Jobs
No matter what age you work with, there are students who want to help, want attention, or just can't sit still. Jobs helps address these needs. There are lists all over the web, but here's a link with lots of choices.

Scholastic Job List

Here is a list of the links I constantly return to as resources for my high school classroom. Perhaps they will be useful in your classroom, too! Please share any sites you love and use for teaching.

Prezi
This presentation tool is internet-based (and accessible from any computer with internet), but can be downloaded to use offline later. You can easily and quickly add images and video directly into the presentation from the internet. There are new pre-created formats that you can choose from, or you can start from scratch. You must sign up to save your presentations. You can also access presentations that have already been created.

http://prezi.com/your/

Slideshare
Here are some PowerPoint presentations available for free at your fingertips. Type in a topic you want to teach, such as allusion, and you will find multiple options available for download. You do need to join as a member to download the PowerPoints, or you could sign in through LinkedIn.
http://www.slideshare.net

Dropbox
Yes, it's been around for a while, but it really is useful. I can access my uploaded files from any computer with internet connection. The English department at my school uses it as a way to share lesson plans and collected data. I've started using it to do work from home and then retrieve again at work. You will need to create an account to upload and access your files.

https://www.dropbox.com

I have taught for 5 years, which still puts me on the newer end of the spectrum. I often think about the impact that a strong mentor can have on a new or student teacher. Based on my observations in the profession, quality mentorship is a key element to how a teacher develops. We educators are constantly caught in the political frenzy: new standards! more testing! budget cuts! What we really need is honest criticism, helpful ideas, and support.

My two mentors were both on track to retire soon after they 'mentored' me. They each offered dusty books and old-school education thought, but offered little of their attentions.

If you find yourself in a place of mentoring, or if you are looking for a mentor, I suggest you take advantage of this opportunity to build our colleagues and set them off on the right path.

1. Be present, as in, actually pay attention to the student teacher in your room and make time to have conversations about each lesson. It might be nerve-wrecking at first, but once you've established a 'team-effort' sense in the conversations, this teacher will benefit from your experienced advice.

2. Give honest criticism, and give it in a formalized setting. No one benefits from simple pats on the back nor from absence of comment. It might be hard to start the conversation, but if everyone is prepared, we will have better educators. You can use the sandwich method ('one good, one bad, another good') to make it easier to give feedback.

3. Give concrete ideas with criticism. If a student or new teacher needs to improve, help brainstorm ideas for this improvement. Pull out ideas from your fuller 'toolbox,' such as useful websites or tried and true methods.

4. Help with discipline practices. Discipline might be one of the most difficult skills to learn for a teacher. Some educators will be naturals, but for those who aren't, giving a few basic suggestions each week could help their teaching experience exponentially.

5. Be supportive. Even if this new or student teacher seems to have it all together, teaching is TOUGH and TIRING. Remind this newer teacher of the things he or she is doing well, bring this teacher some tea, and make the effort to help him or her refresh.

It's nice to have some fail-safe activities in your back pocket that can be applied to a variety of units. Here are five that have worked for me in the past. You can apply activities before and after the unit, and you might find that there are patterns and changes in their understandings. I have learned these activities at great professional development seminars and from colleagues.

For all activities, it is important to set clear ground rules before beginning.

True/False Anticipation Guide
(Before and After)

Supplies:

1. Worksheet

Some of these lists already exist for novels or plays that you can find online (see example for Crucible from Mr. Jeffrey).

The page is set up in three columns:

You can lead a discussion about their responses before and after the activity. The worksheet leads nicely to a charting activity (graph of some sort) afterwards. Tip: You might want to collect the worksheets and return to students at the end of the unit if students are likely to lose their work.

Gallery Walks
(Before and After)

Supplies:

1. Butcher paper with pre-written headings
2. Writing utensils/markers
3. Optional post-its

• Post butcher paper to represent stations around the room.

• Each paper should be prepared with titles describing themes or big ideas relating to the unit. 
• Students can either use post-its or write directly on the butcher paper, but post-its allow for re-use in following classes.

• Group students evenly and have them rotate from station to station, and they should anonymously write free associations (ideas, examples, opinions, symbols) that relate to the title on the butcher paper.
  
• You can limit student responses to how many post-its you provide them.
  
• An optional second round can ask students to 'star' or 'agree' with other student responses.
• After rotating all of the stations, the teacher reads out a summary of answers and records them (photograph, assign a student scribe) to review again after the unit.
  

Tip: limit the number of stations to 6, ideally keep groups per station below 5 students.

Great resources available at the Starting Point website.

Photo: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/kenstein/55391651/

KWL Chart
(Before and After)

Supplies:

1. Worksheet

• The picture to the left provides a simple explanation.
• The first two columns of the chart (K - what I already know, and W - what I want to know) are to be filled in before diving into the unit.
  
• The last column can be preparation for final assessments.
  

To add another layer, you can have students use post-its and then transfer 'what they know' and 'want to know' to a class-wide version of the chart.

Image: http://tweenteaching.blogspot.co.il/2012/08/kwl-chart.html

Idea Storm
(Before and After)

Supplies:

1. Post-it notes
2. Optional white board or Butcher paper to collect post-it notes
   

I have used this activity more broadly, as in "What are your personal goals for this year, for this class, etc?"

• Students receive 3-5 post-it notes or non-stick notes to anonymously answer the question in a variety ways.
• (Optional: notes are turned in and the teacher shuffles the papers and re-distributes to other students. Students read one response aloud and the class suggests general themes that appear in responses.) 
• Students place post-its or tape up notes to the board or butcher paper relating to other notes.
  
• The teacher reads aloud notes and with the classes help, reorganizes as needed. 
• Record/photograph answers as reference for the end of the year. Students can record their own answers and track their own progress throughout the year in teacher-student conferences.
  

*At the end of the year, run the same activity and discuss changes in answers, whether goals were met, etc.

Philosophical Chairs
(Best for after reading)

Supplies:

1. List of themes prepared, give to students before the activity to plan ideas and examples
2. Optional: Signs labeled "Yes" and "No" hanging on sides of the room
   
3. Optional: Butcher paper or whiteboard to record student arguments (or computer with projector, etc.)
   

• Provide a reading assignment (articles, short stories, poetry, video, etc -- all relating to similar themes)
  
• One side of the room is labeled "yes" and the opposite side to "no" 
  
• The teacher asks the class thematic questions. Example questions: Are there universal ideas of good and bad? Can jail rehabilitate people?
• Students move to 'yes,' or 'no,' sides of the room
  
• Students from yes and trade off arguing their cases based on supportive examples (personal, movies, literature, etc).
  
• Regulate  'yes' must wait for 'no' to respond before 'yes' can speak again. It could be a good idea to set the rule in advance that students must wait for two students to speak before they can speak again.
• Students may switch sides of the room after a convincing argument.
  
• The teacher should make a chart on butcher paper or on the board as students answer to provide visual aid.
  

I learned about this activity at an amazing professional development with AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination).

A helpful resource by Andara Macdonald, Ph.D.

Photo from: Freedom Writers movie

Granted, many professions have their "humorous" stereotypes: lawyers are evil, accountants and librarians are boring, businesspeople are greedy, and so on. But why is the joke about teachers beyond a personality trait and instead that they can't do?

Among my favorite teacher empowerment pieces is one by Taylor Mali, "What Teachers Make," where he recounts his answer to "What do you make?" describing all that he creates, and essentially all that he does. It is almost the antidote to the age-old teacher jibe. His slam poetry makes me feel empowered and proud and inspired to be a teacher.

But the question still lingers, "Is it true? Can I not DO what I teach?"

This year, I've entered a personal experiment, partially sparked by Penny Kittle's philosophy to try alongside students, partially sparked by that nagging joke about teachers. My experiment is to put myself out there, to DO what I teach. I ask my students to write and publish and be okay with failure, so must I. And it's not easy. Failure is not fun, but I guess that's part of the experience.

I'm writing articles for a website. I keep a (somewhat) daily journal. I signed up for a personal essay writing and publishing course (WritingPad). I'm challenging myself to keep up a (meaningful) blog. I've presented poetry and a personal essay to my peers. And an important part of this experience is being okay with the possibility of failure (Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes). It is not important whether I become rich and famous from my pursuits. The important thing is that I'm willing to try and willing to fail, and I'm DOING what I teach.

I never want to hear someone question whether I actually do what I teach, so I am taking action. Teaching is a profession unto itself, and I am already DOING a whole lot, but I also see  that educators can enhance their knowledge bases by doing what they ask their students to do and by grounding their teaching in experience.

Further questions to ponder:
What are ways you can apply your subject specialties to experiences outside of the classroom?
How can this apply to primary grades?

If you want to get students interested in your content, bring well-composed, interesting content! Don't feel resigned to your curriculum: scope out and bring in quality examples for students, and they'll be more engaged.

NPR constantly posts interesting pieces on all ranges of topics. Here's one:

"Don't Miss The Premiere Of The World's Smallest Movie"
IBM nanophysicists coaxed atoms into A Boy and His Atom, an adorable short film. After the film, the video links to how scientists created this microscopic adventure.

Brian Doyle's "Joyas Voladoras"
I learned about this essay from attending a professional development through my school. I like to present this piece to my students as the potentiality of essay writing--essays can be intriguing, not just blocks of text.

Yehuda Amichai's "Temporary Poem of My Time"
A poem depicting the experience of an Israeli living in Israel and the unfolding history of his time. Hey, why not teach history using poetry?

Ted Talks have inspiring, all across the board content. You want science? Got it. Math? Here. Arts? Yep. Everything. The presentations could show students the art of best-practices in presentations.

One example is street and social action artist, JR.

This I Believe, started in the 1950's with the onset of the Red Scare in the US, prominent figures submitted "belief" statements to demonstrate that they were not afraid to hide their opinions. Complete with its own curriculum, this program is a no-brainer for getting students started on personal essay writing.

Do you have go-to places for good sources to bring into the classroom? Let me know!

For more ideas, check out my ever-increasing list of 'short works.'

1. Attend Professional Development
I always feel rejuvenated for teaching after attending great professional development or reading inspiring educational writing.

Here's a list of recommended professional development suggestions:
-California League of Schools (methodology, content)
-Glasser Institute (behavior)
-KIPP Schools Professional Development
-AVID Institutes (best practices in teaching and preparing students for college)
-National Writing Project (Best practices and training in teaching writing for all subjects and grades)

2. Learn New Tricks
When your bored of your teaching, spice things up. I find motivation and inspiration from my own colleagues and from my principal. We bounce ideas off each other, encourage each other, observe each other, trade classes for a period (with boss approval).

And, you can search online or in the library for inspiring ideas. For instance, I read from Sheridan Blau or read some commentary by Penny Kittle in her book Write Beside Them. I hope to some day visit with the successful elementary school teacher, Rafe Esquith to see his 5th grade class present a Shakespeare play.

3. Sign up for a Magazine
There's a magazine for every subject and for every grade. The National Council of Teachers of English publish The English Journal, which is great for English teachers.

Here are some ideas for education magazines

4. Become Active
I've just started to become more active on twitter, and I'm trying out blogging for the first time. There are great ideas (with pictures!) on Pinterest. If you're feeling out of ideas and yearning for something fresh, there's so much online and for free!

Sharing ideas can be as powerful as taking them. You might find yourself excited to try out a new method in class in order to share it with your online community.

5. Get out!
Go visit a museum. Take a weekend trip. Read a magazine or newspaper at a nearby cafe. Sometimes, getting away from education can enhance your role as an educator. In fact, you might find your best thinking comes from living life and using those experiences to inform your teaching.

Found at Auction: The Unseen Photographs of a Legend that Never Was