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Early Childhood and Elementary Resources

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Early Childhood and Elementary Resources

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Resources and Lesson Planning

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Social Studies and ELA Resources

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Math and Science

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Lesson Plans and Activities from St. Louis Post Distpatch

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Lesson Plans | St. Louis Post-Dispatch Newspapers In Education

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You read the newspaper to find out the news of the day. But there's much more you can do with the St. Louis Post Dispatch ePost or Print Edition in your classroom.

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Tools for instruction and student collaboration.

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Educational Games and Resources

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First Year Teacher is a self-paced professional development course for novice K-3 teachers, developed by Reading Rockets. The program provides teachers with an in-depth knowledge of reading so they are prepared to guide their students into becoming skilled and enthusiastic readers.

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Our brains are hard-wired to master spoken language, but learning to read is another story. Learning to read is a very complex skill - one of the most complex things that we ask our children to take on. And for many kids, it doesn't come easily.

As a result, teaching children to read and write well can be a very challenging job. So much so that researcher Louisa Moats called her influential article "Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science." (This incidentally, became the inspiration for the "Reading Rockets" name!).

There are many reasons why children succeed or struggle in school, but among school-related factors, teachers matter the most. What teachers know and what they do in class every day have an enormous impact on student achievement.

It's never easy, but when reading instruction is delivered by knowledgeable, skilled teachers, more students will be more successful, and all but the most severe reading disabilities can be addressed effectively. This is true even for students who are most at risk.

Reading 101 presents some of the core information that teachers need to help young children learn to read and write well and to support the children who struggle. You may want to start with the introductory section, How Children Learn to Read and then move on to our course modules:

Certification

To learn how you can become certified by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction, visit Becoming a Certified Literacy Teacher.

Production credits

Reading 101 is a service of WETA/ Reading Rockets in collaboration with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and The International Dyslexia Association. Reading 101 is made possible in part by a grant from the LD Network.

Executive Editor, Reading 101: Noel Gunther

Contributing writers and editors:

Suzanne Carreker, PhD, CALT-QI

Elizabeth Liptak

Nicole Lubar

Latrice Seals, Ed.D.

Louise Spear-Swerling, Ph.D.

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Our brains are hard-wired to master spoken language, but learning to read is another story. Learning to read is a very complex skill - one of the most complex things that we ask our children to take on. And for many kids, it doesn't come easily.

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Free resources to assist in managing your classroom.

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Students can begin earning scholarships in 9th grade.

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A new way to earn money for college. With Raise.me, anyone can earn money for college starting in 9th grade based on their achievements in school and life.

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Free pamphlet from the US Department of Education

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teachers; teacher effectiveness; teacher orientation; teacher morale; teacher motivation; parents; parent participation

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Helpful tips for the first year in the classroom.

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Congratulations! You've made it through the grueling interview process, the stars aligned perfectly for your model lesson, and you survived the administration's acronym hot seat, from UBD to RTI. You've landed your first teaching job and the future looks great. All of your classwork and internships have led up to this very moment.

The only thing left to do before you hit the whiteboard in September is to spend the rest of the summer stressing about lesson plans and anxiously mumbling, "what did I get myself into" as you pace across your apartment, ruminating over the "what ifs". Breathe. You are likely both excited and terrified. But you are by no means alone. Each new school year presents a new set of challenges and opportunities for even the seasoned teaching veteran, and if you're being completely honest with yourself, that variety is a part of why you got into teaching in the first place. You'll likely get a lot of advice from colleagues and old pros over the course of your career, but we at Education World wanted to set you off right with some tips and tricks to get you through your first years as a teacher.

1. Get to know and appreciate your support staff.

(Image courtesy of DC Comics)

Librarians, custodians, cafeteria workers, technology support, bus drivers, secretaries. You've probably already heard this one. And it might seem pretty easy to manage. However, there's a trick to it: See, when things get heated up in the building and the school year really gets into its flow, it is all too easy for the overwhelmed and overstressed educator to forget to appreciate all of the whole-hearted efforts that make a school run. Every person in the building adds directly to the success your students will have in the classroom. The bus driver might set the tone for a student's mood in the morning - their first point of contact. The kitchen carefully monitors and supplies the energy kids need to stay focused on the task at hand. Without your school's tech support, you'd better know how to solve the eight distinctly different network issues going on in your class while you're trying to perfectly execute that "interactive" opener that was only supposed to take five minutes. These people are your lifeline. And, like guardians of the academic galaxy, they will swoop down time and time again to save the day.

2. Find your kindred spirit.

(Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Television)

As an initial educator, you will certainly be provided with a mentor. This mentor will review your lesson plans, help you with classroom management, and push you to your full potential. A good mentor is an invaluable resource for the first-year teacher. However, be sure to also find your "kindred spirit" within the building. This might end up being your school-provided mentor as well, but if not, it is equally important to have someone in the building you feel like you can be a little bit more "yourself" around. Yes, you are in a professional environment that should always be respected and embraced as such, but education can also feel quite (unnecessarily) competitive. Find someone to whom you feel comfortable sharing the gritty details of a lesson that completely bombed. Someone who will let you lean on their shoulder for a little while. Someone who gets your sense of humor and can be a resource for breaking up an intense or particularly frustrating day. Someone who shares your love and concern for the students, but also shares your need for human moments in a sometimes chaotic world. Not only will this kindred spirit be a welcome relief in times of great need, but will likely be a constant reminder that we're all here just trying to do our best.

3. Talk to your Special Education Department.

(Image courtesy of NBC Universal Television)

Your Special Education department is likely an endless bounty of incredible differentiation strategies and support ideas. However, with increasing demand, you might not always be on their radar. Don't be afraid to schedule multiple meetings with your department, as this classroom need can often feel exceedingly daunting to the naturally empathetic educator. Taking the step and filtering through the many pages of student IEPs and 504 plans can panic even the most capable classroom teacher. Your Special Education department has the ability to water down those complicated documents, fill your inbox with straightforward strategies you can put to practice immediately, and possibly even observe your classroom to see first-hand where the struggle might be and how to best address it. Keep this conversation going throughout the year, and don't be afraid to admit you "don't know". That's what they're there for.

4. Schedule "you" time weekly.

(Image courtesy of NBC Universal Television)

We know. Easier said than done. And especially in your first few years. But teacher burnout is a real thing. For an educator to sustain their practice through a career, they must take care of themselves, as well as they would take care of their students. For some, this might mean that a 30-minute run at the gym directly after work. For others, it might be a dance class you're able to fit in every Thursday night. A popular routine for teachers with families is to stay at the school until all of your work for the night is done (it might feel like a longer work day, but at the end of it, you should have some uninterrupted time for friends and family). It doesn't matter what this looks like or what form it takes, but if you're planning on being in education for the long haul, it will be more than necessary. A good way to guarantee this time is to schedule it into your planner. The benefit of a gym membership or other type of paid program is that you are held financially responsible to attend. It's easy to let teaching consume your entire being. Don't forget that you are a well-rounded person who also happens to have a passion for his/her work. Those little breaks will allow you to enter back into the classroom refreshed each week.

(Image courtesy of Warner Bros.)

Just do a little better each time. If you are looking to be the "perfect teacher", you might be in the wrong profession. The game changes constantly. And society expects the best of the best. Although many of us love the challenge, we're all vulnerable to that "never good enough" feeling. Some of us like to use that feeling as motivation to do better. However, this is a difficult balance to strike. The truth is, yes: you can always spend more time working on perfecting lessons, strategies, and organizing your time. No one will tell you to clock out, so you have to do it yourself. And if you don't, you'll simply exhaust yourself - it's unsustainable. Instead, keep reminding yourself that you are doing your very best, holistically. You can't spend your career second-guessing each and every decision, minilesson, and interaction. Reflection is certainly one of a teacher's greatest tools, but there's a line between that and obsessive self-flagellation. Learn your lessons, and do it even better next time. Remember the cartoon character Wile E. Coyote? Wile E. Coyote would always chase the Roadrunner until he ended up running himself right off a cliff. The thing is, you'll notice that Wile E. didn't actually fall into the canyon until he looked down and started over-evaluating the situation. Keeping cartoon physics in mind, had he continued moving forward, he would have safely reached the other side of the canyon. But his over-evaluation stopped him from progressing. If you keep your head up and keep moving - making small improvements along the way, always looking for things that make you better (not tear you down) - you'll be a healthily self-reflective and progressive educator in no time.

6. You won't be happy teaching to the test.

(Image courtesy of Cartoon Network Studios)

In the world of education, we have a complicated issue around accountability. Parents, districts, and educators themselves want to know that the strategies being put in place are actually helping students to learn and keep up with the global market. However, the only viable way we've found to really gather this sort of information is through the dreaded standardized test. Now, wherever you stand on the state of testing in education, the reality of your classroom at present is that this data is being collected and it is being used to hold the schools accountable for their work. As government funding begins to follow these results, schools have found themselves periodically feeling like they have to "teach to the test" or at least "teach toward the test". This might be the reality, but the truth is, you will never be happy teaching to a test - nor will you find much success. The test will change, so will the strategies, theories, funding, and demands - so where will that leave you? Look at your content. Look at your standards. Look at your students - the actual ones in your classroom. And make the best decisions you can to help them to live happier, more fulfilling lives. Often, this route leads to teaching "past the test", as you are actively thinking about what each individual needs, as opposed to the national average ( because the "average" doesn't really exist anyway). If you're doing something wrong, someone will let you know. In the meantime, always believe they can. They'll hardly ever let you down.

7. Watch out for the teacher's lounge.

(Image courtesy of Touchstone Television)

This one might sound a bit cliché, and certainly this differs from school to school. There are absolutely schools where the staff spend much of their energy supporting and helping each other survive and grow-and hopefully you've found one. When we say this, we're trying to draw attention to how easy it can be to marinate in a culture of negativity. Your job will be difficult at times. Venting can be an important tool when used wisely and with the right audience. But it can also lead to a poor work environment. Ruminating on everything that is going wrong is not the same as a community of educators helping each other explore solutions. When negativity spreads throughout a high-stress community, it can feel comforting to know that others are going through it challenges too. At some point, though, you'll need to ask yourself, "how is this helping me?" If it gives you the feeling of community and gets you back on your feet and working toward a solution, then great! If it does nothing more than make you feel underappreciated, underpaid, and overworked, it might be best to politely remove yourself from such conversations altogether.

(Image courtesy of Fox Broadcasting Company)

No, really. Okay, so it might not be a happy hour. It might be the Christmas party, barbecue, or a summer gathering - but go. It's important to see your colleagues as human beings from time to time. It'll help you navigate through that inevitable morning when Bob jams the copier moments before your class starts. Or when Charlene reserves the last set of laptops. Or when Ray comes in with a chip on his shoulder and you'd usually think it was something you said or did. You don't have to be best friends, but just a little bit of humanity goes a long way in establishing trust between co-workers.

9. Everyone struggles with classroom management.

(Image courtesy of Fox Broadcasting Company)

It's different every year. Student behavior is generational, environmental, and at times chaotic. And there's no "quick fix" answer to it (despite what any educational theory book might claim). The unpredictable and sometimes seemingly irrational behavior exhibited by young students is simply a product of their biology - the frontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls reasoning and helps us think before we act, develops much later in our development. What does this mean for educators? Well, it means that it is always going to be complicated. Some days, you just won't be able to predict what you're going to walk into, stepping into the classroom - and that's okay. The good news is: you will get better. As you develop your "classroom personality" and feel out the temperature of each class, you'll figure out what works for you and what does not. Observe your peers, notice what works, be reflective, try new things, be sympathetic to your students' needs, and do your very best. That's all any student, administrator, or parent could ask for.

10. Celebrate successes.
(Image courtesy of Universal Pictures)
If you're going to be realistic about sustainable growth in your students, you need to celebrate the small successes along with the bigger ones. Data team scores are up? Phenomenal! Go team! Billy kept his head up? Well, it's the first time all year, and he's been going through a lot this semester! Sandra handed in her first homework assignment? That's great! Dave showed up for after school office hours? What a huge leap in self-advocacy! A single look of recognition or the tiniest "aha" moment means that you've made a difference. Do not underestimate the power of a moment. Celebrate them. Celebrate for yourself. Celebrate with the kids. Celebrate with the parents. Recording the tiny slivers of success in your mind will remind you why you're in the field during the tougher times, and will remind you that Rome was not built in a day. Similarly, you will never truly know the impact those little moments will have on the life of another person. Celebrate what we do, because although the world can feel like a tough place ... you're helping.
Good luck this year. It's going to be phenomenal. And thank you for all you do. Written by Keith Lambert, Education World Contributor Lambert is a certified English Language Arts teacher and teacher trainer in Connecticut.

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Congratulations! You've made it through the grueling interview process, the stars aligned perfectly for your model lesson, and you survived the administration's acronym hot seat, from UBD to RTI. You've landed your first teaching job and the future looks great. All of your classwork and internships have led up to this very moment.

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Crash Course is one of the best ways to educate yourself, your classmates, and your family on YouTube.

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Crash Course is one of the best ways to educate yourself, your classmates, and your family on YouTube!

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Cult of Pedagogy is an online magazine for anyone who teaches anything , full of resources and information that will help you do your job better.

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Jennifer Gonzalez
(The One in Charge)

Crazy-good teaching? The kind that gives you the good butterflies and makes you sing at the top of your lungs the whole drive home? It's an art. It's also a science. We can study and practice it in hundreds of ways, and this is what I obsess about here. When I was full-time in the trenches, I was too busy teaching to fully develop my craft, keep up with research, play around with new tools, or find PD that really hit the spot. Now I have made it my full-time job to do this for you: I dig through all of it, weed out the crap, and show you the best stuff so you can crush it in the classroom.

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Welcome! To get started, take a look at some of what the Cult has to offer: Latest Post [custom_gallery gallery="7″ width="500″ height="300″] Strategies for the Classroom [custom_gallery gallery="9″ width="120″ height="180″ target="no"] Technology [custom_gallery gallery="8″ width="120″ height="180″ target="no"] Teacher Soul [custom_gallery gallery="11″ width="120″ height="180″ target="no"] Books [custom_gallery gallery="10″ width="120″ height="180″ target="no"] Learn More About Us [custom_gallery gallery="5″ width="120″ height="180″ title="never" target="no"] ...

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TED Talks - Ideas worth spreading

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Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content.

By subscribing, you understand and agree that we will store, process and manage your personal information according to our Privacy Policy

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TED Talks are influential videos from expert speakers on education, business, science, tech and creativity, with subtitles in 100+ languages. Ideas free to stream and download.

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A variety of assessment tools to promote total student participation.

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Level books with the scholastic book wizard.

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Book Wizard: Find and Level Books for Your Classroom | Scholastic

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Level your classroom library, create book lists, and find the right book at just the right reading level for students with Book Wizard.

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Resources to enhance your understanding of the impact of poverty on education.

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Weekly classroom newsletter template.

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Parents love to know what's going on in their child's classroom. A weekly newsletter is a great way to keep the communication going. Check out our editable newsletter template. And get your students involved in preparing for back-to-school night with our "welcome to back-to-school night" flyer.

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New Teacher Resources

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Visit Scholastic, the world's largest children's book publisher. Whether you need a classic kids book or classroom-proven teaching materials, discover it at Scholastic.

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Videos, articles, and other resources on a variety of education topics.

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twenty20.com/@inspirationfeed

The start of the school year is an anxious time for new teachers. And in these first few weeks of classes, those of you new to teaching probably have plenty of questions. Luckily there's a wealth of information online that will help these first few weeks run as smoothly as possible.

Where to start? The first and third Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m. PST, Edutopia contributor and community facilitator Lisa Dabbs and a team of co-moderators host New Teacher Chat on Twitter -- hashtag #ntchat. The twice-monthly chats offer new teachers the chance to connect with experienced and other new-to-the-profession educators around the country, pose questions, and ask for advice.

New (Middle School) Teacher 911 From MiddleWeb: If you're a new teacher in a middle school classroom, this is a great primer. MiddleWeb, a website for middle school educators, has collected a host of great resources for new teachers, from advice to classroom-management tips. Also, check out 21 of MiddleWeb's Best New Teacher Resources, which highlights more great MiddleWeb content for new teachers.

National Education Association's New Teacher Resources: This rich collection from the NEA offers articles and tips on a range of subjects -- from avoidable mistakes to salary schedules. These resources will answer many common questions of new teachers.

Scholastic's New Teacher Survival Guides: With a different survival guide for every month of your first year, this Scholastic roundup is a valuable resource for first-year teachers, providing tips, ideas, and resources for every step in the journey. Also be sure to check out Scholastic's New Teachers resource page, as well as The New Teacher's Guide to Creating Lesson Plans.

Teaching Channel's New Teacher Survival Guide: This is Teaching Channel's hub for all things -- blog posts, videos, and discussion groups -- related to first-year teaching. Topics covered include classroom management, planning, classroom culture, and first-year teaching advice. Be sure to check out 8 Essential Skills for New Teachers, a video playlist providing useful first-year tips and ideas.

New Teacher Resources From TeacherVision: This roundup from TeacherVision covers all the bases -- there's an answer here for just about every new teacher question.

The Best Advice for New Teachers From Larry Ferlazzo: On his personal site, author Ferlazzo has a fabulous roundup of links to great teacher advice from around the web. Some pieces are thought-provoking, some lighthearted; in all, it's a great list of experienced educators sharing their thoughts with teachers who are new to the profession.

Edutopia's resource toolkit for rookie teachers features a ton of insightful blogs on subjects like classroom management, lesson planning, and building relationships with parents, mentors, and administrators. Edutopia's New Teachers topic page is another great source. To help you on your way, here are a few other useful sources from around the web.

A Few Quick Reads: Advice for New Teachers

5 Beginning Teachers, 10 Great Tips, Association for Middle Level Education

How to Prepare for the First Day of School, TeacherPop

7 Things All New Teachers Need to Know, USC Rossier School of Education

101 Things You Can Do in the First Three Weeks of Class, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

It's Actually OK to Smile Before Christmas, and Other Tips for New Teachers, Education Week

Advice for First-Year Teachers, Teaching Tolerance

First-Year Teacher Tips, Falling Into First

My View: Advice to a New Teacher, CNN Schools of Thought

Experienced Teachers Reflect on Their First Year, Edutopia

If you're looking for quick tips, easy-to-implement ideas, and practical advice, here are articles for new teachers covering a range of topics. Not only are these articles useful, but new teachers would benefit from bookmarking them to revisit later.

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Best Resources for New Teachers | Edutopia

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twenty20.com/@inspirationfeed The start of the school year is an anxious time for new teachers. And in these first few weeks of classes, those of you new to teaching probably have plenty of questions. Luckily there's a wealth of information online that will help these first few weeks run as smoothly as possible.

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Resources for grades 4-8

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Beginning your first year as a middle level teacher? Our resource collection points to plenty of how-to advice - from our very own bloggers and guest writers as well as other outstanding sources - that will guide you through the first weeks of school and the semesters ahead.

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moving to middle school. recommendations

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Beginning your first year as a middle level teacher? Our resource collection points to plenty of how-to advice - from our very own bloggers and guest writers as well as other outstanding sources - that will guide you through the first weeks of school and the semesters ahead.