5 Ways English Teachers Can Incorporate Career Education into a Curriculum

I know what you're thinking. You're stumped for ideas on how you can incorporate Career Education material into your English Language Arts curriculum. When I was given the task to teach Career Education courses for grades 9-12, I was hesitant and unsure of where to look for resources or how to go about planning. Through my personal experience and research, I have discovered that it is not only EASY to incorporate Career Education into an ELA classroom, but it's also never too early to start either. 

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10 Ways to Improve Your Class Climate With Simple Rewards and Incentives

Some people think that high school students are too old for incentives and rewards. After teaching high school English for the last 10 years, I can attest to the fact that it's just not true! They love it just as much as any other grade level - believe it or not!

Motivation is the main reason for the incentive. Different from the need in elementary, but nonetheless, you're dealing with emotional teens and making them happy is helpful to any teacher.

Here are a few things high school students can either be rewarded for or rewarded with:

1. Stickers: I don't believe it truly matters what type of sticker you give a student. They seem to ALWAYS make my students smile. They love to compare their stickers with their friends. Who knew?

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10 Things You Never Knew About Your Teacher

Being a teacher most definitely has its ups and downs. It's tough, yet rewarding at the same time. Like many other professions, it's hard to understand until you're actually in it. As an experienced teacher, (yes, I can officially say that!) I've encountered a lot of emotions throughout the years. In those eight years of teaching, I've taught in five different schools, planned and taught too many different courses to count, completed my Master of Education degree, got married, had a baby...by the end of the day, this gal is wiped! I came up with this blog idea a long, long time ago, but like many things, I had so many things on the go that I never got a chance to officially get all of my thoughts down. Phew! It's done.

Here are a few things that I bet you never knew about teachers:

• We are workaholics: Our work day does not end when the clock strikes 3:30 p.m. Teachers continually log hours at home, in the evenings, during both the week and on the weekends. The next school days' plans are always on our minds. We work day and night at planning, designing, creating and ultimately reflecting. Our work never ends!

• We have feelings: Teachers are caring by nature. We become attached to our students. We are happy for them when they share good news and we are sad for them when they share bad news. We worry about them when they are absent. We are concerned about them when they are sick. We truly care about them like they are our own. 

• We lose sleep: Whether it's a problem that arose in class that day, a negative interactive with a colleague or parent, a lesson that didn't go as planned, a poor observation, or students in general, we have a tendency to replay these events at night, while trying to sleep. I lost the most sleep at night during the first few years of my career (teachers, I bet you can relate!) I came up with the best ideas....unfortunately, at 3:23 a.m.

• We need to have a sense of humor: Classrooms are like a stage and we have to preform to an audience, every day. If we got hung up on every mistake or every blunder that were to occur, we would go insane. For this reason, teachers have to maintain a sense of humor. Laughing at ourselves is the best way to move on and try again. 

• We have thought about quitting: Many teachers, in the first few years or even later, have thought about quitting their job. We have wanted to walk out that door and never return again. However, we love our job, we love our students and we don't want to give up on them. 

• We break rules, sometimes: No food in the classroom? No cell phones allowed? Yeah, sometimes teacher break their own rules. It happens. These Classroom Meme Posters are a must for my classroom this year!

(I wish I was kidding!)

• We are stressed: Teaching is a very stressful job. This may be hard to understand if you've never been in our shoes. We have demands from our administrators, students and students' parents. We have standardized testing that heavily reflects on our teaching abilities. We have professional development and evaluations that we have to worry about each year. It's more nerve-wracking than anyone can believe. If you're having one of "those days" (basically any job that has human interaction) you may enjoy some of the things that I have been pinning to my Words of Wisdom/Funny Stuff board.

• We don't always LOVE our content: Many teachers do not feel warm and fuzzy about everything that we teach. But we understand that if we show that we are not interested, then we cannot expect our students to be interested. 

• We are not in it for the money: Some school districts pay very well (enough to not have to live paycheck by paycheck that is), while others do not. So, while we are all doing the same job, some of us are being compensated more than others. It's those teachers in particular, the ones that are not making the money that they warrant,  truly deserve the award for loving their job. If they did not love it, they would NOT be there.
  
• We are more than just teachers: Teachers have a variety of roles and wear many hats on a daily basis.We are role models. We are counselors. We are leaders, just to name a few. We are whatever that situation insists we be, on that particular day.

Regardless of your teaching experience, I can bet you can related to at least a few, if not all, of the above. Those who are not teachers, I hope this shed some light on your previous teachers or those you may know who are currently in the profession. Even the slightest kindhearted gesture can light up a teachers day, no matter how rough it may have been! Try it, you'll be remembered for it! :)

Teachers, what else can you add to this list?

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Teachers: What They Actually Do on Their Summer Vacation

Summer Vacation: Two of the sweetest words both a student and teacher can hear. Both need a break and while it may be for different reasons, the summer break helps all of us to refresh and recharge. Every school year has its ups and downs, its frustrating moments, and its rewards. We have to face new students, new colleagues, new administration, new school-wide initiatives (because last years weren't enough!) and new evaluations. A day in the life of a teacher, whether you are an elementary or high school teacher, is both exciting and stressful. No two days are the same and just when you think you've got it figured out and things are going smooth, BAM! The 3:30 bell couldn't come soon enough!

Most people think that teachers have the easiest job ever. We draw and color all day. We hang out and watch movies. We get days off for every holiday. Oh, and we get the entire summer off to do nothing, but sit around at the beach or at a pool, sipping on a refreshing beverage and basking in the sun rays, for a solid two months. Really? I wish! (Okay, maybe a few weeks of our holiday looks like that...)

SO, WHAT EXACTLY DO TEACHERS DO WITH THEIR "SUMMER OFF"? 

1. Celebrate: It is essential that teachers celebrate the end of another successful school year. Whether it is lunch with friends, cocktails by the pool or BBQ's with our neighbors, we all need to take time to sit back, relax and enjoy life (necessary in every profession). Cheers!

2. Relax: Turn off the alarm and pull down the shades. Sleep past 6:00 a.m. It's okay! Now is the time to stay in bed a little longer, take afternoon naps, and just let your mind relax. Nobody understands the 24/7 working mind of a teacher, like a teacher. I can't count how many times I've woken up in the middle of the night with a new lesson idea for my students. I grab my phone, write down my idea, and (hopefully) fall right back asleep.

3. Organize: Think labels, seating charts, wall charts, planners, binders, bulletin boards, posters, etc. CLICK HERE for the link to some cute decorating ideas that I've been pinning!

4. Pinterest: Come the middle of summer, teachers find themselves browsing more frequently for new classroom organization ideas, new ways to incorporate technology into their lessons, new classroom management tips and tricks, and new lessons and activities for their classes (hello, Teachers Pay Teachers) Life saver! We could spend days browsing and pinning, while imagining all of the engaging things we can do with our students next year.

5. Lesson Planning: Teachers spend hours after hours perfecting their lessons from last year or coming up with new ones. What went wrong? How can I make it more successful? What new technology can I incorporate into my lessons?

6. Work: Many teachers do not get paid for 12 months of work, so they spend their summers working. So much for that relaxing!

7. Supplies: To a teacher, the Staples "Back to School Sale" is right up there with Winter and Spring Break. Freshly sharpened pencil crayons, colorful new notebooks and stickers galore! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! While my aisle frolic would not be as jovial, in comparison to the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, it is pretty darn close for this time of year.

8. Socialize: It's hard being a working parent. I feel like I see my students more than my own child, which I unfortunately do, due to working full-time. That feeling isn't pleasant for anyone. Summer is the time to plan fun trips and spend time with family and friends that you normally wouldn't be able to during the school year. There is truly no better feeling than that!

9. Professional Development: Some teachers have the option to take professional development courses over the summer. Many do and most of them are not paid for by their respective schools. Just people wanting to make their classrooms a more engaging learning environment. This professional development is also a great way for teachers to network and share their ideas with others.

10. Read: Teachers use their time in the summer to not only read for their own pleasure, but also for their classroom. This is the time when we can actually take our time and pick out books that we feel our incoming students may be interested in (often suggested by students from the previous school year). Summer is when I tend create new novel studies for my classes. For example, I just finished reading Wonder, by R.J. Palacio! From that, (and taking a step back to #5) I started a Useful Resources Pinterest board, so that I can share ideas and teaching resources with other teachers.

 (Yes, this actually happens!)

I hope this post gave you a better idea, as to what teachers actually do on their summer break. The majority of teachers truly use their summer break to organize, plan and decide how they can incorporate new technology and trends into their classroom for the upcoming school year. 

It is, however, fair to say that some teachers have more downtime than others (sorry new teachers, you'll get there some day!) We do deserve some R&R after all that we experience in a school year. However, by the end of summer, most teachers are honestly ready to get back into a routine, enjoying the last few hours of the freshly-waxed floors and the pristine overall organization in their classroom. So long, classroom! See you in the fall! 

What are you most excited to use in your classroom next year?

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How to Get Your Classroom Ready for Next Year

You might be wondering if I am totally crazy. After all, it is only June and summer has just begun, so WHY should I be thinking about getting my classroom ready for next year? Yes, we all need to take time to unwind, relax and enjoy our break, but if you want to have a smooth transition when it's time to go back to school, starting your preparations early is key! Instead of stressing out at the last minute, you can start doing little things now that will make your life so much easier come August!

This month, I wanted to write a round up post highlighting some of my favorite tips from other teachers to help us all have an easier time getting our classrooms ready for next year.

Jamie, from Diary of a Not So Wimpy Teacher, talks about how she prepares for next year BEFORE summer break! Her tip about parent volunteers is brilliant. Even if you don't have your class list yet, there's lots of things you can do now to prepare for fall!

Dorothy's post, from Prep In Your Step, is actually geared towards helping students prep for back to school, but a lot of her advice is helpful, and she covers the importance of not only physical preparations but also mental preparations. It's important that we remember self-care all year long!

Sometimes you just have to be realistic and know that not everything will be perfect, and some things may have to be put off in the short term. Teaching With a Mountain View shares a realistic look at what must be done and what can wait. A perfect post for dealing with overwhelm!

Jessica, from What I Have Learned, has some great tips on planning all the nitty gritty aspects of curriculum, units and even daily lesson plans. She makes it look so easy! Very well organized, and she has a great website she uses to make all those beautifully organized plans.

Last, but certainly not least, is my friend Jackie from Room 213. She goes a step further by talking about planning for the end of NEXT year. By planning way in advance, you gain the advantage of time. You'll know exactly what to expect next May, and you'll be sure you have all the crucial curriculum out of the way before the kids eyes start to gaze longingly out the window at the sunshine. Her suggestion of planning backwards is a great strategy that will help you not only at the beginning of next year, but the end as well!

What's your favorite tip to get your classroom ready for next year?

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How to Better Prepare Students for Life After High School

Graduation season is upon us, how exciting! Graduation day is such a memorable day, but it can also be a very intimidating time for many students. As educators, are we doing enough to prepare our students for the day after graduation, when they will no longer have support from their teachers to fall back on? Are we truly preparing our students to be responsible, independent, hard-working individuals?

What can we incorporate into our school day that can better prepare all students for their first day in the real world?

1. Post-Secondary Education: Whether they are off to university, trade, a vocational college/training or a branch of the military, students should conduct research on the various paths they can take upon graduation to further their education. Even if students should choose to take some time off before continuing, it is imperative that students be aware of the different choices available to them, as well as where to look for assistance to each.

2. Money/Credit Smarts: All students should have to take a course on personal finance or financial literacy. Students need to learn how to be responsible with money, how to save, how to pay bills (and the importance of paying them on time), as well as the correct usage of credit. To do this, I created a project to reinforce money skills, while teaching the budget process in a fun and interesting way. Students learned the differences between 'need' and 'want' items and gave them their first real look into what it's like to live on their own!

3. Effective Communication: Kids talk with text messaging, Facebook and Twitter slang all day. They answer questions in 'one-word' responses. Students need to be taught the correct/appropriate way to speak to a boss/manager, how to compose a professional e-mail and how to answer/respond to phone calls. No matter their career path, learning to communicate is essential to being successful.

4. Basic Life Skills: Can your students cook? Clean? Sew? Do they know basic first-aid? These basic life skills will come in handy when living on their own, during a time when they may not have support close by. These are skills that everyone should be able to master (on some level) for survival.

5. Work/Life Balance: Being able to balance your work life with your social/home life is something that can prevent a great deal of stress in newly-graduating students. Students need to be taught a healthy way to balance their responsibilities at work, while at the same time, being able to enjoy their personal lives.

6. Time Management: This reinforces the importance of why teachers provide (and need to be consistent with) deadlines in school. Students need to be taught how to create timelines of when upcoming work is due, while setting small, achievable goals along the way. Timely arrivals are also an important part of management. I wrote a blog post about how I encourage my students to arrive on time, which you can find here.

7. Learning from our Failures: Not everyone will be the best at everything and that's okay! That's how we all learn. Students that have an awareness of this concept early on, will have more of a positive mindset and this energy will help to keep them trudging forward.

8. How to Survive Without Technology: Gasp! I know, it's unheard of that students/society might have to be without technology for more than a few moments. But guess what, it happens often! Students, as well as adults, need to learn how to do basic, everyday things without the help and ease of technology. It's rewarding to know something without 'asking Siri' or 'Googling it' first!

9. Self-Care: Although this is not to be school-related, it is important for students who are finally on their own and beginning to feel the stress and anxiety of what it means to be an adult, to know how to take care of themselves and seek help when needed. Your well-being comes first and learning to stay healthy and happy (this is where the 'freshman fifteen' conversation may come in handy) is the key to a successful life.

10. Career Planning: Job hunting, resumes, cover letters, interviews and thank-you's. These are the necessities that our students need to master in order to be successful. The great part about this essential tool for students to have, is to give them the opportunity to practice and be aware of what each of these important employment documents entail. How can this be incorporated into a curriculum? I complete a Career/Job Exploration Project in my English class every year, this ensures that students leave the class with some sort of career awareness, especially if they have not had the opportunity to take a career preparation course.

These are just a few things that schools can incorporate into their curriculum to help our graduating students become more prepared to take on the 'real-world'. Many high schools offer business and career-related class that help to prepare students for life after high school, so hopefully students are aware of what these courses can offer. What else can you suggest?

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