# data[].attributes.body
The recently released Teaching with AI guide for teachers was created to help educators use ChatGPT in their classroom. The guide comes with several suggested prompts and includes explanations that clarify exactly how ChatGPT works and what its limitations are, and it provides reminders of the importance of verifying information and checking for bias. With ChatGPT 4, which is a paid version, there is greater accuracy and reliability of information than with the original version.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your browser does not support the video tag.

I encourage my team to keep learning. Ideas in different topics or fields can often inspire new ideas and broaden the potential solution space.

Lilian Weng Applied AI at OpenAI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity

# data[].attributes.body
MagicSchool.AI is a valuable resource for teaching and learning about artificial intelligence. It incorporates feedback and assessment tools that help learners track their progress and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MagicSchool.ai - AI for teachers - lesson planning and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join over a million teachers saving hours of time using the #1 AI Platform for Education, MagicSchool, to help lesson plan, differentiate, write assessments, write IEPs, communicate clearly, and more!

# data[].attributes.body
This is an AI-assisted lesson-development tool that provides educators with more than 100 resource types to choose from to create high-quality instructional materials. It offers the ability to translate the generated content into more than 15 languages instantly. Educators can generate a syllabus, create discussion prompts, use the “teaching assistant” for help with creating individualized education program plans, write emails, or even compile a list of accommodations for students. Eduaide.AI has a content generator, teaching assistant, feedback bot, free-form chat, and assessment builder.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An integrated lesson planning platform

All your tools in one place

Source It

The act of using a Large Language Model to write the basis for a generative educational resource. Generating content is only the first step.

Shape It

Look at generated content as a sculptor might a block of marble. Shape the raw material to suit your unique context. Use our suite of personalization tools to more deeply differentiate instruction.

Share It

Cultivate expertise and collaborate with other users. Share your educational resources with a community of practice to reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute to find what works best for students.

Take back your time. Master your craft.

Start teaching with Eduaide today.

1. Join us on Discord

Get help, ask questions, and interact with other Eduaide users and learn how they are using Eduaide.

2. Advisory Board

Learn more about our Advisory Board and how they are helping us build the best lesson planning platform for teachers.

3. Podcasts & Press

If you want to learn more about Eduaide, our philosophy, and our mission, check out our featured podcasts and press.

Copyright © 2024 Eduaide.Ai. LLC All Rights Reserved. Icons provided by Icons8. Site elements by Denys Koltovskyi - stock.adobe.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eduaide.Ai is an AI-driven platform that helps educators create lesson plans, teaching resources, and assessments.

# data[].attributes.body
Canva now offers an AI text-to-image generator called Magic Write, which can inspire creativity in writing. It provides ideas, helps with brainstorming, and supports lesson planning, making it a useful tool for educators for creating a presentation or other graphic for classroom use. Magic Write can assist with many writing tasks that educators may have by analyzing the word prompts and then helping with brainstorming, creating an outline, writing lesson plans, or generating a visually engaging presentation in far less time.

# data[].attributes.body
This is an AI-powered web app that you can use on your computer or phone. The app takes your words and enhances them as it generates the text, which you can edit as needed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AudioPen — Speak Naturally, Write Clearly. In Any Style.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AudioPen turns your voice notes into structured, perfectly edited text. Speak naturally, write clearly. In any style.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

# data[].attributes.body
This website enables teachers to create interactive lessons in minutes using AI. Students can explore various topics, and the AI functionality helps generate customized lessons tailored to their learning needs. Teachers simply type in a topic, and a ready-to-run lesson is generated with text, images, and activities such as polls, open-ended responses, word clouds, and more. There are even activities to build in that focus on SEL check-ins.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Generate lessons with AI

Plan and deliver interactive lessons on any topic - with help from AI

I am teacher of 15 years who, until recently, has delved no more deeply into tech in the classroom, and here I am encouraging colleagues to come on in and see Curipod in action and leading CPD sessions. To top it off, I'm spending my evenings playing on my iPad to see how many new lessons I can create, and what new features have been added that week. The time saved, and the improvement in my lesson materials, is tangible.
- Read the full case study with Aileen Wallace

Curious?

Join our online workshop to find out how Curipod can work for you and your students!

Book your spot

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join the growing movement of teachers using Curipod to make interactive lessons filled with creativity, reflection and critical thinking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brisk Teaching is the #1 AI-powered Chrome extension , helping you automate your workload without adding to it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 star rating * 200,000+ teachers

Thanks for signing up! Check your email for next steps.

Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again.

Provide Instant AI-Powered Personalized Feedback

Give personalized feedback and ensure high-quality feedback on every assignment, from the first to the last. Brisk's four feedback styles - Targeted Comments, Glow & Grow praises, Rubric Criteria, and actionable Next Steps - simplify your feedback routine.

Create AI-Driven Curriculum, Lesson Plans, Quizzes, and More with Ease

Say goodbye to the endless challenge of crafting engaging and relevant instructional materials. With just a few clicks, you can quickly generate rigorous quizzes, comprehensive lesson plans, detailed rubrics, captivating presentations, effective interventions, and much more, streamlining your preparation process.

Inspect and Assess Student Writing with AI Tools

We've taken AI detection to the next level. With the 'Replay' feature, you can see exactly how your students put together their assignments, with a video of their whole process from beginning to end.

Easily Adjust Reading Levels and Translate Texts with AI

Ensure every student can access classroom materials. With just a few clicks, instantly convert any online text into a Google Doc that's either simplified for different reading levels and/or translated into another language.

AI-Powered Professional Tools That Educators Deserve

Brisk is a free AI-powered Chrome extension that helps busy teachers save time directly within the tools they already use, like Google Docs, Slides, YouTube, and web articles. Quickly create instructional materials, share feedback, evaluate student writing, and adjust or translate texts - all without leaving your current workspace. With Brisk, the days of toggling between apps are over, freeing up more time for what you love: teaching.

Prep for the week in seconds with the Create Menu

No matter what grade level or subject area you teach, you can create, personalize, and differentiate curricular materials, lesson plans, quizzes, IEPs, rubrics, and more with the click of a button.

Using Google? Brisk integrates seamlessly with Google workspace. Google docs and forms created with Brisk can be instantly assigned in Google Assignment and Google Classroom. No copy and paste needed.

Drastically reduce time spent grading with feedback in Brisk

Leave feedback for students in four ways: ✨ Glows & Grows, 🎯 Targeted, 📏 Rubric Criteria, and 🪜 Next Steps.
‍
Brisk's unparalleled 🎯 Targeted Feedback tool instantly crafts Google Doc comments aligned with your rubric and standards, guiding students precisely where they need to revise. (Premium Feature

Inspect writing to understand the evolution of student work

Wondering how students revised their work? With Brisk you can watch a step-by-step playback of your students' revision history, including their copy and paste actions.

Brisk also leverages a cutting-edge AI-detection model to estimate the likelihood of AI writing. This gives you a starting point to facilitate conversations around academic honesty and dishonesty.
‍

Level educational materials to meet students where they're at

Have you encountered a resource that doesn't match your classroom's reading level? Brisk takes content from any Google doc, article, or website and converts the material into a document that is suitable and leveled for your students. Brisk will simplify complex ideas, shorten lengthy sentences, adjust the word choice, and so much more.

"awesome and brilliant answer"

- Renato N.

"thank you very much for this awesome suggestions. more power brisk!"
‍
- Arnette F.

"This is amazing!!! The story is great and this saved me hours of work!"

- Vanessa S.

"Just saved me loads of time and a massive headache."
‍
- Lori M.

"Love the glows and grows!"
‍
- Jessica L.

Trusted by Over 200,000 Educators

"Brisk Teaching is an incredible AI tool. It serves as a blueprint for instant student feedback - which you can edit on the spot. If this would have come out years ago, more teachers would likely be feeling way less burnout. You can tell this is a product made by teachers for teachers. They thought of everything. If you're a teacher and haven't tried this tool, do it."

"I just have to say, Brisk is the gift that keeps on giving.to my classroom. I have used it almost every day... As a teacher who left teaching because of burnout and came back because I missed the classroom so much, your tool has made my job SO MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE, and has allowed me to give such quality feedback to my students in SECONDS! As an ELA teacher, this is life saving. Truly."

"As a Language Arts teacher, one of the hardest parts of my job is providing enough meaningful feedback for my students. Brisk has allowed me to provide way more specific and actionable feedback for my students. It has also helped me to see more elements of quality that I had previously overlooked in my students' work. The ease of access with Brisk is also a huge bonus. I can use this tool in all of the different platforms that my students use. I can't wait to see future versions - that will continue to help me provide the feedback that my students need."

"This is truly brilliant, the best product I have ever seen in my teaching career of 25 years."

Middle School Teacher
Queens College Taunton

"What petition do I need to sign or group do I need to join in order to get premium BRISK FOREVER? This targeted feedback is ridiculously accurate and has already saved me hours . Anyone not using this is, let's be honest, crazy."

"I didn't have to learn Brisk, it's so intuitive. It figured out what I wanted, and it didn't take any extra time."

Nicole L.
English Teacher
Derry, New Hampshire

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brisk is a free AI-powered Chrome extension that helps busy teachers save time directly within the tools they already use, like Google Docs, Slides, YouTube, and web articles. Teachers use Brisk as a Targeted Feedback Generator, AI Presentation Maker, AI Quiz Maker, AI Lesson Plan Generator, AI Rubric Generator, Letter of Recommendation Generator, IEP 504 Template Maker, and so much more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Use existing curriculum, or generate standards-aligned content with real, cited sources.

Choose a grade level and language, and watch Diffit create complete, differentiated resources. ✅

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use existing curriculum, or generate standards-aligned content with real, cited sources. Choose a grade level and language, and watch Diffit create complete, differentiated resources. ✅

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Simple strategies for developing the strong relationships with students that encourage them to take risks and increase their learning.

The quality of presence-a state of alert awareness, receptivity, and connectedness to the working of both the individuals and the group in the context of the learning environment-is unfortunately not often taught explicitly in teacher education programs.

Teachers know they have presence when they have a genuine connection with the students that breeds confidence and respect throughout the classroom, allowing for risk taking and increased learning opportunities. These teachers engage in authentic relationships with students, addressing their academic and emotional needs while being resourceful about anticipating unknowns.

It's possible to develop and refine one's command of presence by focusing on authenticity, relationships, and confidence.

Fostering a Sense of Authenticity

Students want and need sincerity, honesty, and care for the subjects they are being taught. This multidimensional approach is not easy, but it is attainable. The path is a journey of critical reflection that can include peer coaching, caring colleagues, and a teacher's own self-reflective toolbox.

Authenticity involves the sincerity of caring about your students and wanting them to grow. It's the backward-planning process that integrates what you know and are interested in, what your students know, and what they really need to know.

As in any relationship, an honest approach to your class, to yourself, and to the subject matter is vital to the effectiveness of your instruction. Giving students honest responses like, "That's a very good question. I don't know the answer right now, but I'm going to write it down and get back to you tomorrow," or "Class, I apologize..." can encourage students to take healthy risks in discussions and can give them permission to be imperfect.

Enthusiasm, creative lessons, implementation of technology, use of audio and visual input, or guest speakers will definitely help build your presence in the classroom by making your lessons more engaging. Building your own growth mindset so that you continue to improve lessons is just as important. Ultimately, these things show how you value your subject matter, which your students will assess as they decide how authentic they think you are.

Building Strong Relationships

Developing positive and optimistic relationships is a worthwhile goal to have when establishing presence. An effective educator communicates a genuine belief that all students are capable of growth and learning.

Relationship-building skills always begin with the critical skill of listening. We should actively listen by asking great questions, having the patience to listen, and showing genuine interest by either asking follow-up questions or validating students' responses in a positive manner.

To create this type of engagement and shared focus, you may want to start class with warm-up writing that intertwines issues of personal relevance to the students with the lesson of that particular day. You could start a high school government class on the First Amendment by asking, "What rights do you wish you had as a student that you currently don't have, and why?" This type of question shows that you have empathy with students' perspective on the world and with their struggles.

It's the authenticity of the relationship that permits students and a teacher to see each other and know that what is being shared is real.

Projecting Confidence

We know that effective teachers teach with confidence-which is not to be confused with arrogance. The first step in teaching with confidence is to know why you teach-why you show up to meet the intellectual, emotional, and physical demands that are placed on teachers every day.

In observing teachers for nearly two decades, I've noticed that the most effective ones demonstrate their confidence through an active voice, body language, and preparedness.

When speaking actively and expressively, you'll also need to know when and how to keep your voice calm and steady. Learning and practicing variations of voice will help you command presence and achieve the attention you and your students deserve. You can practice pauses, voice variations, and tempo changes. If you have the time and resources, try signing up for a theater class. Or simply volunteer to read children's books to preschoolers or kindergartners-those little ones will let you know instantly if you can keep their attention with your delivery.

Entering a classroom slouched, looking to the floor, or scowling while you have your arms crossed will not inspire too many students. Instead, stand tall, walk the room while talking, make eye contact, and smile. A confident body will greatly improve your presence.

If you enter a basketball game knowing you've prepared by practicing your offensive and defensive plays, you'll compete with much more confidence. The same goes for teaching. Benjamin Franklin once said, "If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail." You teach with confidence when you're prepared.

Presence is crucial to maintaining classroom management and to effective delivery of instruction, and it's a skill we can develop with effort.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Simple strategies for developing the strong relationships with students that encourage them to take risks and increase their learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At the beginning of every year I make a promise to my students and parents that I will not yell at my students. I make this promise at back to school/meet the teacher night and I tend to get a range of reactions from the parents to this promise-some parents show relief while other parents show disbelief. Why would I do such a thing? Is it possible to maintain classroom control without ever yelling?

Well, after making and keeping this promise for the 8 years of teaching, I can say that it is one of the best decisions I have made as a teacher! You can ABSOLUTELY maintain control and also promote respect in the classroom without yelling! Now don't get me wrong-both my students and parents know that I hold high expectations for my students both academically and behaviorally. I believe that it is my job as a teacher to provide an environment that is warm, safe, and structured. A place where each child knows what is expected and is given the support to reach their full potential and both be and feel successful.

One of the main reasons that I make a promise not to yell at my students is because I believe that yelling is the antithesis of all that we strive to do as a teacher.

Here are 3 reasons why I don't think yelling is effective:

1. Yelling a sign of loss of control.

Yelling usually occurs when you've lost your cool and often is done in anger. While I understand that some student's behaviors are difficult and frustrating, yelling will not build positive relationships with your students or promote long-term changes in behavior. It's only an external sign of your internal feeling of loss of control. It is easier to yell than it is to handle the behavior with gentleness and respect. I know that gentleness may sound like weakness, but gentleness is actually "strength under control".

I strive to treat all of my students with gentleness and respect. One of my main rules in my classrooms is "Be Respectful-treat others the way that you want to be treated." And let's be honest the ones that are "tougher" to love tend to need our love the most! Plus our students are like little mirrors-they will act like we do. Am I perfect-no! Do I make mistakes-yes! But, by the grace of God, I hope and pray that I am setting a good model and example for my students on how to live and respond in all types of situations. I want my students to grow to become respectful and successful members of our classroom, community, and society!

2. Yelling provokes fear instead of trust.

Trust is a crucial factor in any relationship. Students need to be able to trust us and know that we are for them and believe in them no matter what behaviors they exhibit. We may be the only advocate that our student has! Teachers need to build trust with their students.

Yelling only promotes fear. I had a kindergarten teacher that yelled all of the time at every behavior that she didn't like. Even accidents, such as spilling a pencil box, were received with a loud and angry lashing of the tongue. As a five year old, I grew to hate school and was so afraid of my teacher. It took me many years after kindergarten to grow to trust my teachers and not be afraid of making mistakes. Thankfully, I had many AMAZING teachers after this that treated their students with kindness, gentleness, and respect. They made their classrooms a fun and safe place to learn and grow. They created an environment where students wanted to BE and wanted to DO THEIR BEST without ever having to raise their voice or yell. I now strive to do the same!

3. Yelling may temporarily change a behavior, but has no lasting effects.

Yelling only temporarily changes the behavior instead of getting to the heart of the behavior. Students may change their behavior at the moment out of fear, but yelling doesn't encourage long-term behavior changes.

There are lots of ways that we can maintain control of our classroom and encourage good choices and behaviors without yelling.

Truly we could talk all day about classroom management! However, for this post I have summarized 5 Ways to Keep Classroom Control without Yelling:

It is so important to post, establish, and review classroom rules. I really like using the 3 Bees because they are simple, yet encompass a wide spectrum of expectations and behaviors.

But the most important thing is that you have a set of rules that you use and adhere too. Students cannot be successful if they do not know what is expected of them. I have my classroom rules posted at the very front of the room where they can be seen by all.

We go over the rules starting the first day of school and my students know these rules by heart by the first week! I have gestures and motions that I use with them and refer back to them every day!

I was talking to a new teacher recently that was struggling with classroom management and was giving her some tips. One of the best things you can do to maintain classroom control is have regular routines FOR EVERYTHING! Especially in the primary grades, routines are essential to success! We have a routine for unpacking, packing up, lining up, sitting down, coming to the carpet, leaving the carpet, walking in the halls, getting a new pencil, returning a dull pencil...truly the list could go on and on! These routines are modeled, explained, re-modeled, and practiced at the beginning of the year. Truly the first day of school, I feel like all we do is line up! lol Ok-not really, but we do do it a lot so that they know how I expect them to line up and walk in line. Trust me if you don't it makes it difficult in the long term!

And it is important to remodel and reinforce your procedures and routines throughout the year and especially after long breaks. Every teacher knows that the first week of school after Christmas break is all about re-establishing expectations and routines. Why do I have a routine for EVERYTHING? Because students need to know what is expected! Routines help students be successful and help control the workings of the classroom so that you are not losing time in transitions or with behaviors that can be lessened with set expectations.

When you have set rules and routines, it is important that your students know that you expect those rules and routines to be followed. The worse thing you can do is to tell your students you expect them to be respectful and then not keep them accountable. Have consequences, both positive and negative, set in place for your rules and routines. For example, each of my students has a white board, marker, and eraser in their desk that we use every day in multiple ways. Since every minute of instructional time is precious, I cannot afford to lose time with getting these supplies out or putting them away. I give my students a 3-5 second countdown for when I expect these materials to be out or put away. If the whole class is able to follow my instructions and get them out and be ready when I get to 1 then I give them a point on the board-this is a positive consequence. Since I have modeled and have clear expectations on how to use the white boards, the students know that if I see them not making good choices with the boards (doodling, writing on the backs, not using them properly) that they will lose the boards for the rest of the day and have to use scrap paper instead-this is a negative consequence. My students hate using scrap paper! They LOVE using the white boards! Do I like taking their boards away? Is it easy to take their boards away? No-but they need to know that I am serious about my expectations and I want them to learn responsibility and respect of others and other people's things. Trust me-it only takes taking the first board away for students to know you mean business! I don't yell or raise my voice when I take it away. I just firmly say "You are not following my instructions or making good choices with your board. You have lost the privilege of using it for the day." Then I have them give me the board and hand them the scrap paper to use. Now this is just one isolated example, but the point is that it is important for your students to know that you hold and maintain high expectations for them! This applies not only to behaviors, but to academics as well! When it comes to learning, my students know that "first graders can do hard things" and that I am here to help them learn and do their best!

I made the promise not to yell at my students and by the grace of God, I have both kept and plan on keeping that promise! I will NOT talk over my students! I refuse! And I refuse to yell to get their attention. I just won't do it! I explain to my students that part of being respectful-treating others they way you want to be treated-is that when someone is talking we listen with our whole bodies. This applies both to me and to them. So when I am talking, I expect them to be listening with their eyes, ears, hands, and their whole body! And when it is their turn to talk, I expect the class and me to listen to them with their eyes, ears, hands and whole body. I not only expect this from my students, but model it as well. There are LOTS of ways that you can get students attention and keep control of a classroom! I have listed a few of my "go-tos" below in number 5!

a. Use Call & Responses get your students' attention.

This is one of my all-time favorite classroom management techniques! You train the class to respond to teacher directed prompts. For example: The teacher says "Macaroni and Cheese!" and the students all say "Everybody Freeze!" This takes modeling and practice, but it works great! I like to switch it up by using different sayings and different voices too!

Click HERE to grab 10 of my favorite Call & Responses to use in the classroom! These are a fun and powerful way to get your student's attention without yelling!

b. Use the 5 finger countdown

I use this one a lot when students are partner talking or finishing up a project or in transitions. I hold up five fingers and say:

When I get to 1, all eyes and ears are on me. As with all classroom management techniques, this one needs to be modeled and practiced, but it works great and requires no yelling to get everyone's attention!

c. Keep students actively involved in learning

Students need to be active participants in their learning! If you are doing all of the talking-you will lose them and we all know that when you lose students it only spells t.r.o.u.b.l.e. Keep them engaged by using a variety of instructional techniques. My students are constantly moving and grooving as we learn! Learning should be fun and active! There should be no time to get bored! Use instructional techniques such as partner talks, gestures, songs, movement, and brain breaks to keep your students engaged!

d. Wait until it's quiet

Like I said, I won't yell, and while I don't use this technique everyday, as I do with the previous three, standing and waiting until it gets quiet is a POWERFUL way to gain and regain control. When the class isn't listening and you feel like the teacher on Charlie Brown, it is tempting to yell at the class BUT there are better ways than yelling! Standing and waiting for it to get quiet works like a domino effect, one student realizes you are waiting for them and they help to get the rest of the classroom to quiet down.

e. Heads down to help reset

We all know that there are some classes and some days (hello full moon!) that the class can be more difficult to manage than others. When all of my "go-to" techniques don't work and I can feel the control slipping, frustration rising and tempting me to lose my cool, I will sometimes use the Heads Down method where everyone in the class puts their heads down on the desk with absolutely no talking for a minute. While this isn't used often, this technique allows them and me to get some composure. There is no talking allowed during this time and after I have taken a deep breath, I calmly yet firmly tell them that I am unhappy with their choices and that they need to think about what they need to do to follow directions, listen, and/or begin making good choices. This technique helps reset the tone, reset expectations, and reset control without resorting to yelling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Ways to Keep Classroom Control without Yelling - Foxwell Forest

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At the beginning of every year I make a promise to my students and parents that I will not yell at my students. I make this promise at back to school/meet the teacher night and I tend to get a range of reactions from the parents to this promise-some parents show relief while other parents show disbelief.

# data[].attributes.headline
Responsive Classroom Approach for Specials Teachers

# data[].attributes.subject
Responsive Classroom Approach for Specials Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Music teachers, art teachers, physical education teachers, librarians, and other specialists are an integral part of school and play a role, as all staff members do, in teaching children to be responsible, caring learners. But unlike self-contained classroom teachers, specialists see hundreds of students a week, often travel to more than one school, and typically have barely an hour a week to teach each group of children.

Given these constraints, many specialists wonder how they can make time to bring social skills into the curriculum, nurture a sense of classroom community, or build meaningful relationships with and among students-all critical elements in helping children succeed academically and socially.

At Penn Valley Elementary School in Levittown, Pennsylvania, the specialists have found a way. The school has just completed its fifth year of school-wide implementation of the Responsive Classroom approach to creating safe, challenging, and joyful classrooms that integrate the teaching of social and academic skills. With creativity, help from each other, and support from the school administration, the specialists have brought elements of the Responsive Classroom strategies into their daily teaching, with positive results for the children and themselves.

"Specialists are a part of our school," says Penn Valley principal Karen Casto. "Having them use the Responsive Classroom practices and making sure everyone on staff is using the practices the same way gives a consistent message to children. It's good teaching practice."

The strategies in action

One big thing that got the specialists interested in using the Responsive Classroom strategies was seeing an overall improvement in student behavior since Penn Valley began the school-wide implementation. "I've seen a positive change," says PE teacher Rich Hamilton, who joined the staff at Penn Valley years before it began using the approach. Children will always have their differences, he says, but now they're more willing to work through them. "I think it's a better social climate for the kids."

Today, one can see signs of the Responsive Classroom approach at work throughout the school.

Elements of Morning Meeting-a half-hour whole-class gathering that begins the school day-are common. For example, Art teacher Trisha Roach relies heavily on circle seating, a standard format for Morning Meeting. Children sit in a circle for sharing-about their favorite color, what they like to draw, or a work in progress-or for introductions to new art materials or new art concepts. Librarian Carolyn Wert uses circle seating to have children share about their favorite books or authors. And in Nancy Adamczyk's music class, students regularly do Morning Meeting-style greetings and activities involving rhythmic chants or songs.

In addition, the specialists attend Morning Meetings in different self-contained classrooms throughout the year as their schedules allow. This gives them a chance to get to know children better. "I don't have as much conversation time with students as other teachers because I have 500 students," says Adamczyk. "Going to Morning Meetings lets me see kids, and lets them see me, on a different level than in music class. My being there shows my interest in what they're learning outside of music."

Other components of the Responsive Classroom approach have made their way into the special areas as well. Children entering library class are greeted by a written message from the librarian in the style of a Morning message chart. "Greetings, Library Pals! Today is Thursday, . . ." the chart sings out on one typical day. The children sit down in front of the chart to read the message. It gives the date, mentions a few authors who were born on this day in history, offers one or two other historical tidbits, then notes the day's lesson before ending with a brain teaser just for fun.

In another part of the building, music teacher Adamczyk has built Academic Choice into a class period for fifth graders. Academic Choice is a structured way to give children choices, within boundaries set by the teacher, about what and how they'll learn. The children are deciding whether they'll use the period to explore rhythms or experiment with melodies. They're also planning how they'll accomplish their chosen area of learning.

Meanwhile, in the art classroom, children are busy working near a display of their hopes and dreams for the year in art. Roach helped the students create the display during the first week of school. Later in the year, she'll take some time to reflect with students on how far they've come in meeting their goals.

And in PE class, teacher Rich Hamilton is doing a Guided Discovery of a jump rope with a class of kindergartners and first graders. Guided Discovery is a Responsive Classroom strategy for introducing materials to students in a way that encourages creative and respectful use of the materials and teaches care of the materials.

Adamczyk thinks that all these strategies have boosted children's ability to handle challenging work. "I'm able to accomplish a lot more with my classes. The kinds of activities I do with them now are not activities I could've done my first year, and I really think it's because of using the Responsive Classroom techniques," she says. "I'm covering more advanced musical concepts, having students create their own compositions, choosing instruments, doing performances."

Consistency in classroom management

One particularly important change that specialists have made is their use of discipline strategies that are consistent with those used in self-contained classrooms. As Adamczyk puts it, "If there's a kind of language or certain rules that teachers are using, and I carry them over into my area, it's just going to make my classroom run more smoothly."

Accordingly, she and other specialists have adjusted their language with children. Among other things, they say "I notice that you . . ." or "Show me how you . . ." rather than "I like how you . . ." or "I want you to . . ." to reinforce the idea that children should act for their own and the group's good, rather than to please the teacher. Whenever possible, the specialist teachers are also using the same signals that other teachers are using for telling children to stop what they're doing and give the teacher their attention, signals such as the raised hand or a soft chime.

The specialists also teach children that rules for behavior in their regular classroom carry over to the special areas. Early in the year, students bring a copy of their classroom rules to their special classrooms. The specialists discuss with children what it would look like to follow these rules in the special area, and some specialists post the rules in their classrooms. The message to children is clear: The same high expectations are in place in specials as anywhere else in the school.

Often, the specialists' adoption of classroom management techniques comes out of the need to address a specific, pressing problem. Late last year, for example, a group of fifth graders were having an especially bad case of the late spring jitters, and behavior problems were showing up in the special areas.

After some brainstorming with Lynn Majewski, Penn Valley's instructional support BRIDGE teacher, the four specialists realized that part of the solution was to be consistent-among themselves and with the self-contained classroom teachers-in their use of logical consequences for rule-breaking. All four agreed to use the same progression of consequences, and the number of behavior problems soon dropped. "It helped that we were all on the same page," says Wert.

More shared responsibility

Along with more consistency, Penn Valley has seen more shared responsibility among the specialists and the self-contained classroom teachers in recent years. For example, last year Roach noticed an unusual amount of name calling and similar hurtful behavior in one of her classes. She and the self-contained classroom teacher decided that it was time for a whole-class problem-solving meeting. Realizing that this was a joint problem that required a joint solution, the two teachers decided that they would both be present for the meeting and would co-lead it.

On the chosen day for the meeting, the classroom teacher brought the class to the art room at the usual time, and stayed. The two teachers then used the next twenty minutes to talk with the class, identifying the recent problem behaviors and helping students to come up with ideas for addressing it. The ideas ranged from new seating arrangements, to ways of responding if someone calls you a name, to what bystanders can do if they witness name calling. Roach says there was a marked difference in the children's behavior after the meeting.

Looking back at the last few years, Majewski sums up the change that's taken place at Penn Valley. The special classes are now regarded more as part of the school, she says. Instead of the "You're not my teacher" mentality that many students have toward specialist teachers, children at Penn Valley view their specialists as equal members of the community of teachers, according to Majewski. Roach agrees. "Specials are seen as part of the school day," she says, "not just a time to go and play, but a time to learn."

Responsive Classroom for Music, Art & P.E.
by Rachel Atzert

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using the Responsive Classroom Approach in Special Area Classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Music teachers, art teachers, physical education teachers, librarians, and other specialists are an integral part of school and play a role, as all staff members do, in teaching children to be responsible, caring learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Positive language is a driving force in creating a classroom community that learns together, grows together, and supports one another. Here are a few ways I use positive language in my classroom to empower students.

1. Convey Faith in Student Abilities

When our teacher language uses words and tones that display faith in student intentions, we show students that we believe in them. Using positive words and encouraging students to meet expectations allows students an opportunity to fulfill those expectations, or even surpass them. Communicating to students that you believe in them and their abilities gives students the confidence they need to collaborate with others, become respectful listeners, and work competently by reiterating positive behaviors and encouraging all students to do the same.

For instance, you can say to a student who consistently runs in the halls, "I know you remember the rules about hallway transitions, and I appreciate you trying to be safe." This conveys to students that you have faith that they're trying to be cooperative in school, while you're also enforcing the rule.

Students learn best from discussing mistakes and having multiple opportunities to productively struggle. Consistent encouragement and support through this learning curve allows students to build confidence in their abilities and teaches them perseverance.

2. Practice Positive Vocabulary

Not only is it important for teachers to model positive language, but students should be practicing it as well, on a daily basis. And having students reflect on their language to identify words that have negative connotations will allow them to become more aware of the impact of their language on themselves and others.

In terms of modeling, I use the one-and-three rule in my classroom. For every negative statement I make, I work to include at least three positive statements to the whole class. This takes practice, but it means there are ample opportunities for students to be praised for their hard work.

Students should have opportunities to reflect on their statements and revise their language to reframe it in more positive ways. With repetition and consistent implementation, students will learn to use positive language to make learning a more meaningful and thoughtful process.

3. Choose Your Words Wisely

Language that is inclusive and empowering allows for mutual trust and reciprocal communication to occur more freely within the classroom. For example, when students are struggling, words like support and guide empower them to complete work on their own with the option of guidance-you're not there to help them do the work.

Reflecting on word choice goes beyond the classroom and allows students to advocate for themselves because they know their teacher is supportive, empathetic, inclusive, and accepting. And reflecting on your word choice displays to students that it's OK to take a moment to organize, prepare, and present their thoughts in a way that's meaningful to everyone in the class.

4. Be Honest and Direct

The use of compassionate and straightforward language allows students to build trust in their teachers and fosters an environment of growth. Students who are spoken to directly and honestly are more likely to feel respected and safe, while also receiving the support they need to be successful both academically and behaviorally.

Interacting with students directly and honestly also communicates to them that you have clear expectations and will provide supportive and constructive feedback that they can learn from. For example, instead of saying, "Can you please wait your turn to speak?" you could say, "The expectation is that you raise your hand to speak. Please raise your hand and wait if you have a question."

Direct and honest communication allows little room for vague interpretations of rules and/or expectations, which in turn, provides students with a safer and more trust-filled environment.

5. Avoid Using Don't

Many times we teachers are quick to emphasize to students what they're not supposed to do or say to others in class. A positive spin on this is to replace don't statements with more positive ones. For instance, instead of saying, "Don't use pens in my class," you could say, "For practicing math problems, we'll only be using pencils, in case we make a mistake." Students will be more likely to bring pencils to class because they're made aware of the expectation and reasoning, opposed to solely being told what not to bring.

Reframing don't statements is another example of positive language and allows students to reflect on their actions to make more positive choices within the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Simple ways to frame what you say to students to encourage and empower them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For new teachers, successful classroom management can require a bit of a learning curve. Start off on the right foot by using positive strategies from the first day of school to the last. By using positive reinforcement and modeling the behavior you want to see, you'll help your students develop into respectful, productive and ethical citizens.

Make your expectations known.

On the first day of school, let your students know that you respect each and every one of them and that you expect them to respect you and each other in return. Instead of telling the students about the classroom rules, invite them to have a discussion of what they expect to get out of the class. Together, brainstorm reasonable classroom rules and write them on a poster board to hang on the wall. This gives students some ownership over the rules and incentivizes them to follow those rules.

Keep students accountable for their learning.

Work with your students in such a way that makes them take ownership of their own learning. When they feel responsible for what they are supposed to know and be able to do, they are more likely to be fully engaged in the learning experiences that you have designed. For example, at the beginning of the year, you can have each student prepare an interactive notebook. Every day, at the end of a lesson, they can write about whether they met the lesson's objectives. That notebook can be a part of the student's authentic portfolio assessment.

Speak at a normal volume.

Even the best-behaved class will get a little talkative at times. When you're ready to teach but your students aren't ready to listen, don't try to talk over them. Stand in front of the class and smile patiently, making eye contact with the talkers. After a little while, you'll likely hear other students shushing the ones that are still talking. A self-regulated classroom is a happier, more productive classroom.

Give positive feedback to parents.

When students are praised for making a good faith effort or for doing something well, they tend to put in even more effort in the future. When they're disciplined, students often feel resentful and they might disengage from the class. Of course, you may need to use disciplinary action at times but you can also proactively prevent problematic behavior. Send a few emails or make a few phone calls each week to the parents of students who have demonstrated good behavior and a strong work ethic in your class that week. Undoubtedly, the parents will let the students know about your compliments.

Celebrate accomplishments.

Sometimes, the best way to manage a classroom is to let your students kick back and relax. Celebrate your students' accomplishments as a whole by announcing a class pizza, donut party or a trivia game. For instance, at the beginning of the month, you could let your class know that they can enjoy this reward at the end of the month if each of them turns in every homework assignment on time.

Nurture positive relationships with each student.

Many teachers must manage large class sizes. This makes it difficult to get to know each student as an individual but you can still set aside a few minutes here and there. If Joan walks into class early, put down your notes and ask if she had a good weekend. If Hector seems down in the dumps, take him aside to privately ask if he's alright. These mini conversations don't have anything to do with the curriculum but for a student, knowing that a teacher genuinely cares can make all the difference in the world.
At Grand Canyon University, you can earn your teaching degree with a flexible mix of online and on-campus scheduling options. We offer elementary and secondary degree programs for aspiring teachers. Click on the Request More Information button at the top of the website, and find out for yourself why so many students choose our dynamic learning community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Classroom management requires a learning curve. Start on the right foot by using positive strategies from the 1st day of school to the last.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The most blatant example of a biased punishment I've had to deal with was also the first, and it involved the school dress code. I've never been a fan of uniforms, and our high school didn't have them, but we did have a dress code, as well as a violation that kept coming up: boys wearing sagging jeans. Now, I'm fine with not seeing someone's underwear during the school day, but this is clearly a violation which disproportionately affects black males. It's also one where the punishment can end with the student leaving school and missing out on academic time.

An Eye-Opening Incident

As I was doing my morning hallway supervision, a teacher called me over to where she was berating a black male student about his pants. She ordered me to take him to the discipline office, where I could "fix him." Those were her actual words, and I flinched, but still I had to follow through. I cocked my head at him and offered a sheepish smile that said, "Sorry, Marcus. I gotta take you. You broke a rule." The smile must have done the trick, because he took a deep breath, straightened the books in his arms, and followed me. As we walked down the hallway, he began pointing out other boys with sagging pants.

All of the other boys were white. They were walking around, free to go about as they wished. "Are you gonna get him, too, or is it just me?" he asked. "What about him? He's sagging. I don't see anybody asking him to pick up his pants." The hallway was the longest one we had in the building, and by the time we reached the discipline office he had pointed out four other boys, all white, wearing their pants in the same way. No teacher had stopped them.

As hard as it was for me to admit, Marcus was right. Here was a policy that was written into our handbook, but the consequences for breaking it were not equitable for all students. I looked around and realized that the other teachers in the hallway were either ignoring the white boys who were sagging or were engaged in conversations with them. Not one of them stopped me the way the first one did to tell me to take those boys to the discipline office. And I was afraid that if I stopped every time he pointed a boy out, he would get away from me or I would be outnumbered by all the boys I was trying to discipline.

What to Do?

I asked Marcus to wait for me by the office. He agreed even though his face showed confusion. I'm certain that he wondered if he had changed my mind when he saw me make a beeline for a teacher in conversation with one of the other boys we had seen. As I approached, I said, loud enough for the teacher to hear me, "What's up with those pants, young man?"

It wasn't the response of the student that jarred me. It was the teacher. She turned to him and said, "Look at you. Pull those up, would you?" Not only did she not ask that I discipline him, she asked him nicely to pull up his pants. We both waited patiently while he did so, and then she turned to me, "See? Wasn't that easy? All we have to do is ask them."

But that wasn't the truth of what I had been experiencing. The truth is that the bias many teachers have against students of color shows up in how they treat white students differently.

By the time I got back to Marcus, I was in tears, and that thoroughly confused him. After all, wasn't this just a simple dress code rule? Hadn't we just run the gauntlet of rule-breaking students who also needed to be hauled to the office and given the progressive discipline punishment? It wasn't that simple.

"Marcus, pull up your pants. Keep them up, please. Can I trust you to do that?"

He was stunned. He couldn't believe that I had just asked him nicely to pull up his pants and that I wasn't going to punish him. Later that year, when he graduated, he told me I was the first teacher to see him as a person and give him some dignity when correcting his behavior, and that he was grateful he didn't get suspended that day, because that's where his progressive discipline was headed.

I can't quit. There are a million more like Marcus.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A public high school administrator recounts the moment she recognized that her teachers disciplined black and white students differently.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning Center - Apple Education Community

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Visit the Apple Education Community to discover great learning resources and learn new skills to become an Apple Teacher.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Common Sense Educator | Common Sense Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Earn a badge by teaching your students safe and responsible tech use, and learn how to integrate digital citizenship in your classroom, school, or district.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Educator Center Overview - Microsoft Learn Educator Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're new to facilitating a workshop, give yourself a few hours to prepare. Co-facilitating a virtual workshop takes the same amount of prep time as an in-person workshop, and sometimes more.

In the slides, you'll find everything you need: from Zoom set up directions to facilitator's notes. We recommend going through each slide on your own before you facilitate with the group.

- Watch the videos

- Practice the activities

- Read though the question and answer slides

*This resource is specially designed for facilitators. If you're using this solo, then just know some of these steps may not apply to you, however you can still view all the materials in the slide deck at your own pace.
Assemble your team
Design work is meant to be collaborative, and this workshop is built for people to work together in pairs.

We suggest no more than 40 participants. It becomes incredibly difficult to manage at that number even if you are a Zoom facilitator pro. We've found the sweet spot to be 20 participants. Since the activities need partners to work, people can't come late or leave early, as it will negatively impact the learning experience. In the slide deck, you'll find text you can copy and paste into an email to invite your participants.

We suggest 3 facilitators run the workshop. 1 person leads the activities. The 2nd is on tech and makes sure Zoom is working. The 3rd can partner up with someone if you have an odd number.
Set up Zoom
The gray slides have specific tips, tricks and techniques to optimize your setup for virtual facilitation.

You'll find a few quick links to help you get the most out of Zoom so this all runs relatively smoothly.
The Kick-off
Remember, you don't need to be an expert to run this workshop-you just need to be what we call, "lead learners." It's your job to lead the experience but it is also designed to allow you to learn alongside everyone else if you so desire!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
d.school Starter Kit - Stanford d.school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're new to facilitating a workshop, give yourself a few hours to prepare. Co-facilitating a virtual workshop takes the same amount of prep time as an in-person workshop, and sometimes more. In the slides, you'll find everything you need: from Zoom set up directions to facilitator's notes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
New to Flip? Savvy veteran? Let the universe know you're committed to empowering student voice as you earn your Flip Certified Educator badge. Like everything in our world, we made it simple!

1. Complete your Flip Educator Profile.

2. Complete the Engage and Amplify course on Microsoft Learn.
Note: you'll need to create a free Microsoft account to complete the quiz at the end.

3. Record a response on the Level 1 Topic answering the prompt.
Note: this is also in Module 8 of the Engage and Amplify Course.

4. Use Flip with your students or colleagues and receive at least 3 video Responses.

*BONUS: Meet (and join!) the Flip community on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

That's it! Once you have completed the requirements, our team will review and activate your badge.

If you have any questions, just email FlipCertifications@microsoft.com and we'll respond ASAP!

Thank you for taking the steps to become a Flip Certified Educator! When you're ready, dive into the Level 2 Certification!

Was this article helpful?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Flip Certified Level 1: Certified Educator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
New to Flip? Savvy veteran? Let the universe know you're committed to empowering student voice as you earn your Flip Certified Educator badge. Like everything in our world, we made it simple! Com...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wakelet Webinars

We present weekly webinars that cover the basics of Wakelet, useful tips and tricks, and community specials!

Discover educator-inspired templates that are perfect for getting started on Wakelet!

Improve collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication and curation with your students!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wakelet Webinars We present weekly webinars that cover the basics of Wakelet, useful tips and tricks, and community specials! Discover educator-inspired templates that are perfect for getting started on Wakelet! Improve collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication and curation with your students!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get unlimited access to 40,000 of the best books, audiobooks, videos, & more for kids 12 and under. Try it free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Web-based app for making ebooks in the classroom. Teachers can get started for free and invite students to join their library. Add text, images, audio and video and easily publish your books online.

# data[].attributes.headline
PBS Media Literacy Educator Certification

# data[].attributes.subject
PBS Media Literacy Educator Certification

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1. Complete micro-credentials to showcase your media literacy teaching abilities.

2. Earn 8 micro-credentials and become a PBS Certified Media Literacy Educator.

3. Share your certification with school and district leaders with a letter of recognition from PBS.

Certification

Earn eight media literacy micro-credentials and automatically become a PBS Certified Media Literacy Educator who can demonstrate mastery with

Evaluating, creating, and sharing media effectively to support their own learning

Designing and implementing instruction and assessing student learning of these same skills

Once certified, you'll receive a letter of recognition from PBS to share with your school and district leaders.
Certification is free.

2022 Media Literate Media Award

2020 Badging & Credentialing finalist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1. Complete micro-credentials to showcase your media literacy teaching abilities. 2. Earn 8 micro-credentials and become a PBS Certified Media Literacy Educator. 3. Share your certification with school and district leaders with a letter of recognition from PBS.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn at your own pace and get certified!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Become Kahoot! Certified - maximize learning with Kahoot!, score awesome diplomas and get digital badges. Read more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Anyone can learn computer science. Make games, apps and art with code.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Master the Screencast, Jr.

In this class made exclusively for students, your kiddos will learn the basics of Screencastify Record.

Instructor 🏫

Holly Clark

Length ⏱

10

minutes

Start course

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Screencastify Courses | Become a Certified Video Master

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our educational courses allow beginners and advanced users to sharpen their skills for using video in the classroom with easy-to-follow certification courses.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your brand isn’t your logo. It’s not even just the colors and fonts you choose. A truly successful brand depends on much more than that.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Connect with other Nearpod Certified Educators in a private Facebook group.

Collaborate with them about leveraging Nearpod in your classroom.

Celebrate your successes together.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Become a Nearpod Certified Educator! Distinguish yourself as a leader at your school and receive extra resources to share the Nearpod love.

# data[].attributes.headline
19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies

# data[].attributes.subject
19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.