While we often discuss education technology as well as new and innovative ways to create growth and optimize learning in this blog, making sure your students are ready for learning can be a key factor in a successful classroom. One of my favorite authors said, “Parents send us the best that they have. They don’t send us the tough kids and keep the really great ones at home. They give us the best they have.” It was said a little tongue-in-cheek, but there is meaning behind it that is important for all teachers to remember.

At times, making changes in our teaching methods can be very hard. The way we teach is a very personal matter, as teachers (should) bring their personality into the classroom to help connect with students. Because we want teachers to teach from their heart, to change our teaching  methods means we need to change our mindset, our beliefs, or even what we are comfortable doing and saying in our classroom. Even more so than instructional practices, classroom management is one of these areas where change can be especially hard.

Now that school is over, how do you recharge your batteries to face another year after the summer break? After my last student departs from my classroom in May, I set this goal: Update everything in the next five days or less! I get all of my summer print jobs into the print shop, update the syllabi and lesson plans for my classes on each class website for the first 4–6 weeks of August/September, and send out a general message that I will not be checking the school email—my administration knows how to contact me if it’s urgent. I also like to pack what I will need for the first three to five days of school in dated and labeled individual boxes (kind of like opening up a present to myself at the start of the new school year).

With new education technology becoming more accessible to streamline communication between teachers and their administration, it's important to stay up to date with what's available. The use of SMS texting is great for sending out quick messages—and keeping educators informed at all times. Teachers can use SMS technology to collaborate on lesson plans, organize events, and share information with colleagues. With most text messages being read within a few minutes, it's the fastest way to reach out and communicate.

Most students long for summer break after a year filled with early mornings, the stress of tests and grades, and seemingly endless homework. But how can students best use their break to ensure that they start the next year on the right foot?

This is the time of year when educators are finding new and different teaching jobs. Whether it’s the first job right out of college or changing schools after many years, the process of starting somewhere new can be pretty overwhelming.

Teachers, I know what you’re thinking. You’re just a few weeks into summer and your own kids are already bouncing off the walls. They’ve gone to the pool, slept in, and played with the neighborhood kids, but now you hear your offspring saying the words that we sometimes hear our students say: “I’m bored.” What do you do now? How can you entertain the kids without blowing the budget? Here are some activities you can try this summer that are either free or of a minimal cost:

After a long year of classes, grading, and helping students grow, teachers truly earn their summer break—after all, it’s the perfect time to relax, unwind, and refresh before the start of a new school year. So, just how much do educators love this time off? And how do they spend it?

Here are 50 reasons why teachers love summer break and what they like to do with this much-needed time away from school:

The G Suite (or Google Suite) is ever evolving. Just over the past few months, users have noticed changes to the login screen, Google Sheets has had some cool upgrades, and there are a few new ways to share and collaborate on Team Drives. Because of this, the Google Apps can be hard to keep up with—they are numerous and some are easier to use than others.

Google Keep is one of the many apps in the G Suite, but it isn’t one that pops up on the default screen, so it may not be known as well. It may take a little digging in order find all the bells and whistles to it, but I have found that it is a really useful tool.

When most educators think about social emotional learning, they probably think first about preschool and kindergarten. These are the years when students learn to get along with each other, share toys, solve disputes, and work cooperatively. These are critical foundational skills that students need to not only function in a classroom, but to function in society.