What are /r/Teachers' favorite Products & Services?

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NOT GIMP!! NOT GIMP!!!!

Krita is what they need to use....

https://krita.org/en/

You put those kids in front of GIMP and nothing will get done. Also, try to explain to the school board why the kids are using software named "GIMP"...

Also check out: Why Don't Students Like School?: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom https://www.amazon.com/dp/047059196X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LikuBbKHFMTMF

My bag carries my water bottle. My first year it carried papers from the school to the car. And the car back into the school. After year one I didn't even bother. I wasn't doing work at home anyway. But I always have the bag as I enter and leave. My grades are always done a head of time anyway. I use this most of the time to grade.

Use Sejda. They will give free accounts to educators. I find it easier to make edits in PowerPoint.

Edited to say: sedja has PDF to word, word to pdf, merge pdf, jpg to pdf, pdf to jpeg, split pdf, rotate pdf, number pdf, lock pdf, watermark pdf, extract pdf, and probably more I'm forgetting. For your home computer you can get the program on your computer.

I used to like them more, but then I found these pens and use these exclusively.

Pens

EDIT: Now I let my 1st graders use my flair pens. Greatest incentive for writing. If they use great handwriting on their rough draft, then they get to write their final draft in flair pen.

Weekend Shopper 15.6" Laptop Backpack Vintage Backpack College backpacks Laptop Bookbag School Backpack Daypack Notebook Backpack for Women and Men GRAY https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KQI312O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_eiMYAb1JHYFSK

I had this for a little over a year and have had no problems with it. There are colors other than gray too.

I'll start with one of my favourites:

Edpuzzle - https://edpuzzle.com/

Edpuzzle is a website that allows teachers to upload videos, and embed questions, comments, links to the video. The videos can be taken from many different video tube sources like youtube. It allows you to dub over the audio with your own. You can add pauses, and trim and cut the video. It also has a feature such that the video pauses if the students switch to another window. Also, if a student gets a question wrong, you can have the video restart from a place in the video where it talks about the material related to that question.

It has great analytics that show how much of the video the students have watched, how many times they have watched it, and their responses to the embedded questions. They display these analytics in a class summary page and you can go into specific students by clicking their name.

Edpuzzle really fits well with those teachers flipping their classroom since it hold students accountable for watching the videos. It is very simple to use.

Negatives:

• Students do need an account. However, they can use their edmodo or google account to log in.

• In my experience, the app can be glitchy on cell phones.

Overall, I use this with my math classes and am now looking to incorporate it with my Social Studies classes.

You can get one of these, and hang it in public view. If a student is to have their phone taken away, have them put it in a pocket (they can see it through the class, just not use it). You never handle it, but they can't use it.

This has less to do with what one individual teacher can do in terms of pedagogy and more to do with what we can demand as a united front of teachers. We have to figure out ways to give students more autonomy from an early age to develop their identity as a student and trust the school system. When we "smother them with rules" as one commenter suggested, even in some ill-conceived attempt to save them from issues of poverty that we teachers have no power over, then it should be no surprise that students have completely checked out from school and get into the trouble we were trying to stop in the first place.

I've been reading this book lately and I think it gives a hopeful vision of what schools could be, even ones surrounded by drugs and violence: Educating for Insurgency: The Role of Young People in Schools of Poverty. The author is part of a largely student-led teaching and tutoring program that helps students see themselves as people with power to change things, rather than passive actors placed in a terrible situation. The tutoring site becomes a place to organize for other issues in education and the neighborhood as a whole.

I hope you hold onto the feeling that this isn't right and find like minded teachers that you can discuss ideas and strategies with. We do not have to be cops! We are teachers!

Errrrr I was just being facetious. It had nothing to do about students...just intentional misunderstanding of previous commenters comment...

If anything it was taking into consideration the worms. You really aren’t supposed to eat apples that fall on the ground. I even wrote a children’s book about it a few years ago.

Who’s inside my Apple

Jolly ranchers - cheap if you get the bulk bag. And I explain to them that they go away if I find wrappers anywhere but the trash cans.

Yes, like another poster said - quiet kids give them simpler questions.

Also, have the kiddos write the answer on dry erase boards and hold them up. If you don’t have dry erase boards, job ticket holders with a piece of white paper work perfect. These have multiple uses - holding worksheets, writing prompts, etc.

A lot of kids have anxiety over being wrong. So I always give them the option of showing me their answer before they give the answer to the class.

This one:

X-ACTO School Pro Classroom Electric Pencil Sharpener, Blue, 1 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IEI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6DtlDbCPG2TSB

It is on sale big time now. I set up 2, 1 on each side of the room. They work like a dream.

Fellow Title 1 teacher in MN. I find that preemptively taping book covers REALLY helps a lot. I used to tape the entire cover with scotch tape - which took forever. Then I used packing tape or book tape which also took a long time. Now, I tend to just tape the spine and the sides of the book and they are doing alright. Not nearly as great as fully-taped, but better than nothing. Gorilla glue is a lifesaver for repairing the spines- just be sure you put a binder clip over the spine since it tends to expand as it dries.

​

Taping made my first set of amulet books last around 3 years, if that gives you a general idea of efficacy.

​

Lastly, if you get used books, I highly recommend ones that were at a library since they already have the clear plastic library stuff on them.

Go on Teacherspayteachers and look up Mz. Razz. She has lots of great stuff for a first year teacher. Also there is a book on Amazon with lots of easy to set up and grade labs for chemistry: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1425930360/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No. That is teacher's bathroom/storage closet. It is off limits to students. Put a lock on it. Unless you are a SPED teacher or teach kinder, you don't need a bathroom in the class. I highly suggest you invest in a bathroom out of order sign. Someone is going to do something stupid during class or deathly smelly and it will interrupt class. Some kid will flush the equivalent to a whole roll of toilet paper and it will take 3 weeks and 12 work orders to get it fixed.

Their educators became respected professionals who had to prove themselves before becoming educators.

The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way

Omg I have useful advice! I ordered "rosemary repel" off amazon (fairytales brand) and it's like conditioner detangling stuff but spray it in your hair every morning. I've never had lice while using it and my hair is pretty long. All the other teachers at my (elementary) school use it too and lots of our kids come in with lice, bed bug bites, fleas, etc. It's a low income district.

Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Conditioning Spray, 8 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O7JK0A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_C6fHCvthCbylu

They actually make book tape! It's nice and clear, sturdy. There was a school library I subbed at that got me to apply it to the spines and edges of their new books using this applicator - seriously increases the life of the book when it's going through heavy use or stuffed in school lockers.

This book explains classroom management in simple terms. It’s all about repetition and establishing routines. Don’t let them get away with breaking the rules. Never ever. Set clear rules and expect them to be followed. It’s about being the boss. Knowing you’re the boss. Tough love. And teaching with energy.

Just realised you are an English teacher. Have you heard of "The Elements of Style" by E. B. White? If so, what do you think of it? I have heard so many good reviews and noticed it gets recommended all the time. I need to improve my writing skills, so I'm thinking about reading it.

> Next week, we'll cover coping with companies completely ignoring your feedback...

They claim the read all the feedback they get, but I have to question how closely they read it. Any popular feedback or feature requests they get usually take them ages to implement, and then any solution they offer usually ends up being either half-assed or a jank workaround. From the launch of Google Classroom people were asking for a better way to rearrange posts, like a drag and drop method. With this update (4 years later) I see posts now have move up and move down options. So great, their solution is 4 years late and still somewhat slow and inconvenient if you have a lot of posts to organize. On top of that, as you and u/anndee123 said this update has also removed useful features.

I'll just take this opportunity to plug Schoology. It's free and has a lot of the features CG is missing.

I've been using this one for years. It's largely blank, boring, and devoid of all the cutesy Instagram cursive font. It's perfect.

I didn’t know what they were called before, but believe it is this: Fidget Toy Rainbow Unicorn Push with Popping Sound Bubble Sensory Fidget Toys 2 Pack for Anxiety & Stress Relief Autism Learning Materials,Squeeze Toy for Kids Teens Office Older https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08W49CZFY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_JX936ECZW8K006BXJQA6

I see them all over Target and other stores! I’ve noticed them used as manipulatives a lot for little ones. Are older kids just using them for fun??

Ditto to what indePundent said.

To add, I have the same issue with my 4th graders constantly wanting to interrupt during small groups or when I'm trying to transition the entire class with a countdown or trying to get through a quick mini lesson.

I bought these on amazon. The rule is if my lanyard light is on, I can't speak to them at that time or it is just my turn to speak and I won't be taking questions or acknowledging outbursts. If it continues then I click it again and the lights "flash" as a 2nd reminder. It allows me to non-verbally communicate my expectations and if I'm in the middle of talking and a kid interrupts I can flash my lanyard lights or I can just point to it as I continue to talk so they realize the expectation. It's goofy but it works! :)

well actuallly....

seems like the blog owner last taught in 2012, got out, and is focusing on growing her business as an author and owner of a tutoring business: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/linda-kardamis/19/948/67a

Might I interest you in a free software developer course while you're at home?

https://www.theodinproject.com/

I went to a technical program where there were all walks of life and from all backgrounds. A few people who drove for UBER for a living ended up working for UBER as a software engineer afterwards. It's not easy but it's possible.

One thing to watch for is FERPA compliance with any sort of collaboration software. You will have to obtain parental consent for websites which are not FERPA compliant.

If you use slack, you will have to get the proper consent. https://slack.com/terms-of-service/supplement#education

It's a pain to do but you should definitely cover your ass from any legal issues not matter what platform you use.

You're not alone. I just started to read a book called The Cult of Smart, by Freddie deBoer:

>Everyone agrees that education is the key to creating a more just and equal world, and that our schools are broken and failing. Proposed reforms variously target incompetent teachers, corrupt union practices, or outdated curricula, but no one acknowledges a scientifically-proven fact that we all understand intuitively: academic potential varies between individuals, and cannot be dramatically improved. In The Cult of Smart, educator and outspoken leftist Fredrik deBoer exposes this omission as the central flaw of our entire society, which has created and perpetuated an unjust class structure based on intellectual ability.
>
>Since cognitive talent varies from person to person, our education system can never create equal opportunity for all. Instead, it teaches our children that hierarchy and competition are natural, and that human value should be based on intelligence. These ideas are counter to everything that the left believes, but until they acknowledge the existence of individual cognitive differences, progressives remain complicit in keeping the status quo in place.
>
>This passionate, voice-driven manifesto demands that we embrace a new goal for education: equality of outcomes. We must create a world that has a place for everyone, not just the academically talented. But we’ll never achieve this dream until the Cult of Smart is destroyed.

Taught Fifth for one year, first year as a teacher in my own right. It was an amazing experience and I learned a TON. Brace yourself, lots of text incoming! Please feel free to PM me if you want to talk more.

Get to know your students, particularly what they're interested in. It sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised what lessons you can generate if you use their interests as a spring-board. It shows them you care about them, too, which will go a long way toward keeping them invested.

Not sure if you like Minecraft, but don't underestimate it as a teaching tool! My fifth graders used it when we talked about Colonial America--built their own village with each of them doing different colonial jobs they'd researched. Minecraft could also lend itself well to math, though I didn't have a chance to utilize it that way.

Google Classroom is also an amazing tool to use with them, particularly if you're going to have them do any collaborative writing. Speaking of collaboration, don't be afraid to connect with the teachers on your team. See if you can tie what they're reading in someone else's class to what they're learning in social studies. Check if the science units have connections to Math. I was a one-woman show and the only teacher for my grade--I know for a fact that if I had other teachers on a team with me, the year would've been MUCH smoother.

Start strict, loosen up later. (I didn't and had to play catch-up with classroom management which wound up costing me lots of instructional time.) "Setting Limits in the Classroom" (amazon link here: https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Limits-Classroom-Revised-Discipline/dp/0761516751) was a life-saver and really helped me to shape up my classroom management. I'd HIGHLY recommend buying and reading it.

I know this is a lot of text...I'm happy to talk more if you want, just PM me!

I know this is crazy, but try Amazon. I buy the heck out of these tunics. They are so light and comfy. They fit like a Lula roe perfect tee without the slits and are a lot cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y5ZDQPY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_IxVcM5MEwXbJy

Install a discrete motion activated security camera to catch these people in the act. Here's a really cheap motion activated camera that has night vision. It costs $28 at Amazon but will also need a 32 GB memory card. They also have more expensive models that will live stream to your cell phone or computer. Having this action on video would help the police in identifying and charging the people who are doing this.

As others have also said, you should contact the police and speak to the rugby trainer.

I sat on my bed and used the dresser as a desk. Fucked my back up real good. Do not recommend.

Get yourself one of these and sit on your couch.

Regarding citations, start here. You could have found that as easily as I did. Forgive me for not citing what is common knowledge in the field of education.

Perhaps you had bad English teachers. Where did you go to high school? When did you graduate? Are you a teacher now (and if not, what do you get out of posting here)? What do your colleagues do in their classes?

I said nothing about "enjoying" poetry. I said if you can read it you can read anything. While prose tends to rely upon context for providing meaning, poetry has neither time nor room for context. Information regarding allusion, denotation, connotation, etc. must be supplied by the reader. Moreover, the frequently complex syntax means that the reader must carefully parse the language. If this can be dine with fluency those skills generally (and in my experience always) transfer to facility with other forms of writing.

Regarding #3, quite frankly you were taught incorrectly. This explains your hostility but you are generalizing from a specific experience. The writing of essays emphasizes clarity and concision, at least if you're wisely avoiding meaningless pomp jargon (which should be avoided in high school at all times). Discussion should always be to the point and supported with evidence.

It is interesting you decry Morrison, Fitzgerald, and the Brontes but praise Melville and Conrad. I could easily argue that Lord Jim is a travesty of writing that intentionally damages literature and that Moby Dick is a hundred pages of good story and six hundred pages on how to catch a whale. Again, I'm sorry that you had a bad English teacher. This doesn't make English classes valueless. I had a terrible geometry teacher but I still value the fundamentals of mathematics, even if I had to learn them on my own.

Try downloading a portable copy of VLC - eg from http://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTABLE-SOFTWARE/Multimedia/Video/Portable-VLC-Media-Player.shtml - and stick it on your memory stick with the videos. As long as you have permissions to run .exe files from a stick (just try) it'll work.

If not, http://winff.org/html_new/ will convert a hell of a lot of file formats into a hell of a lot of others and is free, and may well do the conversion job for you. It will convert .mp4 into Windows Media Video, for example, and do it well. And it's free and open source.

I started running every other day about 2 months ago with /r/C25K and I 100% recommend it if you are looking to get into running. It's a progressive system that starts with baby steps but has shown pretty amazing results over 9 weeks. You could very easily be running a 5k every day by September :)

I gave up on MFP because logging food is just too much of a pain in the ass and I know when I eat right and when I don't. Instead, I'm probably going to switch to Strava when I'm done with the c25k app in a couple of weeks. I just made an account with them so you can add me here if you so desire, but as I said I'm not going to be using it just yet.

I use mostly use Maple. I teach Physics and Math too and I haven't come across anything I couldn't graph (e.g. piecewise functions). Desmos is an online graphing calculator which is pretty good, but I haven't used it too much. https://www.desmos.com/calculator

If you don't get a grant, go to a local pet store and ask for a donation of an aquarium, etc. Businesses get hit up for product donations all the time for school auctions. At least this donation could have a "donated by ABC Pet Supply" sticker on the aquarium for the next 20 years (which parents see at least twice a year). And, of course, you'll pledge to buy your future fish food, etc. at the store.

Secondarily, try a request on Freecycle. And, find every local aquarium seller on Craigslist. Send 'em an e-mail asking that if their aquarium doesn't sell, and they're going to donate it to a thrift store, that they instead donate it to the school.

Actually this is a firmly established concept in sociology. For more information check out Women's Work: The First 2000 years

For more example see:

• Cooking at home for free - women's work. Chef - man's job
• Cleaning a home - women's work. Janitor - man's job.
• Caring for a sick child at home - women's work. Doctor - man's job.
• Mending and sewing - women's work. Tailor - man's job.
• Planting and tending the garden at home - women's work. Farmer - man's job.

Basically work for free is traditionally assigned to women. The professional version of that same job is for men. Again and again and again.

Maybe you could replicate some of the experiments in kits like this one? If they're safe enough to do with kids at home I bet they're safe enough to do at school. Plus if it's really using basic kitchen/bathroom supplies like they advertise on Amazon it wouldn't be too expensive. I bet you could ask for the supplies!

I am spoiled and have a mic system in my classroom - we've had them for years actually.

They sell portable ones on Amazon for $35-40. Well worth the money. https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Amplifier-Microphone-Waistband-Presentation/dp/B06XWV9CCQ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=headset+microphone+and+speaker&qid=1595116960&sr=8-2

(And for the record, I do have concerns about masks learning wise. I'm trying to find clear masks.)

I model my process off of Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer. Essentially, it's book conversations, letters, and daily reading in class. It's purposefully ungraded because I want my students to learn how to enjoy books.

I actually really like using Google Sites. here is are two examples of sites I use 1.https://sites.google.com/site/mrdsonlineclassroom/

2.https://sites.google.com/site/alibrandiwiki/

The first is sort of like a portal I get students to download info from and is a extension of my term plan. The second was a collaborative project that get students to analyse different aspect of a novel. This was not my class but I made it for a friend who teaches English.

Would appreciate feedback

They can be made in less then a hour and are very easy to collaborate with and share. Just wish I knew how I could host them so they didn't have the sitegoogle prefix in the address bar

Especially leading up to the SAT, I use the CALM app and let my students meditate for 10-15 minutes. I turn off the lights, tell them they can close their eyes and put their head down, and just play the relaxing ambiance for the time. I am pretty sure the CALM premium is free for educators.

https://www.calm.com/schools

I use A Google A Day (http://www.agoogleaday.com/#game=started) site to help middle school students practice searching. It is a great practice tool because the searches change each day and no blog posts ruin your search practice. The questions are multileveled; students can't find the answer in one search. When students do this they must write down each query, the site they found, and what if any information they have found. This is very helpful if they are stuck, so I can see what they have tried. Also they write better queries, because they know I am going to check.

I have also used the Search Education site from google for lessons to help middle schoolers. I love the lessons!

Thank you for supporting your student's interest. The kids who really love rule based games are ideal audiences to introduce to Computer Science.

If you want the student to try something more open ended, let them loose with something like processing. It is a programming language that lets students make artistic projects. https://processing.org/

I read done the article page and found a guy who says this article misuses the stats. Read below.

<strong>David Menefee-Libey</strong> • <strong>2 years ago</strong>

Rothwell: "For the nation’s 17-year-olds, there have been no gains in literacy since the National Assessment of Educational Progress began in 1971." I will use this to open my Education Politics and Policy class at Pomona College this spring as a cardinal example of how lying with statistics is endemic to education policy debates, and feeds toxic cynicism about public education.

Follow Rothwell's own link to the NAEP report that shows, in its opening pages, that while the *aggregate* is flat in Reading and Math, NAEP scores for Age 17 White students, Black students, and Hispanic students have *all improved* since 1971. The improvements don't show up in the aggregate because of demographic change. Of course, we'd all like the improvements to be greater, but why does he claim "no gains?"

Zoom. It's a book, but the pages are here... https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/zarthustra7/zoom-by-istvan-banyai-23329406

Print each page. Mix them up. Give to kids. They can't talk to each other, but have to reorder the pages so the story makes sense. You observe the leaders silently take on organisational roles.

Edit: sequal is here... https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/GiselleMaya/re-zoom-37964666

I'm using the Capturing Kids Hearts model this year. Here is a Prezi that breaks it down pretty well. Harry Wong also has a great Social Contract in "The First Days of School".

I wear glasses, so some masks will cause fogging and the ear straps may not sit right.

I really like the Safe Mate ones I got off Amazon, especially as it has a neckstrap that I can use without the ear-straps (goes under the ear), so no ear-fatigue.

If you want simple and cheap... https://www.amazon.com/dp/144131573X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_PJB2Z8EV9YWS2P7VPYAB

I have never used this book, but I have had other notebooks from Peter Pauper Press and been really impressed with the quality and cost.

Just going to leave this here:

https://www.amazon.com/Nostalgia-MSB1AQ-Margarita-Machine-Stainless/dp/B07FDMKLCK/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&amp;keywords=margarita+machine&amp;qid=1605884843&amp;sr=8-3

Since I can't get massages right now, I invested in this shiatsu massager on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BOYA2M2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1

It's seriously the best. It feels like a deep tissue massage, and I've honestly been a little sore afterward. I use this while laying on the couch and reading a good book!

Read Harry Wong's "The First 100 Days of School, How to be an Effective Teacher;&quot;it gives clear methods that make sense.

&#x200B;

The idea is to start out tougher than you want to be. You can ALWAYS back off, but you can never recover if you start too soft.

I haven't read that book but I've read some of their essays. My counterpoint would be to read The Myth of the Spoiled Child by Alfie Kohn, who lays out that the "kids these days are too sensitive" argument has existed every single generation in American history. Honestly in 2k19 we all are exposed to the absolute extremes of controversial opinion thanks to the internet every day. Divisiveness in society is good -- its how progress happens. Coming together & unity is ultimately a cry to keep up the status quo, not try and improve things. I'm thrilled that kids are getting so passionate about the world around them rather than staying narrowly focused on their individuality.

I do agree that kids are overly controlled by parents and schools, but the solution is facilitated free play, not necessarily some starry-eyed memories of an unsupervised childhood. This isn't the 50s anymore -- we see much more single parent and both-parents-working families. Parents need to be able to trust the institutions they give up their children to, and so the institutions need to promise safety (physical and psychological) in return. We need to give kids autonomy in an environment that gives them the freedom to explore AND keep them safe -- both are possible!

What you're saying is perfectly aligned with the Existentialist theory of counselling (which is my personal favourite). If you haven't read Victor Frankl I think you may like his book Man's Search for Meaning.

Night by Elie Wiesel
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The Boy in Striped Pajama's by John Boyne
Maus by Art Spiegelman
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusack
Daniel Half-Human by David Chotjewitz
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

Not all of these would necessarily be appropriate or easy enough for 7th graders. Out of that list I'd most recommend Boy in Striped Pajamas, Milkweed, or Number the Stars for that age group. But check the others out as well...

Can you plan using a mindmap? I think you need something more visual. I would work out what you need to include (outcomes, tasks, assessment etc) make each one a new ‘arm’ and include what you need for that aspect in the cloud. I’m an ECE/primary teacher so not much help with high school.

https://www.ayoa.com/imindmap/blog/mind-map-your-lesson-plan/

I found this link which kind of explains what I’m thinking. Hope it helps!

Schoology and eduCanon are amazing if you have or want to have a flipped/blended classroom. I love them both - they are invaluable to me and have made lesson planning and grading so much more efficient for me. I strongly encourage everyone to check them out.

No worries, I just found out about it about two weeks ago from a kid. People play with different rules but we play with the rules if a two is played no one can talk until another two is played, if you talk during that time draw a card per word. On a 6 slap the table last person to slap draw 3. Then can play a matching card out of turn. say if someone plays a red 4 and you have one in your hand you can play it not on your turn, and then get to go again just have to beat the next person to play their card. So color and number have to match can't be a special card. Can Google different rules. I enjoy the silence one the most, have to get creative in ways to communicate during the game.

Uno flip is also good, can just get that at the store and add the spicey rules with that one. All from my phone so apologize for any bad grammar Edit Found a Prezi with a few other rules https://prezi.com/yawbe9axja6g/how-to-play-spicy-uno/

Blue Sky 2021-2022 Academic Year Weekly & Monthly Planner, 8.5" x 11", Flexible Cover, Wirebound, Enterprise (130609) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SBQ722V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_BWCX284AP1K2A0A31BWC

I have several stretchy, swingy skirts like this. All the kids go NUTS for the unicorn pattern, and there are other fun ones if you look around. I usually wear it slightly high waisted, cami tucked in, cardigan or similar on top and then leggings on the bottom for comfort. I always get compliments about looking put together and cute, but I'm really comfortable and unrestricted.

I also use Amazon with cheap little off brand dresses in the $15-30 range. I like HuHot, MSBasic, and Pintage the best for quality and fit (quality being relative here... we're talking cheap dresses after all).

Oooh most of my teaching career has been in windowless rooms!

Light any dark corners with lamps. Use daylight bulbs when possible.

They make these of all you have is fluorescent. Educational Insights The Original Fluorescent Light Filters in Tranquil Blue 4-Pack, Reduce Glare & Flicker, Easy Setup for Office, Hospitals, Home & Classrooms https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001YT3G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HNPQ3116P390VQ70SJ6C?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

Make a fake window with fadeless cloud paper Fadeless PAC56465 Bulletin Board Art Paper, Clouds, 48" x 50', 1 Roll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BT2XFC8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ZK5Y7TAT8AX9HYNX415F

I’ve also done plants in windowless rooms - all you need is a grow light or a light with a full spectrum bulb!

First of all, getting my own printer was the BEST choice I made as a teacher. I just keep it at school. I use it so much and I am mad at all the time I spent running around to jammed printers. Reading A to Z books, copies of stuff for meetings, even a class set of a warm up or coloring page when I don't feel like dealing with our schools equally shoddy copy machine. I got this brother model. I've replaced the ink about twice a year and I print A LOT.

Brother HL-3170CDW Digital Color Printer with Wireless Networking and Duplex, Amazon Dash Replenishment Enabled https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQU141C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oQUrzbM5D3TEC

You will love it!!

Came to say this! Here’s one: Coverall Hood, Elastic Cuffs, Ankles, Waist. Chemical Protective Coveralls. Unisex Disposable Workwear for Lab cleaning, painting, manufacturing. Lightweight, Breathable. Blue (3 XL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085FZVCS4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rEgiFb1QDR58Q

I know exactly what you mean, because I've been there before.

Here is my best advice: You cannot control what she thinks of you.

I know that's a tough pill to swallow, especially if she's "in" with the higher ups. But you can't. You really can't. So if you do your job, if you care about it, if you do what you're supposed to do, either she will see it or she won't. Your obligation ends here.

Every school I've ever worked in has had this kind of teacher before. They are going to continue being a martyr whether you participate or not. I wish it weren't true, but it is.

I highly recommend this book if you want to know more about this philosophy. It was a game changer for me!

Good luck!

So, not to bad mouth the stop the bleed training (I had the same thing) but those improvised tourniquets don't work.

You have to turn it hard enough that most pens will bend/break and not work.

This is a good option: https://www.amazon.com/CAT-Combat-Application-Tourniquet-Time-Stamp/dp/B01ITAKG6A/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=tourniquets&amp;qid=1578487895&amp;sprefix=tour&amp;sr=8-5

Beware of the cheaper ones on amazon though, as their buckles are not as strong and they can break. The CAT was recommended to me by a Paramedic friend.

I assume its to help with eyestrain due to staring at a screen all day? I have a reccomendation that my doctor told me about. It is called "Flux" it adjusts the brightness, contrast, and color based on time of day. It is a free open source tool, and works on almost anything. So before you go spend money on glasses, check it out https://justgetflux.com/ I've personally used it for years, and it works wonders.

> I like to be humerous and sarcastic when students are rude

To OP: This can be good, and I tend to do it, but it backfired severely last year for me. Among other problems on my end (and theirs), they didn't do well with friendly teasing, and it instead created a room of me vs. them vs. them (yes, they constantly turned on each other as quickly and as roughly as they turned on me). I've realized that it was interpreted as meanness, so they became meaner themselves. I'm not saying don't use humor and facetiousness (never sarcasm); just be careful and be ready to switch tacks if it's not going over well.

> I laid in my bed in the dark from 10 pm until the time I posted this.

Don't do this. You should only be in bed if you plan on sleeping and if you can't get up so you don't train your body that your bed is a place for being awake.

You'd be better off reading for an hour before going to bed.

As for computers and sleep. I recommend f.lux to orange your screen at night. The Blue light that monitors shove in your eyes helps keep you awake.

99 Ideas and Activities for Teaching English Learners with the SIOP Model is a fantastic book! It's just a book full of differentiated ideas to teach students. It's got graphic organizers, "games," grouping ideas, etc. It's awesome!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/99-ideas-and-activities-for-teaching-english-learners-with-the-siop-model-maryellen-j-vogt/1100894105/2674107053900?st=PLA&amp;sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&amp;2sid=Google_&amp;sourceId=PLGoP2...

Aura migraine sufferer here. Turning off the lights is a good start. I also find having a darker screen background (avoid have bright desktop photos. For example, I use Reddit night mode now because the white background sometimes triggered my migraines.), and using f.lux to reduce the amount of blue light (which you can customize to dim out during the day, not just at night) has helped me a lot.

There are two things I came across this week have helped boost my morale. The first is a blog post about the lessons educators can learn from the Jimmy Fallon Show. The post talks about how when Jimmy took over the Tonight Show, he looked really awkward and uncomfortable and the show didn't have a great energy but he and his team slowly focused on what they did well and refined their craft and now they're in their element.

The second is video pep talk from Ira Glass. He says put your head down and get to work. The only way people are awesome at what they do is through the unending cycle of try-fail-learn-try.

Jimmy Fallon blog post Ira Glass pep talk

I have years of managing adults in a remote work environment and this is pretty common. As others have mentioned, your students are likely stressed out as it is, possibly distracted, but most of all, they're not comfortable with the medium yet.

I like u/twosateam's suggestion of using chat reactions to engage. This is a common strategy in livestreaming on twitch/fb/instagram/etc. that they may be familiar with already.

In my experience, I found a huge boost in on-call engagement by having buffer time to be personable. I scheduled time where we played online games (like skribbl.io) or sat and had lunch together, but talking about stuff that wasn't work.

I tried to make sure I was engaging too. My camera was on, I was well-lit and expressive, and I spent time talking about interests or something happening in the industry, and then used that to segue into questions about my team. Sometimes its silence, sure, but I think you can build rapport with them over time by being comfortable with it yourself.

Flash lives on through Flashpoint!

https://bluemaxima.org/flashpoint/

They're mainly focused on saving videogames and animations, but there is some educational content on there. Basically, you can download Flashpoint and play all the Flash games they have saved without needing to run flash in your web browser.

You’ll probably want to familiarize yourself with nearpod. It is a useful tool to have in person and online participate. Then maybe also make and give a quizizz at the end of the workshop to recap learning objective.

You can build in games using Quizizz or Quizlet to test their knowledge of the terms you just taught. Add in some team games that also review your lessons.

This is an example of a quizizz game I made for my Scratch Programming Club. Shorter is better so kids don't lose interested if they get a few wrong.

I’m not sure how editing some videos will help keep their interest but here are my suggestions:

VSDC is free and fairly easy to use. Lots of tutorial on youtube from them if you want to do specific things.

Microsoft and Apple also have their own software (movie maker) and (imovie).

If you want a no download option kapwingshould suffice.

So, please note that everything I’m suggesting, your mileage may vary, etc, and know that everything I’m saying is prefaced with “in my opinion/experience. . .”

1. Screen casting is my best friend. I use https://screencast-o-matic.com/ which is free up to 15 minutes.

2. I tell my students up front that I have a one-and-done policy for my screencasts and videos. Unless I make an egregious mistake or curse, I record everything once, and who cares if it has my ums, and uhhs, and hold on a sec, I lost my train of thought, etc.

3. Kids are not as computer savvy as they used to be, so I include video walkthroughs of new programs/websites.

4. Consistency. I structure all of my modules the same way, like first read the to-do list, then watch my video, then supplemental, then practice, then summative. I actually started using canvas over the summer because I feel like it allows me to group better than google classroom does, and I think this will be a beg forgiveness rather than ask for permission situation.

5. Keep things short and sweet, because even grownups don’t want to watch an hour long video of a lecture, and good lord that could take a long time to load.

6. I’m trying to develop my stuff to be as asynchronous as possible with scheduled google meets later in the day. I teach teenagers. I don’t even want to be up and teaching at 7:30am, so I know they won’t be awake.

This is Georgia Virtual, and I get inspiration from a lot of their courses. My classes aren’t going to be NEARLY as good, but it gives a decent idea. http://www.gavirtuallearning.org/Resources/ELAResources/ELAShared/Shared9thLitComp.aspx

With social studies if you paid attention to all of your own content classes you should be fine. I studied for about 4 hours the day before just to see what I could expect. I found online flashcards had a bunch of relevant information. You aren't going to learn everything you need from them, but it will bring all that information to the front. I got a 187. cram.com

If you've got enough computers, Scratch programming is awesome for making video games and more. If you can get your hands on some Lego wedo sets (a lesser and cheaper version of mindstorms), you can use Scratch to control the motors and sesnors.

An inventions unit is always fun. Kids have come up with some creative inventions. They make it, come up with a marketing plan, advertisements, etc.

My kids love doing blackout poetry. I show them this prezi https://prezi.com/0kcwb7gk_la0/blackout-poetry/

and then have pages copied for them already to do designing on. (I just google pages of popular books like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Maze Runner, etc and made a stack of each).

It took my 6th graders about two 50 minute periods to complete it, but they looked pretty awesome.

I am trying this

Edit: I already assume our mask mandate will not be done with fidelity, am vaxxed and getting a booster asap. I will wear a reg mask usually but this for when I sm actively teaching a lesson at least 6ft away from students

I keep Kleenex boxes all over my room. They also make plastic nosebleed clamp things. Maybe keep some handy? Would a humidifier in your room help?

Stop Nosebleeds Clip Epistaxis Care Nosebleed Stoppers Nasal Clip Treatment（Pack of 6） https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082HRLMQ7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_VV9D9ZPHEMVNBR2RX4BK?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

I wear disposable surgical masks. With the humidity here in NC (and my school's dodgy air conditioner), the fabric ones get muggy after an hour or two.

These are the ones I get, but I'm sure there are others that work, too: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0896QCY6K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_EHVF9PS2AWJNYVRFBKQP

• A good classroom pencil sharpener Don't cheap out or you'll be buying a new one in a month.
• Classroom laminator for game boards, name tags, class signs, etc.

I suggest you start with Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher.

Also, our district really pushes a workshop model, which allows for students to explore who they are as authors and readers. Link HERE for a general overview.

Amazon has the magnetic covers. They come in a five pack and it helped the overall emotionally well-being of all person's in my room. They never fell. I had the blue ones and they gave a nice calming tint to the room.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W55SV76/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_H3BXT3JQD76N5TM21WK4?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

I have a caddy in the front of the room, and they put them in the caddy as they come in. They pick them up as they leave. I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Gray-Clear-Pocket-Chart-Classroom/dp/B07MM43HL1/ref=sr\_1\_2\_sspa?dchild=1&amp;keywords=cell+phone+caddy&amp;qid=1621567974&amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;psc=1&amp;spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3SVpGOEdOREROWDAmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA...

I’d be literally lost without this. I know it’s antiquated. But it works for me.

2021 Planner - Weekly & Monthly Planner with Tabs, 6.3" x 8.4", Hardcover with Thick Paper + Back Pocket + Banded, Twin-Wire Binding https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085TKKJVF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KWY2HDVWHYA92S54MHJD

Yes!! The thing that saved me was this product! It’s not nearly as uncomfortable as it looks. It’s soft silicone. It sits under your mask and allows more air flow so your voice doesn’t get muffled in the fabric, while still maintaining a seal with the mask and keeping you protected. I LOVE it. I used to use a little microphone pac but this is much better.

I kind of like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Protective-Protection-Adjustable-Halloween-Masquerade/dp/B08K323TRW/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&amp;keywords=gas+mask&amp;qid=1609885003&amp;sr=8-17

• The masters degree various from State to state and district to district. You’ll have to look locally at what degrees teachers hold. In cases, where most teachers have them, it is a pay boost.

• You should see what local teaching positions are in demand.

• I was in the Marines before becoming a teacher so I became one at 28.

• Benefits? As in financial? Medical, dental, life insurance, and retirement in STRS (we don’t pay into social security)

• Upside: those holidays

• Downside: those unpaid holidays

• Advice: All those inspirational teacher movies are full of crap and do not reflect real teaching. Don’t believe any of those things. Instead read something like this.

I went through this a while ago. I did a lot of research and considered a lot of models. I decided on a laser because I hate having to pay so much for ink cartridges so much. I also decided on Brother because of the reputation and ability to use generic toner cartridges. My requirements were 1) inexpensive cartridges 2) wireless 3) ability to scan 4) some copying.

I decided on the Brother MFC9130CW Wireless All-In-One. It doesn't have a duplex feature but the model above does. It can take generic toner cartridges and there are a wide variety of generic cartridges out there for pretty cheap (for laser toner cartridge standards). I am still on the starter cartridges that came with it, I bought it in February, and I've done light to moderate printing. Which isn't bad for toner usage. The set up was a bit awkward but I figured it out. The wireless printing is awesome, I haven't perfected the scanning but I can still scan decently. Its nice to have an at home copier for small tasks (like making copies of taxes, my driver's license for employment, etc). The other nice thing is that if the color runs, it will print in black and white, which is an awesome feature. Usually when color runs out, it stops printing all together.

I have it set up in the kitchen/dining room area. Its awesome. I really don't know why I didn't buy it sooner. I would recommend it. I bought it through Amazon and got the 3 year protection (because why not). Its the cheapest price on the internet with free shipping. I'll warn you, its a beast in the box. You'll probably need help lifting it.

I sometimes let my students use their phones for instructional purposes, so this wouldn't work for me. This year, I bought this poster on Amazon and will be using it as the bulk of my cell phone policy.

I also remind my students (I teach juniors and seniors) regularly that when they leave high school, no one is going to police their phone use. They have to learn to coexist with their phones without allowing them to be a distraction. If they're on their phone too much in college, no one confiscates it--they'll just fail the class or get kicked out. If they're on their phone too much at work, no one takes it away--they just get fired.

I'm not comfortable taking all kids' phones because it's not realistic preparation for the real world. Instead I focus on showing my students how their phones can be useful tools and take them away when they're a problem. Oh, and students leave them in a box on my desk when they go to the bathroom.

Just a heads up, Amazon has a box of 144 for less than what ebay is charging. They are just boring yellow pencils though; no fun misprints.

I haven't done it in 12 years, but it was a tough age group (and I had just gotten my credential - long term sub). Here is an Amazon Search.

If you are going to incorporate Tech. This was an amazing book.

I got these on Amazon for cheap enough that I put out one or two at a time and don’t get too upset when they inevitably get broken or stolen.

Learn not to give a fuck about what students say. If you want an accelerated course sign up to be a middle school teacher.

Have you seen this book: Your Name is a Song ? I plan on gifting it to several teachers I know who do not seem to get how important a child's name is to them.

Calvin Klein Stretch-Cotton shirts are the shirts I like

Kohl’s also have these really nice slim fit stretchy white shirts that are super comfy

Other stuff to go with it

I like black slim fit jeans (I like Levi’s 511) since they’re jeans that don’t really look like jeans (ie baggier blue denim). I like Dockers slim fit/athletic slacks and chinos as well

Can’t go wrong with a pair of Oxfords or Derbys for shoes. If you want to something different, I just bought a pair of Kenneth Cole tan double monk strap shoes. Side note: I’m surprised to see KC stuff frequently appearing in stores like Marshalls. I bought a KC coat 9 years ago and it still serves me well to this day, even after years of being trashed in the English rain and Oregon rain.

Socks - go to Macy’s and find the reduced price socks. I’ve bought many pairs for $2-4 each and they’re all so comfortable

Jacket/coats - haven’t been able to find winter coats in the US that I like yet. For something lighter, I really like the Ralph Lauren sports coats that Macy’s has because they fit so well. I bought two myself, one of which was on sale a few weeks ago for $40. (Don’t be fooled by the $295 RRP...I have never seen it being sold for that much)

Ties - idk, I struggle to find ties I like in the US. NEXT in the UK has a great selection

Disclaimer: I am not a teacher (see flair). I’ve basically stopped wearing formal clothes to the office and I turn up in shorts and a t shirt and no one gives a damn!