50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Every Grade (PreK-7)

50 Tips
We Are Teachers is a website I follow on a regular basis.  This post caught my eye.  50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Every Grade Level is an awesome list of exactly what the title says!  Some of the tips, tricks, and ideas are probably already things you do in your classroom, but others might be that "go to" idea for your classroom this year.  Glance through the lists for your grade level today, you won't be sorry you did!

Tips for Testing

Testing Tips
Testing season can be a stressful time for both teachers and students.  Check out these great tips from edmentum.  There is everything from watching a cute video on testing, to stretching, to using peppermint to increase scores.  It's worth a quick glance!

Brandon's Brainwork: Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking
It can be a challenge to get students to think critically about a certain topic, especially if they are not particularly interested in that topic.  How do we get students to think deeper?  Here are some quick question prompts that can get students to that level of deep thinking you are looking for.

• How do you know?
• Prove it.
• Explain/show your thinking.
• Why?
• Solve the problem a different way.
• Show me.
• Provide an example.
• Retell what your classmate just said, but in your own words.
• Put yourself in the author's/characters shoes.

Getting students to think critically is a challenge for all educators.  Simple word phrases or sentence starters can be a great tool to use in your classroom to get students to think critically.  Mariko Nobori wrote a great article on critical thinking for Edutopia.  She provides teachers with Ten Takeaway Tips for Teaching Critical Thinking.

Brandon's Brainwork Questions to Consider

1. Do you provide time for your students to think critically?

2. Do you ask open-ended questions and give everyone the opportunity to answer?

3. Do you have students write their answers?

4. Do you allow debate in your classroom?

5. Can students question you?