies
- Consistency and fairness
- I also always say thank you, please, and your welcome for the various things that my students do
- I always greet them at the doorway before they enter the classroom
- I also joke around with my students, but they know when to get back to work
- I usually tell them about my week-end and ask them to share what they did
- I also always tell them “to be safe” every Friday.
Name (up to) three other blogs that you frequently visit/subscribe
