Author: Marisa Donnelly

10 Tips And Tricks For Easy Student Grading

tips for easy grading, grading notebook with highlighter
| Marisa Donnelly

Grading can be a daunting task. Whether you solely use online programs that automate scores and percentages, or manually record points and comments and then transfer over your information to a system, chances are, your grading process takes a lot of time and effort. However, there are ways to make this process easier!

Here are ten of the best tips and tricks for student grading to help lower your stress levels while increasing overall productivity. Continue reading →

A Back To School Video Your Students Need To Watch Right Now

| Marisa Donnelly

“How psyched are you to have the opportunity to learn about out the universe and its inhabitants for several hours a day at no cost to you?!”

I stumbled across this video by John Green and had to share. Not only is he hilarious (and talking at break-neck speeds through the entirety of this clip) but he looks at the whole back-to-school time of year in a positive way. School doesn’t always compare to the freedom and warm temps of summer, but when we show our students the positives (in an engaging YouTube clip) we might get at least a laugh out of them. Continue reading →

A First Day Of School Ice Breaker You’ll Want To Try This Year

| Marisa Donnelly

Okay, here’s the thing. Ice breakers can be awesome…but when you’re teaching a middle/high school classroom, the last thing you want to do is be:

a. lame
b. cheesy
c. boring

So if you’re looking for something different, if you’re hoping to grab your students’ attention in a way that’s fun, but still relevant to the classroom, and if you’re plain out of ideas, here’s some great suggestions from Laura Randazzo, a secondary teacher who created this fun activity for her first days. Continue reading →

4 Good Questions To Ask Yourself As You’re Getting Ready For The Start Of The School Year

| Marisa Donnelly

Starting another school year is exciting! But how can you make sure you’re not falling back into the same patterns? How can you determine whether your teaching has gone stale, or if you need to add/change/modify? What, specifically should you ask yourself as you’re preparing?

Here are some great questions as you start to think about the new year: Continue reading →