Instructor (1990) articles from August 2000

Instructor (1990) archives from August 2000

Survive and Thrive.(first-year teachers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... As we listened to new teachers talk about their first-year experiences, one theme came up over and over: "I felt alone, left to sink or swim." "I had no idea what I was doing at first." "I wish I had someone there by my side to help me along."...

What You Should Know About Peanut Allergies.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Potentially fatal peanut allergies are on the rise in children. If you have an allergic child in your class, be on the lookout for possible hazards. Here are some possibly lifesaving steps you should take: * First, have the child's parents...

Serenity in a Jar.(aromatherapy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Even in the busiest classroom, you can find a little serenity...if you keep a jar of it in your drawer. Massage a few drops of Peace of Mind from Origins Sensory Therapy on your temples for on-the-spot relief from stress, tension, and muscle...

School Districts Face a Soda Pop Backlash.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... That school districts around the country are facing painful budget crunches is not news to anyone. So when, in 1997, the school district of Madison, Wisconsin, was offered half a million dollars in school funding if it agreed to grant to...

Stretch Stress Away With Yoga.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... With lessons to plan, papers to grade, and too many meetings, who has the time and energy for fitness, much less relaxation? For very little effort, you can have both. Try popping a yoga tape in the VCR--maybe even when you're alone in your...

Letters.
August 1, 2000... Annual Summer Book List Just want to thank Instructor and specifically Judy Freeman for providing "Book Talk: 88 Great Reads" (May/June 2000). It will be sent home with all of our students in their report cards. Last year's list was...

THE BEST PICTURE BOOKS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
August 1, 2000... It seemed everyone else was making new millennium lists, so I decided to try my hand. The 100 children's picture books I have chosen to represent the best of our century have brought me great joy both personally and professionally. Many are...

Opening Bell.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Get organized for the first day of school with this handy checklist The opening of the new school year brings with it loads of excitement, drama-- and, yes--problems. If you're a new teacher, outright terror may be an additional factor with...

All Together Now!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Creating a positive classroom community from Day One No matter where and how you teach, the likelihood is that you'll be faced again this year with students unfamiliar to you and to one another. How can you ever get them to work together,...

6 Behavior Tips That Really Work.(teaching)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Veteran teachers share their most successful, kid-tested strategies A Big Surprise At the start of the year I write the word SURPRISE in capital letters on the chalkboard. I then tell the students that each time I need to reprimand the...

Keep the Teaching on Track.(teachers must handle problems without interfering with the learning)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Learn to tackle behavior problems quickly and fairly No time in a teacher's career is more exhausting or exhilarating than the first year in the classroom. Late August is fill of promise, learning, planning, and meetings. A new building to...

Talk Time.(teachers must learn to comunicate with parents)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Learn how to communicate effectively with parents, and maximize students' success Building a positive, strong relationship with parents or caregivers can pay enormous dividends as the year goes along. But speaking with them for the first...

A ROOM WITH CLASS!(decorating classrooms)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Innovation classroom decorating ideas that won't break your budget Like most teachers you probably step into new class room each year only to be greated by blank walls. Think of is as a chance to start fresh-and to make your classroom a...

FABULOUS 1ST-DAY IDEAS.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... INSTRUCTOR READERS SHARE SECRETS FOR STARTING THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WITH A SMILE PRIMARY TIME CAPSULE During the first week of school my second graders make a time capsule. First I ask them to bring an empty paper-towel roll...

Great Ideas for Building a Sense of Community.(teaching)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Picture-Perfect Clues Language Arts Standard: Using Spoken, Visual, and Written Language to Accomplish a Purpose Looking for a sure-shot activity for Open House? Try this! Give each child a paper camera (see reproducible, page 50) and...

Fun Review of Basic Math Facts.(learning addition through the use of beans, and other teaching tips)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Kick off the year getting K-3 students to discover or review basic addition facts. Here's an activity to help them learn in an engaging and meaningful way while creating a reference chart that you can use all year. MATERIALS * Two...

Evaluate Science Skills.(identifying objects in sealed boxes, and other teaching tips)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Steve "The Dirtmeister"(R) Tomecek Here's a fresh idea that quickly evaluates science skills and works for any age, K-8. MYSTERY BOXES The main concept is for students to use their powers of observation to identify an unknown...

Your Classroom Quilt.(student-made squares)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Build community spirit with a colorful, kid-created patchwork board A bulletin-board "quilt" composed of student-created squares makes a colorful, inviting, and interactive classroom display. When your new students arrive, have the...

THE FANTASTIC Harry Potter.(using the Harry Potter books as teaching aids)
August 1, 2000... The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has become one of the most popular children's series of our time. Featuring a young orphan who discovers--at the age of 11--that his parents had magical powers and that he is a wizard, the books chronicle...

Playing With Words.(wordplay in teaching)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Wordplay is a great language-development tool. To "get the joke," children must read carefully, use context clues, and decipher sometimes subtle differences in meaning. This provides a sense of accomplishment even as it builds skills and...

Getting to Know You!(using picture books at the beginning of school)
August 1, 2000... Use children's literature as a springboard for building a classroom community The first, fresh days of school provide a precious opportunity to set the tone for the classroom in which you and your students will live all year. Your students...

Wise Words.(making the best of a depressing classroom space; working with exceptional students)(Questions and Answers)
August 1, 2000... Advice from a veteran teacher Q Because of construction at our school, my class is stuck in a small, depressing storage space. We'll be here for several months. How can I make it pleasant for everyone? A Many teachers endure the...

JOIN THE Cyber Caravan!(multimedia programs as teaching aids)
August 1, 2000... Here are four great learning programs that virtually transport students to other lands The World Wide Web has given a whole new meaning to the term "field trip." Today, your class can take a virtual trek through China and the Middle East....

Super Science Software.(programs that can aid in teaching science)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Outstanding programs to support your curriculum at every grade level Sure, we want kids to learn science through first-hand experience with exotic bugs, million-dollar telescopes, and high-tech lasers. But it doesn't happen on a typical...

The Virtues of Our Virtual Community.(online resources for teachers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Cyber-sharing offers new ways to connect--and grow--professionally They come in droves. They talk shop. They swap more ideas in a shorter amount of time than even the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk." Yes, teachers are all over the Web--and...

Cyberspace takes kids out of this world!(online teaching resources)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... When it comes to subjects kids love, space never goes out of style. Kick off the school year with an exploration of the mysteries of the cosmos. From fantasy vacations on the space shuttle to fantastic visions of the surface of Venus, this...

E-Classroom.(online teaching resources)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Tech-based learning activities by teachers like you! International Animal Sounds Students will be fascinated by this extension to an animal-or country-studies unit. Kids of all ages love to hear and make animal sounds, and...

On-Line Tech Guide 2000.(Review)
August 1, 2000... A must-have resource for teachers, administrators, and technology coordinators! The Scholastic Technology Guide, with more than 3,500 listings, is the most comprehensive source for the latest information on educational technology--and it's...

Cyber Poets.(putting student poetry online)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Publish your students' poetry on-line! On Scholastic.com, popular children's poet Jack Prelutsky guides your young poets in a writing workshop that will take them from their first line through final revisions. At the end, children submit their...

New Site for New Teachers.(www.scholastic.com/futureteachers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... As any new teacher will tell you, strategies for finding the right job, preparing for a job interview, and managing a classroom can prove invaluable. Scholastic's new on-line resource covers those concerns and many more--what principals are...

[Instructor.sup.TM] Giveaway.
August 1, 2000... Win the first three Harry Potter hooks! -- Enter our drawing for a copy of each of the first three adventures of everyone's favorite little sorcerer: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry...

The Election Teaching Kit.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The teaching opportunities afforded by a presidential election come only once every few years, so you'll want to take advantage of them! The Prentice Hall School Election Kit 2000--a free curriculum package of 16 student worksheets and...

Number Crunching Is Back in Fashion.(calculators for middle school students)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Not only are calculators welcome in classrooms as an essential educational tool, according to the new NCTM standards, but the sleek, snazzy new models from Hewlett-Packard are sure to appeal to middle-schoolers' sense of style. ...

Train Your Students To Be Mathletes.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Can you imagine getting in shape for a TriMathlon? Now Math Arena can help to create young "mathletes." This fun and engaging program, geared for grades 4-6, features more than 20 different math activities that align with the NCTM Standards....

Unexpected Joy.(a new teacher relates her experience with fifth graders)
August 1, 2000... A leaching intern discovers how fifth graders can confound first impressions Day One It's 7:30 a.m. My first day as an intern! I enter the empty classroom and try to calm the butterflies in my stomach. My inner voice keeps asking:...