Category Archives: Smooth Classroom

How to Waste Students’ Time with Binders and Notebooks

Posted on August 5, 2017 by msdickson

Binders, notebooks, interactive notebooks, portfolios and other tools can provide a method to showcase student learning, collect reference materials and teach organization. Or they can be a time-consuming process that fails to do more than provide a sporadic grade. Here’s … Continue reading →

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Useful End of the Year Activities

Posted on April 29, 2017 by msdickson

The end of the year can bring special challenges.  Students are wearing down, distracted by summer, or pulled away by testing or other special events.  Seniors may get out early, which can disrupt any class with a senior.  It may … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun Projects, Secondary Education, Smooth Classroom, Teaching Ideas | 1 Comment

Ways to Group Students (and when to use which)

Posted on January 23, 2017 by msdickson

Group work is a regular activity in many secondary classrooms.  It offers many benefits, including collaboration and cooperation.  Students show increased learning in well-structured group work, related to the discussion of content and problem-solving.  There are also benefits in division … Continue reading →

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How to Differentiate With Literary Essay Writing

Posted on July 30, 2016 by msdickson

There they sit.  Some twenty to thirty students, just finished with a piece of literature and ready to receive instructions for writing a literary essay.  While, in theory, they should all be writing at or around grade-level, in fact, students … Continue reading →

Posted in Secondary Writing, Smooth Classroom, Teaching, Teaching Ideas, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Back to School as a Nomadic Teacher

Posted on July 21, 2016 by msdickson

Back to school means setting up the classroom.  Pinterest is already full of amazing ideas for desk arrangement, alternate seating options, bulletin board ideas, and themed decorations.  It’s an exciting time… Unless you are a Nomadic Teacher (or Cart Teacher).  … Continue reading →

Posted in Secondary Education, Shoestring Budget, Smooth Classroom, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Strategies For A Flexible Start of the Year

Posted on July 11, 2016 by msdickson

If your roster is ready, then you know you can jump right into your course content.  Most everyone who is in your class is already on your list– and probably even in attendance the first day or so of school. … Continue reading →

Posted in Secondary Education, Smooth Classroom, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment