April - National Poetry Month! Poetry Starters for Every Classroom
TeachersArtTeacher CafeWriting...April is National Poetry Month and no matter what you teach, you can transform the first five minutes of class to an empowering, issues-packed, discussion-based, poetry-friendly space.
Online Safety
TeachersInternet CultureTeacher CafeEducation...Online Safety: A Teacher's Guide to Dealing with Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Student Privacy is an article by Sarah Muthler, to increase awareness to educators regrading the safety for their students while they are online.
Lifelong Learning is a Crucial Educational Mindset
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationPersonal FinanceDoctors, lawyers and other professionals never stop learning new techniques and strategies to hone their craft and remain on the cutting edge in their field- and so too, do teachers.
ESL/ ELL Error Correction- Yes, No or Maybe?
TeachersTeacher CafeLanguageEducationTeachers must decide whether or not to offer correction in every class. Appropriate correction and feedback is a staple of the ESL, ELL, and EFL classroom, just the same as activities and drills are. Too much and too little correction can hinder results.
How to Greatly Improve Your English Pronunication
TeachersSpeakingTeacher CafeLanguage...Learning to pronounce English words correctly can be one of the hardest parts of learning English. Languages have different sounds that other languages may not have, so learners will have to learn how to make completely new sounds.
Once Upon a Device- Reading Activities
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Often, teachers have to use material that is older than the students, written in archaic language, and that take place in countries and imaginary worlds our learners have no experience with. Activities should help learners visualize and experience these worlds and have a better understanding of the mindset of the characters. Many apps inspire creativity and provide multimedia rich experiences and story creation.
Fresh Starts for Hard-to-Like Students
TeachersMental HealthTeacher CafeEducation...Even though your toughest students are just kids at the mercy of emotions they don't understand or can't control, it can be hard for a teacher to stay calm and not take these ongoing behavioural problems personally. Dr. Allen Mendler's advice: its' time to hit the reset button!
Redefining the Role of the Teacher: it's a Multifaceted Profession
TeachersFutureTeacher CafeEducation...Judith Taack takes a closer look at what being an educator really means. In the article she explains how teaching should be considered a trade rather than a profession and she addresses how culture has changed and so should teaching.
May the Fourth Be With You: Celebrating Star Wars Day in the Classroom
TeachersGamingTeacher CafeEducation...Make holidays fun in your classroom this May with different games and activities. The students do not need to know everything about Star Wars to have fun with a new theme for the day.
Timeline Creations: Sutori
TeachersCreativityReadingTeacher Cafe...Create and explore with your students today. Sutori is a website that allows users to create timelines in visual ways. Teachers can post content, ask questions and elaborate on answers.
The Nostalgia Machine
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationEntertainment...The idea of sending an old song or video to a friend is where the project launched. This entertaining website could be an interesting and amusing glimpse into the world of your students and for them into yours.
Creating Materials For ELL's and ESL
TeachersCreativityTeacher CafeEducation...The article, "Technologically and linguistically adventurous EFL teacher" written by Sandy Millin shares ideas on how to create material for your students. She offers tips and techniques to building your own resources along with extra tools to experiment with.
Hello-World: World Languages for Children
TeachersTeacher CafeWorldEducation...A new way of telling stories. This unique website uses interactive maps, video, captions and links with short readings and vivid images to share geological information and sites. There are several different countries and places highlighted for your students to explore!
Creating Meaningful Experiences Through Video
TeachersCreativityPhotographyTeacher Cafe...In today's digital world, one of the greatest powers we have is the ability to tell our stories- and share them with the world. Teaching students how to tap into that power not only makes learning more meaningful, but it positions them to take their place in digital society.
The 5 Critical Categories of Rules
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationThere has always been debate of whether rules are needed or students are better off with free choice. If you are struggling with rules in your classroom, the attached article provides an overview of different categories with class examples.
Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking
TeachersGamingTeacher CafeEducationStudents must be engaged and cooperation must be practiced, and often. The following team-building games can promote cooperation and communication, help establish a positive classroom environment and - most importantly- provide a fun, much needed reprieve from routine.
Highlights from Google's First Online Education Conference
TeachersFutureTeacher CafeEducation...Google's first ever online education conference started with the simple question, "How do we prepare the students of today to be the digital leaders of tomorrow?" A series of presenters offered their answers to that very question.
Grow ELL Vocabulary
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationLanguageIf you teach English-language learners, you know what a challenge it an be to keep vocabulary instruction fresh and engaging. The link will take you a list of shared teacher favourites for growing ELL vocabulary.
Today's Teacher: Educator, Motivator and Therapist
TeachersCultureMental HealthTeacher Cafe...Family stress, poverty and psychological issues are three factors which are the white elephant in the room for all of us in education. Many of these are seen as huge issues for students but they are not recognized as primary barriers.
Components of Digital Learning: How Technology Changed the Learning Landscape
TeachersCreativityTeacher CafeTechnology...Technology is making it easier to create interactive learning lessons and helping students reach mastery of their learning goals in the classroom. Students are becoming increasingly engaged in the material when they have access to technology and when instructors use tools to help them communicate both during and outside of class.
End the Year with the Best. Final. Ever.
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationCreativityA middle school English and Digital Media teacher shares her best end of year project to engage excite students at the end of term. Now, a collaborative, small group final project that students complete and present to their peers within the class period is standard. It was such a success that now it is used every year.