All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching...

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching - Katrina Ayres

...and How You Can Avoid Doing It, Too, by Katrina Ayres.

OK - those of us who have been teaching for a while can remember plenty of mistakes we made when we were starting out - all in the name of our inexperience, our excitement and our commitment to our new careers. Even brand new teachers have had enough time in the classroom by the time they have their own students - student teaching, practicums, subbing - to remember a few less than successful moves.

Veteran teacher Katrina Ayres has taken the mistakes she made during her first year of teaching and turned them into a humorous look at all of the ways good teachers can go wrong. All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching...and How You Can Avoid Doing It, Too is open and honest - a quick read that is very enjoyable and not the least bit "preachy"!

Ayres recounts many of her first-year experiences while she was teaching in a school in rural Hawaii on the island of Molokai. What makes this book a great resource is that Ayres not only recounts humorous - and familiar - mistakes, she also includes advice for the new teacher on how to avoid making the same ones. At the end of each chapter, she addresses her "new teacher self" with great tips offered through the lens of an experience.

Ayres conquers many things that the overzealous new teacher may encounter - from overplanning and concentrating more on the glitz than the substance - to discipline, student boredom and the infamous "W" word (how to tell students that they are wrong).

One theme that runs throughout the book is the focus on teaching rather than on the trappings of teaching. Ayres remembers how easily new teachers can be blinded by the creation of beautiful materials, and lose sight of the fact that real teaching involves actual teaching. The message: new teachers should not spend their precious time focusing in all of the cute and pretty materials that aren't essential to the lesson at hand.

She talks about how to keep your "teacher cred," how to handle the overwhelming amount of planning time new teachers face, how to work with colleagues, and the ever-unpredictable nature of kids - especially in school. Ever-appreciative of the help she got along the way, Ayres remembers and thanks the many colleagues, friends and students who helped her out along the way - offering help, guidance, support and as Ayres says, "picked me up, dusted me off, patched me up, and gave me the tools I needed to succeed..."

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching is an excellent resource for the new teacher, and a fun read for us veterans as well. Read it, laugh, and learn. I'm betting you'll see yourself in many of the situations Ayres describes - and appreciate her candid advice on how to do better the next time.

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching is available in many eBook formats at
Smashwords, and in paperback at Createspace.

Katrina Ayres has created videos, webinars, and books to help teachers become better at what they do. She can be reached through her website, Positive Teaching Strategies.

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Originally published on December 2, 2012. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Winter Scavenger Hunt

 How many types of snow crystals are there?  What does “winter” mean?  What are your favorite winter holidays?  Here’s a fun way to spend those chilly wintertime evenings - take your students on a winter scavenger hunt.

First, create a list of questions relating to the season of winter.  Include questions which are not easily answered and may require a little “digging.”  Here are some to consider:

• When does winter begin this year?
• How long does winter last?
• What is the “scientific name” for the start of winter?
• Why has the beginning of winter been a time for celebration in many cultures?
• What wintertime constellation is know as the Hunter?
• Where was the deepest one day snowfall?
• From what were the first known skis made? How old are they?
• Where were the first snowmaking machines used?
• Find some famous people who were born during winter.
• Which Apollo moon mission was launched on the first day of winter?
• What is a blizzard?  When was the first “unofficial “ blizzard recorded?
• What is the origin of the Yule log?
• Find five facts about Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Years Day.
• What star signaled the start of winter by the ancient Persians?
• What famous store opened its first “hypermart” in Texas in December 1987?

Now turn your child loose with encyclopedias, books or at the library to search out the answers to your scavenger hunt questions.  Have fun and keep warm while learning about this frosty season!!

This idea may be adapted to help your child study for a test.  Make up a list of questions related to the subject your child is studying.  Give him 15-20 minutes to locate the answers in his textbook, and then share them as a good review of the subject matter.

For answers - see the answer key.

Original copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Classroom Fun in February

February is the shortest month of the year, but a month that is packed with many learning opportunities. Enjoy these different activities and have some fun in February!

Groundhog Day - February 2 is Groundhog Day. This is the day we set aside to "decide" whether Spring is almost here, of if there will be six more weeks of Winter. The official groundhog in the United States is Punxsutawney Phil. Every year he is brought out of his groundhog hole in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to make a prediction about Winter's end. Keeping track of Phil's predictions and making a few of your own are fun early February projects. See The Groundhog Party for some fun activities and information.

Black History Month - February is designated as Black History Month. This is a good time to make your students familiar with some famous Black Americans. Have students research a famous Black American and prepare a short talk on his or her life and achievements. Students should also create a poster or drawing to display. Start early so that you can have one or two students give talks throughout the month. After each talk, post the accompanying visual on a Black History Month bulletin Board display.

Some famous Black Americans students may want to research are Ronald McNair, Rosa Parks, Jesse Owens, Marian Anderson, Langston Hughes, Oprah Winfrey, and of course, our President and his famous wife, Barak and Michelle Obama, among many others. Find more ideas at Lessons to Celebrate Black History Month.

Valentine's Day - Valentine's Day is a great holiday to celebrate in school. Use this day of love to promote getting along with others, thoughtfulness and letter writing. See Valentine's Day: Doesn't anyone write letters anymore? for some ideas on teaching letter writing at Valentine's Day.

President's Day is another great February holiday. Find some ideas for celebrating this day at The Presidents' Day Page, The Presidents' Day Quiz page, or at take part in a Presidents' Day Project.

Another fun February activity is Dental Health Month. Find other things for your class to celebrate any day in February at Today in History.

February may be a short month, but it is packed with events, so get out there and enjoy some February Fun!

Original copyright 2001 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Irene Taylor in writing.

How to Plan an Author Visit to your Classroom

Hosting an author visit is a great way to promote both reading and writing in your classroom. A properly planned and implemented author visit allows students to meet and talk with a favorite author and learn about writing for a real audience.

The possibilities for author visits abound, and some can even be arranged via higher tech options such as Skype and virtual author visits - thus opening your visit up to authors who are not in your local area - or even in the same country!

Advance planning for an author visit is vital to its success. There are many things to consider when deciding on an author. Do your students have a favorite author? Do you know of a local author who would love to talk with your class? Are you at a loss when thinking of the right person, and can use some help deciding?

Author Lisa Ard, children's book author, shared some tips for planning a successful author visit. Lisa is the author of the Dream Seeker series (ages 7-10) and the award-winning Saving Halloween (ages 9-12). Based in Portland, Oregon, Lisa offers free author visits to area schools. She also does virtual visits via Skype.

Read more about how to plan an author visit...


Copyright 2012 +Irene Taylor.

Little Book Adventure: Discover New Places to Read

This month's Little Book Adventure Challenge, Discover New Places to Read, takes reading to a whole new level - literally!

Sure - we've all curled up on a comfy couch or propped ourselves up on pillows in bed to read our favorite books. How many remember reading with a flashlight under the covers late at night when you were supposed to be asleep?

Well, this month, My Little Bookshelf challenges readers to explore and discover new places to read - alone, or with a parent or friend. Be creative - maybe you like to read on your favorite swing, or on your boat, or even in the car on the way to school.

Parents and teachers - challenge your children to think of new and unique places to read and be read to. Make a list, a chart, or just talk about them and try them out.

My Little Bookcase offers a few ideas to get you started:

• Read in a tree
• Have a reading picnic outside
• Read in a makeshift tent

To enter your idea in the challenge, simply visit the Project Page and follow the directions for submitting a photo. This challenge is open to all Australian residents through November 30, but readers around the world can have fun with this project as well.

So, get off that couch, out of that bed, and discover some new and unique places to read!

Copyright 2012 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish Little Book Adventure: Discover New Places to Read in print or online must be granted by Irene Taylor in writing.