We strive to create a classroom environment where our students feel comfortable, safe, and invested, which encourages and builds confidence in their learning!
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external image 0511-0708-2014-2320.jpg

Some of the things we utilize/do to encourage our students to "buy into" our course are:

  • High expectations
  • High content/different delivery
  • Lab-based and activity-based hands-on learning
  • Agenda/Homework on board
  • Birthday Calendar/Announcements
  • Frequent assessment feedback
  • Smarties: exams
  • Highlighters (reading strategies)
  • Homework passes/Bathroom passes
  • Post work/projects on boards/ceilings
  • Stickers/stamps
  • Student exemplars
  • Holidays/Seasonal Clings/Decorations
  • Survival Packets/Rules of the Road
  • Hall Passes: Crab/Elephant/Turtle
  • Mutliple assessments

Secrets to Success:


  • Appeal to multiple learning styles and intelligences
  • Know yourself: look to yourself/your methods, rather than blame students
  • Move outside your comfort zone
  • Assess students through multiple means: projects, written assignments, discussions, labs, tests and quizzes
  • Persistence
  • Self-Reflection
  • Keep detailed lesson plans with suggestions and comments for the future
  • Learn from experienced teachers and others who interact with students
  • Build a community outside your classroom
  • Save student work from year to year
  • Preparation…Preparation…Preparation!
  • Work as a team with other teachers when possible; share duties
  • Connect class content to students’ lives, cultures, and experiences
  • Create a file to save all the positive things from students, parents, and administrators.