As teachers, it’s tempting to spend the last weeks of summer polishing lesson plans, organizing classroom décor, and printing the first week’s activities. I’ve done it, too. After more than two decades of teaching high school English, though, I’ve learned that the most important planning happens before I ever open my curriculum guide. I start by designing my classroom procedures.…
If you’ve ever felt like you spend the first ten minutes of every class reminding students where to sit, what to do, or when to stop talking, you’re not alone. As a high school English teacher, I’ve learned that one of the biggest differences between a stressful classroom and a calm, productive one isn’t a fancy curriculum, a perfectly decorated…
Setting Up a Functional Kitchen Without Breaking the Bank Watching your child move into their first apartment is exciting, emotional, and just a little nerve-racking. One minute you’re helping them pick out a bedtime story, and the next you’re realizing they won’t be coming home to a fully stocked kitchen after class. As parents, we naturally worry. Will they eat…