I took my kids to see Toy Story 3, and of course, I noticed things that only a preschool teacher would notice. Whoever designed Sunnyside got the details right: the mismatched furniture, the art projects made with found objects, and of course, the donated toys. Sunnyside looks like a place with a low budget, trying to do right by the kids who go there.

Piles of clutter? You never know when you might need something and the money won’t be in the budget.

They could have made Sunnyside look like a page from a Lakeshore catalog, but I loved it the way it was.  No wonder Barbie and Ken and all the rest of the toys who stayed there seemed so happy at the end!

Dealing with parents is often the most difficult part of teaching. However, education should be a partnership between students, teacher and parents. If something breaks that partnership down, you have to address it. Before reacting, take a look at things through the eyes of your students and their parents.

A classroom in which you can hear laughter coming from daily is a healthy classroom. Laughter and the noise of learning is different from classroom chaos. New teachers will soon learn the difference.

Adjust your lecture notes and educational plans to fit your students and where they are in their educational journey. Remember, repeating the same lecture, year after year, is deadly boring to both you and your students. Even if they have never heard it before, your presentation will be stale. Pay your students the courtesy of preparing your class uniquely for them.

Establish a good working relationship with your colleagues. Life is so much easier when there is not additional stress in the workplace. Never take part in any gossip session in the teacher’s lounge, whether the gossip is about a colleague or a student. Always remember be a professional.

It works better if your students know from the beginning of the year what your rules, discipline policy and educational goals are for them. Don’t change daily, be consistent. If you need to change a rule because it isn’t working, hold a class discussion to alert the students and allow them to have input.

There is nothing wrong with occasionally rewarding your students for an exceptional accomplishment. However, all rewards do not have to intrinsic. Adults have extrinsic rewards and goals and so should students at times. Don’t be afraid to say “Hey, you guys did so well on this math test, lets have popcorn and a movie. I’m proud of you!” Of course, you will need to know the school’s policy on rewards.

Sometimes it may feel like your principal is your enemy instead of your educational partner. If that happens, try to view the situation through his/her eyes. There may be issues going on that you are unaware of or maybe you are just wrong. If you consider all of these things and still feel that you are in the right, stick to your guns. Just make sure, that the primary focus is always about the students and what will be of benefit to them.

Middle school science students love to adopt the persona of a mad scientist. Embrace it! Let your little mad scientists present some spectacular and showy science experiments to the class. This will create all kinds of enthusiasm for science. Additionally, your other students will absorb the information in a new fun way. The mad scientist students will also gain a greater understanding of the material by not only studying it but also teaching it.

Be practical in your expectations for your students. Always strive for improvement but understand how hard and how quickly you can push students. Don’t expect miracles, but remember there is nothing a student can’t learn on some level if it is presented correctly.