Happy Halloween?

By Ryan Crawley

There are very few things in life that get me as excited as autumn. I love the fall season and everything that comes along with it. I’ll gladly put away the shorts and the tank tops as long as I can have campfires late at night in my hoodie and jeans. October is the perfect time of the year.

The main thrill of October is Halloween. If you are a school teacher, and your school still allows students to dress up, you are either enthusiastically looking forward to the holiday or dreading it like it’s your day of execution. I’ve taught in a district that instead of allowing the students to wear their costumes to school that day, they actually substituted Crazy Sock Day in Halloween’s place. Crazy Sock Day instead of Halloween? If I would have known about this before accepting the teaching position from the district, I probably would have turned the job down.

Halloween can get a bit out of hand in certain schools and classrooms. This should be looked at as a given and to prepare for it the best you can. But cancelling Halloween in school is a bit extreme. In fact, I can still recall many memories of Halloween from my childhood. Can I remember any Crazy Sock                                                                                                    Days? Not especially.

The First Grade Blues

First grade was a tough school year for me. Kindergarten was only half a day long every day, but then first grade came along and changed all that. I enjoyed school so much more when it was only half a day, plus there was a napping time included.

Many surprises awaited me in first grade. It appeared all of my classmates had brushed up on their reading and counting skills over the summer, much to my dismay. I entered the school year being the worst reader in my class. Most parents might panic when something like this happens. Not mine. They had eight other kids that might pan out for them instead. My recesses were spent in the classroom receiving extra help from my teacher. I am sure she was as happy about it as I was.

I was also still having to receive speech lessons as well. I was told that most people thought I was a foreign exchange student because no one could understand what I was saying. I had those speech lessons during recess quite a bit of the time, too. Life was not good at the beginning of that school year. I couldn’t read, I couldn’t pronounce my s’s, or r’s, or about 20 other letters, and my hand me down jeans were about a foot too short. 

However, Halloween was quickly approaching. All little kids love Halloween, and I was no different. It was my favorite holiday. I loved the idea of dressing up as scary creatures and being given candy for it. Back then, I would have rather had candy than money. Candy was my currency of choice.

A week before Halloween, there was a case of the chicken pox going around the school. I was being careful to avoid it. One girl in my class had come down with it three days before Halloween, and I thought at the time how horrible that must be. Chicken pox seems to last forever. It is an estimated ten to fourteen days before they aren’t contagious anymore and you are allowed to be around other people again.

The day before Halloween, we had brownies arrive in our classroom. The girl that had chicken pox had sent a note and a pan of brownies that her mom had made. The whole class gladly ate them all. However, this was my first experience with chemical warfare. Not two hours after eating the chicken pox-infused brownie, I was scratching like crazy. I was quickly sent home from school with a full-blown case of chicken pox, the day before Halloween. That was the end of my traumatic first grade Halloween experience. My Halloween was spent sitting at home watching much too scary movies for a seven-year-old.

Medley of Below Average Costumes

At my elementary school when I was a kid, every year they had a costume contest for each grade level. The winner of each grade level would receive a silver dollar. Since there were only about six kids in each grade, the averages work out so each kid would eventually win one of these contests at least once in their grade school career. At least you would think that. Being a middle child of nine really worked against me in this regard.

Every single year, my Halloween costume was a hand me down from older brothers, and sometimes even sisters. If I had been voting in the costume contests, I wouldn’t have chosen me either. Many times my costume consisted of an oversized rubber mask where the eye holes seldom ever lined up with my eyes. I was basically walking around blind. It’s hard to receive votes in a costume contest when you can’t even see the judges because you are walking into walls.

Because of this, years later as a teacher, I always had great empathy for these students. Kids that loved Halloween as much as the ones that had fantastic costumes, but never received the recognition. Everything is a learning experience, though, in life. As an adult, I always make sure now that when Halloween comes around every year, my costume is on point. And with my future kids, we’ll plan together our Halloween costumes. Halloween should always be celebrated together as a family. It is a day to make a lifetime of fun memories through creativity. It is the exact opposite of Crazy Sock Day.

Ryan Crawley is a writer/educator from Illinois. Born into a family of eleven, he spent most of his childhood watching old reruns of Three's Company and Happy Days. He has his Masters in Reading and Literacy, and is a certified Reading Specialist. He spends his free time writing, working out, and hanging with his two dogs Flair and Smoosh Face. 

What Lurks Behind the Door of the Teachers’ Lounge?

By Ryan Crawley

There are mysteries in this world that will never be solved. Who killed John F. Kennedy? Watch Kevin Costner in the movie JFK and you will walk away knowing it could have been any number of people. Is there intelligent life on other planets? Sometimes I question whether there is intelligent life on this planet. What’s the deal with the Bermuda Triangle? I have no idea, but I plan on never finding out.

All of these great mysteries are quite puzzling, but there has always been one mystery that has haunted me throughout my childhood. The mystique of, in all places, a room in every school building. What lurks behind the door of the teachers’ lounge?

My father was a high school Science teacher, and I would always pester him about telling me what was behind the teachers’ lounge door. The secrecy behind it all would make our own government envious. My father never once told me.

I figured out after awhile that the only way to know for sure was to become a teacher myself. Either that or break into the school one night, but I knew I was way too pretty for prison. I decided on the much longer process of doing it legally.

    As I was finishing up all my Education classes, I was getting closer and closer to solving the mystery of this fascinating place. In my head, I pictured the teachers’ lounge as a very swanky restaurant. There would be maitre d’ greeting you as soon as you entered. Little fancy foods that I never know the name of would be presented on a silver platter. Drinks would be freely offered, some alcoholic. And teachers would discuss and solve the world’s problems.

    My first day of student teaching, I immediately headed down the long hall to the teachers’ lounge. Would I have liked to have met my supervising teacher first? I had my priorities. I was out to solve a mystery. I was like Robert Stack, minus the cool voice and the fog swirling around me.

As I turned the doorknob, I wasn’t even sure I was allowed in this hallowed room. I was only a student teacher, not the real thing yet. But I couldn’t wait any longer! Once I swung the door open, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I don’t think I have ever been more disappointed in my life. I actually double-checked the nameplate on the door just to make sure I didn’t accidentally enter into the janitor’s room by mistake.

    It was like a potpourri of garage sale trash! There was a green and yellow couch against the wall that appeared to have come off someone’s porch. Someone that hated teachers. I’m almost positive that the couch was not originally green and yellow, but that the mold was slowly encompassing it more and more every day.

    The long table in the room was like a glorified indoor picnic table. If I sat down and ate my lunch every afternoon at this table, I’d spend the next hour removing splinters from my forearms.

    Off in the corner, there was a microwave and coffee pot tucked away. I don’t believe I have ever seen whole electrical cords wrapped up in electric tape before. I am pretty sure this was a fire hazard. Although, if a fire engulfed this room, it would be a mercy killing.

    The microwave’s control panel basically had an on-off button. I learned that the sound emanating from it when it was running was equal to a plane landing in your front yard. I could only imagine how much radiation this microwave was throwing off. There should have been a lead blanket you had to wear while using it. I bet most of the male teachers in the school were sterile just because they used this microwave.

    There was only one redeeming item in the teachers’ lounge. An old soda machine on the opposite wall. It still worked, and it charged 50 cents a soda. However, I had never heard of the different sodas that it offered. Kolla, Orange Crash, and Mountain Do all were brands that I was not familiar with.

    I left the room in a fog. (Although, maybe it was actually smoke coming from something that had just short-circuited in there.) As I met with my supervising teacher and completely tuned her out, I realized why there was such secrecy about the teachers’ lounge. The school’s staff is embarrassed by it. Every day educators with various Masters degrees, whose duty is to shape the minds of the youth, meet in a glorified tree fort.

    Childhood dreams die hard. Things always seem more mysterious when we are younger. Romanticizing something as simple as the teachers’ lounge was my own fault. We all have our own things that we held up on a pedestal when we were kids. Sometimes they disappoint us. However, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny have yet to let me down!

Ryan Crawley is a writer/educator from Illinois. Born into a family of eleven, he spent most of his childhood watching old reruns of Three's Company and Happy Days. He has his Masters in Reading and Literacy, and is a certified Reading Specialist. He spends his free time writing, working out, and hanging with his two dogs Flair and Smoosh Face. 

Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Dance

By Emily Strickland

Only days before my final AP Calculus exam, I performed The Nutcracker in front of three thousand people. My childhood Nutcracker runs were twenty shows long; I had a show that night, and more that weekend.

I remember staring at my Calculus exam and laughing at the irony. Math problems make me more nervous than a theater full of strangers!

Last year, Conan O’Brien did a skit where he separated dance students into two groups. In the skit, he jokes that one group will “remain in the dance troupe.” Then he turns to the second group: “[But] you are all Uber drivers.”

It’s an old and tired myth: “dancers can’t do anything except dance.”

When you think “dancer,” you probably don’t think “brain surgeon.” The myth says that dancers are artsy, but not intelligent. Dance isn’t usually considered a valuable form of education.

Recently, though, the British Royal Family announced that Prince George’s schooling will include ballet classes—and for a good reason.

Dance training prepares you for life’s challenges and gives you the tools to excel at any profession, tools that many college students don’t acquire until after graduation.

In my experience, dancers are consistently—and exceptionally—clever, curious, disciplined and hard working. Dancers learn, viscerally and intimately, that success is not possible without failure.

This is not a lesson most people understand until they’ve hit rock bottom and fought their way back with sheer force of will.

My lesson came my sophomore year of high school, when I wasn’t cast in the same ballets as my friends.

The teacher was always disappointed by my work in class. I was held back a level when most of my friends advanced. No matter how hard I worked, I never seemed to achieve my goals.

I became angry, frustrated and confused. Suddenly, dance class was something I dreaded, not something I loved.

Failure is hard to learn from because it invites self-doubt. Doubt, in turn, sucks the joy out of your work. I seriously considered giving up dance entirely.

But dance also teaches you not to give up on something that’s important to you.

I came back to the studio every day and worked through my self-doubt. I started listening and took the instructor’s criticism, whether I agreed with it or not. I made changes to my work. I stopped focusing on the result—and the roles—I wanted. Instead, I zeroed in on my process.

As soon as I did, I started to love dancing again. I re-discovered the joy in it, and my teacher moved me up to the next level.

Dance taught me that success comes from persistence. It comes from years of working hard and accepting mistakes.

Persistence and a good work ethic aren’t just dance lessons; they are life lessons that translate to anything you want to do, including passing Calculus.

After scoring low on my Calculus exam, I was frustrated and disappointed, but I was also determined. I took a practice test every day. On every single test, I got a three—which is not a passing score, but I learned from my mistakes.

When I finally took the real AP test in the spring, I earned the highest score possible. My persistence and my determination (which I acquired in DANCE) paid off.

For many people, dance is a lifelong passion. A professional career is empowering and satisfying, but often short-lived.

It’s important to know that you have every tool you need to succeed outside of dance. I know former dancers who work in environmental policy, who are physical therapists, who are social workers, marine biologists, writers, choreographers, teachers, and agents.

They still love dance. But there is room for more than one passion in a lifetime. And whether or not you have a professional career, dance training gives you something valuable—and that’s the knowledge that you can do anything, as long as you’re willing to put in the work and never, ever give up.

Dancing for the Mouse: A Look at What It’s Like to Work as a Disney World Performer

Emily Strickland

If you’re an energetic, enthusiastic and expressive dancer looking for a fun and challenging performance job, theme park performances are a great option to explore! And with more than 60,000 cast members employed at the park as performers and characters, Disney World is an awesome place to try. 

I spoke to one of those performers, Ty, who dances at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Ty is 23 and grew up in Florida, so Disney was never too far away. Here’s what he had to say about dancing everyday at “the happiest place on Earth” 

Me: So, let’s start at the beginning. When did you start dancing and what type of training did you have? 

 Ty: I started dancing in 2010 at a local studio that focused on competition dancing. From there I went to college to study dance with a focus in classical ballet and various forms of modern dance. All other training came from experiences in small companies as an apprentice or company member. 

Me: And then eventually you got to Disney. What made you decide to audition for a job in the entertainment section of Disney World? 

Ty: It was on a whim. The company I dance for was about to be off season and I needed a summer job. I went to a cattle call audition and was hired on the spot. They assured me of how fortunate I was and how it rarely happens for most performers that way. 

Me: Wow, that’s so impressive! What was the audition process like? 

Ty: There are about four rounds. The first is basic movement that travels across the floor. They look at your face and build for costumes and character stuff. Then there’s a series of jazz squares and waves that you have to make very natural-looking. The next round is a movement phase which incorporates the movement quality of the shows within the park. After that, it’s “animation” which is essentially a game of charades in a small group where you create a story or scenario based on themes the casting director gives. If they ask for a fourth round of people to perform something, it’s usually to cast something specific, like a new show or a rare role. That doesn’t happen often. 

Me: That’s such a full audition: across the floor combos, waving, and group acting exercises! Now that you’re an official Disney entertainment employee, talk about what you actually do. Where do you perform? 

Ty: I’m “global” but Animal Kingdom mostly. (The term “global” means Ty can perform in a number of different shows at different locations in Disney World.) 

Me: What are the shows you perform in like? 

Ty: The shows I’m in are fun and cute. The movement is based strongly in character and character-like dancing. A fun aspect that some may find hard to get used to is the absence of the fourth wall. Guests are on your level so you can see them and they can see you seeing them. You are expected to interact with them, within the confines of your choreography. Some performers love it. Others, like myself, find it to be a bit of a balancing act. Like any challenge, it’s cool once you get the hang of it. 

Me: That is definitely something unique to theme park entertainment. It would take me so long to get used to interacting with the audience like that. What about rehearsals? I’m sure a lot goes into the shows before the guests see them. 

Ty: Rehearsals can vary. If it’s a shorter rehearsal period, like a week, you will probably be there overnight every night. If it’s longer, a week to two weeks, the rehearsals will vary between morning and night rehearsals. You stretch and then you spend hours of rigorous study on a show you will do so much, you wake up screaming in your sleep! The rehearsals are run by maintenance choreographers, whose job is to maintain the integrity of the movement and characters of a specific show. Every now and then your director and/or original choreographer will come and check on your progress. There are a few choreographers who are very hands-on with their show and will be there throughout the rehearsal process. 

Me: And are you cast in the same role in the show each time you rehearse and perform it? 

Ty: Rehearsals aren’t a guarantee of casting. They’re more like auditions. If you make it through the rehearsal, you deserve to perform it, but they can deny you of that if they have a better casting decision in mind. 

Me: So, what’s the most challenging part of dancing at Disney? 

Ty: The most challenging part of working here is that you’re a very small fish. Scheduling and casting is based on seniority because it’s much easier to consider the talent and work ethic of the [more seasoned] performer. 

Me: What about your favorite part? 

Ty: When you’re in a show because it’s a much friendlier environment- the smaller cast allows you to interact with your managers and directors more. 

Me: Final question, what advice do you have for young dancers looking to potentially go into theme park entertainment like you? 

Ty: I would just say it’s a job, so carry yourself like a professional. Talk to your superiors. Remember to choose your relationships wisely because not every girl in the tunnel is the Anna to your Elsa and not every boy down there is that prince you have been waiting to rescue you from life for 20 years. So share responsibly. You don’t need distraction because moving up is hard and if you truly want to strive you must be smart, tactical, and focused. 

Thanks to Ty for sharing his experiences! If this sounds like a performance job you’d love to have, check out open call auditions for theme parks. There are several parks throughout the country that have performances throughout the year that require lots of talented dancers. 

Emily Strickland is a professional ball dancer and writer from Fredericksburg, Virginia. She is currently dancing with Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas,where she’s had the opportunity to perform ballets like The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake, as well as in a collaborative performance with Cirque du Soleil. Previously she was an artist at Columbia Classical Ballet and a trainee at Richmond Ballet, where she was the featured soloist in Connor Frain’s premiere piece “Inertia”. She has trained with Richmond Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence, Nashville Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, Denmark. In addition, she is a ballet instructor at Avery Ballet.

The Real Benefits Of Teaching

By Beth Hedrick

I have been very fortunate throughout my 22 years of teaching to have taught on both ends of the grade-level spectrum. For the past few years I have been blessed to teach seventh graders. Many other educators (and my non-teacher friends) cannot even fathom the thought of taking on such a tremendous feat.

I, however, like a challenge.

Yes, middle school students can be challenging, depending on the day. But they also make me laugh every day and completely warm my heart on a regular basis. Here are some things I get to look forward to each day that confirms my love for teaching.

The Latest Trends
What I love watching, sort of like a domino effect, is the “catching on” of the latest trends. Each school year it is something different, depending on what grabs the attention and likes of the pre-teens. One year it was “Silly Bands”- those thin, silicone bracelets that are shaped like different objects. One day only a few would be wearing about fifty on their wrist, and the next week every child would have them. Wearing these trendy items spreads like wildfire. Ive seen everything from the whitest and brightest Converse tennis shoes you will ever see, worn with skirts and leggings, to fidget spinners, the Fitbit, and the most annoying trend ever: bottle flipping. No, wait, the most annoying trend: dabbing!

Popular songs, of course, have been sung by many, and I just knew if I heard the song of the month in the hallway one more time I would scream. Trends like these just crack me up, because no matter how ridiculous they look (remember the banana clip of the 80’s?) all the kids love them, even if they don’t really love them.

The Impulsivity
This characteristic of middle school students is probably the most challenging and difficult to manage. These kids can be so impulsive. The day could be going very smoothly, with the little worker bees reading and writing. Then a real bee can enter the room if my window is open, and it's all over. The impulsivity and their excitement quickly turns into mayhem and a contest on who can get the bee out, and I have to immediately put forth a great amount of energy to squelch it.

Anytime something like this occurs, the unthinkable happens. The principal decides to make her grand entrance in my classroom to do an observation. I can have an hour of pure quiet and a blissful learning environment, but the second the kids decide, pretty much on cue, to do something crazy, in walks the principal. Luckily, she has also seen my classroom on calmer days, or in calmer moments, so rather than becoming frustrated about it, I just laugh. Kids are kids; they are human, and there are times in the day where they are just going to be plain goofy.

The Empathy
I cannot get over how much empathy the students have for one another, and me as well. They may not always act like they care, but they (deep, deep down) do. There are several times a week that my heart becomes bigger from their actions. Case in point: one time, last year, I had a headache that lasted for a few days. After the second day, I must have at some point mentioned that I had a headache and it just didn’t want to go away. The next day, one of my students walked up to my desk, opened his lunch cooler and pulled out an ice pack. He told me that he knew he couldn’t bring me actual medicine, and his mom said that sometimes an ice pack on the head or neck can help headaches. Wow.

Before holiday break, the students bring little gifts for each of their circle of friends. They usually exchange them during break time or in the hall before school. Last year, there was a bag of wrapped presents behind my desk, and I wasn’t sure why it was there. Later that day, one of my students told me that she left it there to give out to the students who she knew wouldn’t get any gifts. There were maybe ten wrapped gifts in there that she gave out at the end of the day. Another “wow” moment for me to witness!

Kind Deeds
I can’t count how many times I have seen my students do kind deeds for each other, or for people they don’t even know. They make cards for soldiers overseas, bring in soft and fluffy slipper-socks to donate to the local nursing home, raise money for cancer patients, and so much more. They really do want to do right, and there, of course, are moments where I may doubt them for a second, but when I do, they most definitely redeem themselves. And even those who are not as kind as others, well, they are surrounded by kindness from their peers. Hey, we all learn from example, right?

In addition to the heartwarming and laughter I receive from my students, as all teachers do, I also love their reactions to learning something new. This is a given in education; many teachers do this job because of the reward of seeing their students’ faces as they acquire new concepts. This is very important, of course, but what I believe is the most important thing of all is the well-rounded learning experiences they receive. Yes, academics are important, but life is made up of many facets of development. The social and emotional areas of development, to me, are just as important. As they go through their school years, character development is such an amazing thing for them to continue to acquire, and is such a wonderful thing for me to be a part of!

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months. 

The Perfect Fall Tour For Your Students

By Beth Hedrick

The season of fall is well upon us, and the weather is ideal for an educational and exciting trip to Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Gettysburg. Your students will basically get three field trips in one and will explore many different subject areas by actually doing and seeing with their own inquisitive eyes. Important core subject areas sprinkled with student inquiry, critical thinking, experience-based and hands-on learning (in addition to generating dialogue) is precisely what this traveling experience will give to the students…and you!

The Amish have always been very intriguing to me. Many of my students have never seen the Amish or their lifestyle. They may have learned about their lifestyle and their beliefs in a textbook, but that is certainly no match to experiencing this culture first hand. Visiting the Pennsylvania Dutch country and the Amish will teach the children about a new culture, and how it is important to respect every culture in our great country. They will see first-hand their way of life, and learn important lessons about how the amenities of our modern day affect our own lifestyle. Learning that “not everyone is the same” in terms of beliefs and lifestyle will allow them to compare their way of life to that of another type of living.

Have you ever been to Hershey Park? I am certain that you can smell the chocolate as soon as you see the Hershey Kiss lights upon entering this extravaganza. It is such a unique amusement park, because it is not only filled with thrilling rides, but offers lessons in math and science at the chocolate factory. The students enjoy learning about the real-world experience of making chocolate – the same popular chocolate they see each time they visit their local grocery store. Touring the factory will give the student’s much insight as to how the chocolate is made from the very start of the process to the end. I have to say, I love thrilling rides, but touring the chocolate factory was the highlight of the trip for me.

When the students visit Gettysburg, they will learn about the Civil War of our country and the most intense battle of this war between the Union and Confederate soldiers. This future-changing battle resulted in 50,000 casualties and was a turning point in the Union’s favor. Learning about our history as a county in the mid-1800’s will shed light on what our country went through to become one again. The Battle Ground tour is about two hours, but your students will be so enthralled that they certainly will not notice. It is a great tour and is very in-depth about the different points of interest in this most important battle.

The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum is an amazing experience for kids as they learn about the “New Birth of Freedom” in the feature film and have an educational tour of our past. Personally, I really, really dig the Cyclorama! If you have never been to a Cyclorama, you will probably enjoy it more than the students! It is like you are standing right there watching the battle but in panorama-picture form. That is my absolute favorite, and every time I go, I notice something new.

There is a relatively new educational approach known as STEAM, which incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. This field trip to the Pennsylvania Dutch country and Gettysburg certainly meets all of those areas of learning mixed in with a lot of fun!

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months. 

Tech Alternatives to Traditional Homework

By Ryan Crawley

Most teachers tend to give homework to their students like their life depended on it. Students slipping out of the classroom at the end of the day without homework just is not allowed. Why do teachers do this? Why do they overload their students with busy work disguised as essential homework? It’s because this has always been done in education. It’s because some educators look at other teachers that give very little homework as not doing their job. It’s because educators encouraging students to think outside the box is viewed as excellent teaching, but a teacher going against the norm is frowned upon.

I’ll admit it. I am an educator, and I do not assign much homework. (I’ll wait patiently until the booing ends from other teachers.) I only assign it when it is essential for students that are failing to grasp certain concepts. I grade way too many papers already, so why would I want to grade more? I also hand them certain books they must read for independent reading time at home. The homework standard endorsed by the National Education Association and the National Parent-Teacher Association is the so-called "10-minute rule". (Much different than the ten-second rule that is common when food falls on the floor.)

They say the appropriate amount is ten minutes per grade level per night. This means 10 minutes of homework for first-grade students, 20 minutes for the second grade, and all the way up to 120 minutes per night for seniors in high school. The NEA and the National PTA does not recommend homework for kindergarten. My belief is that more than an hour of homework a night, even for high school students, is a bit of an overkill. After all, Finland schools are some of the very best in the world, and they have little if any homework every night.

There are alternatives to assigning the regular homework every night. In doing so, it will stress out the students and their parents much less. Teachers give students worksheets for homework almost every night. Students are used to this. This is why they groan when they get these sort of homework assignments. It is time to change it all up! Let’s look at alternatives to traditional homework using only technology.

Email Homework
Every teacher has a school email address. We have them for communication purposes. So let’s have the students email us as their alternative homework. If the students don’t have an email address, their parents sure do. Ask them to send a link to a website that goes along with what was discussed in class. This alternative to homework can be used for any subject area. Then you can carry it over, and the students can present their website to the class the next day.

Google Docs
In case you have not jumped on the EdTech bandwagon, Google Docs is a free Web-based application in which documents, presentations, and spreadsheets can be created, edited, and stored automatically online. Files can be accessed from any computer the world, all you have do is grant your students access.

How simple would it be to ask students to create a presentation using Google Docs on what they learned in certain chapters in any content area? This could be their entire homework for the week. No need to overload them. Then on Friday, all the students can display their presentations.

Google Docs could be used for all homework assignments. There would be no need to hand out worksheets for homework any longer. Save all those millions and millions of trees from being cut down and used as paper just for your homework assignments! The environment will thank you!

Use Websites for Homework
Ask students to spend ten minutes a night on certain websites like Spelling City for spelling words or Grammar Gorilla for parts of speech. Homework is supposed to be used to strengthen skills. If a student does not do well on the quiz at the end of the week in these subject areas after you asked them to spend time at home on these sites, it will be pretty obvious they did not follow your directions. However, they are only hurting themselves! Talk to them one-on-one after the poor quiz performance and lay on the teacher guilt trip.

Tech Math Homework
I know some teachers are reading this right now and saying all of these ideas are great, but math homework has to be completed through math worksheets. I say, “Welcome to the Internet!” There are numerous free sites that students can visit to practice all the different math concepts. Funbrain is a perfect one for younger learners. Math Blaster incorporates video games along with learning math. Hooda Math is another great one that uses games to learn math skills. There are literally hundreds of sites that can be used to practice mathematics.

So, put those worksheets that you accumulated throughout the years in the back of the room for students that are just sitting there doing nothing in class. That way they still have a purpose!


Ryan Crawley is a writer/educator from Illinois. Born into a family of eleven, he spent most of his childhood watching old reruns of Three's Company and Happy Days. He has his Masters in Reading and Literacy, and is a certified Reading Specialist. He spends his free time writing, working out, and hanging with his two dogs Flair and Smoosh Face. 

5 Things Your Middle Schoolers Need To Hear From You

By Diana Eastman

If we are being totally honest, middle school can be rough. It is such a transitional time, where students are balancing friendships, handling their hormones and seeking independence. Middle school students can be awkward and hard to understand sometimes, but at the end of the day, they are kids who still need guidance and support from the caring adults around them.

As their teacher, they may take a comment you make about them and hold onto it for a lifetime. The things you say to a middle school student can become the way they start internally talking about themselves. They are receiving so many mixed messages from friends, the media, and their parents, that it can be difficult to know what is true. As a significant role model in their lives, these are the 5 things your middle schoolers need to hear from you to be successful.

You Have Not Peaked- So many middle schoolers spend their days comparing themselves to others. They always find someone who is prettier, stronger, faster, smarter, or more popular than they are and obsess about being like that person. They are convinced that they’ll never measure up, and that who they are now is who they will always be. It’s important to remind them that they have so much growing to do and that this is not it for them. They have so much more life ahead, and they can’t spend time wishing they were someone else. Remind them that they are exactly who they are supposed to be at this moment in time and that they should be excited for the growth and improvements that are yet to come.

Think Before You Tweet
Or text. Or Snap. Or Comment. Or Share. Social media, when used correctly, is a great tool to share life’s moments and connect with the world. However, when abused by emotional, hormonal, reckless teenagers with not-yet-fully-developed brains, it can have lasting consequences. Teach your students how fast pictures and comments can be shared, and share stories about how social media played a part in ruining relationships and lives. Explain your expectations of how your students should use social media and teach them to be safe online.

Think Carefully About Your Friends
As a middle school student, friends are everything. In this fragile stage of life, what their friends say and do is of top priority for most pre-teens. Acknowledge the importance of a solid group of friends, but remind them to be leaders, not followers. Remind them that when it comes to friends, quality is way more important than quantity. Although middle school is the definition of a popularity contest, hearing from a trusted teacher that they don’t have to sacrifice their morals or values just to be “cool” could save a student a lifetime of heartbreak.

It’s Ok Not To Be Ok
Being a middle school student can be an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes they aren’t even sure why they are so angry or sad, and have a hard time sorting out their feelings and communicating them effectively. Teachers should keep an eye out for students who seem unmotivated, angry, depressed or lonely. Taking the time to let these students know you see them and are worried about their well-being can go a long way. Remind them that it’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or misunderstood, but that you are someone that they can go to with their problems, judgment-free.

Lose The Labels
So many 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students consume themselves with labels. It is a way for them to process where they fit in within their peer groups and helps establish their identity. Students want so badly to fit in, so they work hard to seek out groups that make them feel validated. Some get involved in sports and find their confidence in their abilities on the field. Others work tirelessly to maintain a 4.0 GPA to showcase their strengths in academics. Students need to hear that these labels are not indicative of their worth. They are worthy of love and appreciation because of who they are, not because of what they can do. They could break a leg and be off the team, then what? Would they see themselves as worthless since they could no longer play? Help them see that it is not the labels they put on themselves and others that define them, but instead it is their character and the way they treat other people.

Middle school students receive a lot of advice and information from a wide range of outside sources. They take these messages, do their best to sort through them with limited experience to work with, and use them to help navigate their way through the crazy middle school years. As their teacher, it is vital that the messages they receive from you are positive, empowering, supportive, honest and productive. How you speak to them and what you say to them will become a part of their inner dialogue. Help them talk nicely to themselves by speaking nicely to and about them. They want so badly to hear the truth from the people they look up to the most. And by reminding them of their potential and value,  and by saying the things they need to hear, you will absolutely change the course of their lives.

Technology in Education

By Ryan Crawley

Educators are changing up the way that they are teaching. The image of a teacher standing in front of the classroom and lecturing while students sit quietly at their seat taking notes is a thing of the past. Technology in the classroom is changing teaching styles across the world. At the same time, it is enabling the students to learn skills that they need for gaining a 21st-century education.
 
A number of schools now have a 1:1 technology initiative in their district. Schools have been making expensive upgrades in an effort to have more high-tech classrooms. According to EdSurge, 83 percent of schools now have adequate wifi to support 1:1 learning environments (a computer device for every student). Back in 2013, only 25 percent of all schools could make that claim. With this huge leap, we can’t be too far away from having digital textbooks replace those hardcover antiques that litter all classrooms across the world.
 
If you are a teacher that is not on board with the 'technology in the classroom' movement yet, then you are not only preventing yourself from learning new skills, but you are not preparing your students adequately. It can be a bit scary entering the unknown, so find a tech mentor somewhere in your school to educate you on the basics. Listed below are some easy ways to integrate technology with all grade levels and content areas.

PowerPoint Presentations
There are other presentation programs that will do just fine (Google Slides, Keynote, etc…) besides Powerpoint. Presentation slides can simplify subjects to just the most important information. Teachers and their students can create these presentations for the class on any subject area. Teaching straight out of the textbook is the surefire way to bore your students and lose your audience.

Once you start building all your presentation files to incorporate the content you cover during the school year; you can use them again and again. The subjects of History and Science are tailor-made for slide presentations that can narrow down the parts that you would like the students to memorize. With these presentations, collaborative learning and discussions can take the place of a teacher lecturing.

College courses always make the students present on different topics, so might as well start them early and provide them with the knowledge needed to enliven their presentations with technology. The days of standing in front of the class with posters and pictures are long gone.

Video Clips
Today’s students have shorter attention spans than ever. But you can’t just blame the children; even adults have trouble concentrating for long periods of time. However, incorporating technology into your teaching style is a sure way to have them pay close attention.

All students learn a bit differently. Interesting video clips can ensure the students’ understanding of a subject better than just out of the textbook alone. Any teacher that teaches straight out of the textbook is going to lose their students nowadays. Videos are supplemental material that needs to be used in the classroom for several reasons.
 
Almost every classroom now has a projector and a screen of some sort. Finding video clips that go along with your lesson has never been easier. There is no longer a need to go hunting for videos at the library. Do a quick internet search for videos on your topic and you will be amazed at some of the quality educational videos that are available for free.

Smartboard
Most classrooms today are equipped with a Smartboard or something similar. Basically, in case you are not familiar with Smartboards, they are interactive whiteboards. The screen is a touch screen and connected to the computer on your desk. In addition, you can write on the screen, just like a normal whiteboard. There are available websites where interactive lessons are already created and separated by grade level and subject area.

Anything that you find on the internet can be projected on the interactive whiteboard for the whole class. You are no longer attached to your desk when displaying your computer screen. You can be up and teaching in front of the class, instead of having to stay within a couple feet of your desk. The students can be called upon to complete lessons on the board as well. They love having the opportunity to get out of their seat and use the Smartboard in front of the class.

Podcasts
Podcasting is sort of a new technology that has exploded over the last few years. It’s basically recorded audio shows or lessons. It is possible to find a podcast online about what you are currently teaching in the classroom. There are millions of downloadable podcasts out there. You may have to listen to a few before you find the best suitable one for your students.

The real fun is having your students make their own podcasts on what they are learning in class. Or even an audio class diary for students that are absent or just as a review of what has been covered. These are simple things to do, and will make the students use their summarization skills in completing these projects.

iMovie
The iMovie application, or something similar, can give the teacher and the students the ability to make videographies, documentaries, student films, and amazing presentations. By inserting pictures into your movie, you can then add in your own dialogue, special effects, credits, and many other interesting things.

An easy way to begin using iMovie in the classroom is having the students each pick out an important historical figure. They then do all the research on this person, create an outline using a document program on your devices, and end the assignment with their own iMovie documentary on their important figure in history. Displaying each of these documentaries in the class will educate the students, and enable them to see what their classmates can do with iMovie, also.


Ryan Crawley is a writer/educator from Illinois. Born into a family of eleven, he spent most of his childhood watching old reruns of Three's Company and Happy Days. He has his Masters in Reading and Literacy, and is a certified Reading Specialist. He spends his free time writing, working out, and hanging with his two dogs Flair and Smoosh Face. 

7 Awesome Fundraising Ideas To Pay For An Epic Class Trip

By Diana Eastman

All across America, parents and teachers sigh collectively when fundraising time comes around. They know it means buying too much chocolate, or rolls and rolls of wrapping paper. Or they’ll end up pressuring people in the office to pay for their kid to run laps around the track. Although these traditional fundraising methods do bring in necessary money to fund “extras” for the students, they’re not always the most exciting or innovative methods. If your class is trying to raise funds for the most epic trip in school history consider some of these fun ideas that everyone can get excited about.

Crowdfunding Websites Brings In Big Bucks
The number one way to raise money for anything is by creating a Crowdfunding campaign for your next big adventure. This easy to set up, and easy to share, online tool allows you to explain where you’re going, why you’re going, and what you’ll do when you are there. It allows people to easily make monetary donations of all sizes and tracks the amount donated so everyone can keep track of the progress. The website does take a small percentage in return for hosting, but it’s a proven way to share your mission and get the donations rolling in.

In conjunction with a successful crowdfunding campaign, schools can host a variety of events to connect with the community and raise money for their cause. From hosting a spa day to running errands for people of the community, students of all grade levels will be able to participate in the fundraising and take ownership of the process. Here are some of the most effective ideas:

Hold A Used Book Sale
A few weeks before the sale, have students and teachers bring in their gently used books. Send out invitations to parents and members of the community and have them come and peruse your collection of literature.

Get Artsy
Get together with the art department and enlist the help of the school’s most passionate artists. Create a gallery for parents, teachers, and students to browse through. Then raise donations by auctioning off some of the unique art.

Luggage Tag Fundraiser
Design a few creative luggage tags (or go the easy way and order them from a wholesaler). Give traveling students and teachers the option to buy these original luggage tags to attach to their bags when they travel. The more creative and personal the designs, the more people will just have to have them on their bags.

A Cup of Joe To Make Some Dough
Partnering with a local coffee shop may be the caffeinated jolt your fundraiser needs. Get whole bags of coffee from a wholesaler (maybe one connected to the place you will be traveling?) Then sell them at school or out in the community. Make coffee in the mornings and ask for small donations. The car drop-off line might be a good place to set up shop!

Offer A Service
Schedule a car wash, offer to walk dogs in the community, or run errands for busy moms or seniors who have trouble getting it all done. Advertise what your students are willing to do and make it clear that they’re working hard for an unforgettable class trip.

Get Creative
Brainstorm some ideas with students and faculty about events that would be easy and inexpensive to put together, and that would fit with the location/theme of the trip. Some creative fundraising ideas include:

• Teach a class- Is Mr. Jenkins the PE teacher an undercover chef? Does Mrs. Harrison have a black belt in karate? Investigate the unique skills that members of the faculty have and encourage them to lead a class for the community. Ask for a small donation when signing up, and viola! You’ve bettered the community and raised money for your trip.

• Get Cookin’- If you make food, the donations will come rolling in.  Host a chili cook-off, bake sale, or backyard BBQ to bring the school and community together while filling stomachs and donation jars.

• Torture The Teachers- although not always a favorite amongst the teachers, any campaign that lets students let loose on teachers will bring in the money. Sell strips of duct tape and let students tape the teacher of their choice to a wall. Set a fundraising goal and when it’s met, let students participate in a pie-throwing contest where teachers and staff members are the targets. Give kids a break by putting their teacher “in jail” for a period as a reward for raising the most money. While the teacher is “locked up,” they can play board games in class, hang out in the gym or play outside.

If you truly want to have an epic class trip, you have to get the students involved. There needs to be some friendly competition and excitement to make them feel like they are part of the process. Instead of worrying that there is a lot of money to raise, think about it as an extended opportunity for students to get excited about the trip. The anticipation will make the actual trip that much sweeter, and the collective effort to raise the money will bring teachers, parents, students, and the community together.