this post contains affiliate links For many years, my classroom just didn't look or feel right. While I knew that the actions inside a classroom mattered more than what was on the walls, I also wanted it to look... well, at least clean and organized.  Thus began a very gradual, years-long process of taking my room from a color-clashing mess to a comparatively calmer, semi farmhouse look. Some of the materials I bought, and some were reimbursed or bought by the school, but it did not happen overnight and was, again, a process of finding out what did and didn't work for seventh and eighth graders. ...

The first few weeks of a school year (or new semester), we have to learn way more than just students' names. In an increasingly data-driven world of education that wants teachers to quantify OR demonstrate growth over time, it's beneficial to get some baseline snapshots of what students know and can do. ...

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. I'm currently on the hunt to improve my classroom library, so I turned to some of my fellow English teachers on Instagram and asked them what THEY considered to be can't-miss books. And here are their answers! ...

There are three kinds of teacher-decorators: those who were born for Pinterest , those who can’t , and all the ones in between (such as the broke , the tired , and the I-have-no-time-to-decorate ). However, making a classroom appeal to middle and high school students doesn’t HAVE to involve serious crafting or expensive, time-intensive projects. Check out these tips from me and Bonnie from Presto Plans as you prepare your classroom for the fall (or at any time of year that you want to give it a boost!) You might also like Sara's more recent blog post, Inside My Farmhouse Classroom Makeover . ...

Sure, all teachers learn and improve their practice each school year. That's especially true when a veteran teacher changes courses, grade levels, or school buildings. But that first year or two brings special challenges. I *thought* was prepared. I had all kinds of tangible and theoretical tools from my grad program; I'd had a good student teaching experience. But there are a few things that no mentor teacher, master's degree, or orientation told me. Let me save you the trouble of finding these out the hard way! ...

As we all start to head back to our classrooms, it's easy to feel so overwhelmed with your own preparation that you don't get a chance to interact with The New Teacher. ...And no, I'm not just talking about first year teachers , though they are important - this also includes the veteran who's simply new to your building , the familiar teacher who changed grade levels , and the person teaching a new class . ...