New Considerations in Lesson Planning In these few weeks, classrooms across the world have gone virtual, pushing face-to-face instruction outside of the box. We have discovered that more is not always better. Many state departments of education are stressing a limited scope of delivery. As [...]

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. – Nelson Mandela Like Nelson Mandela, Dr. Reggie Todd is a firm believer that education can change the world. So much so that he has devoted his life to a career in education. Dr. Todd began his teaching career in [...]

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), many teachers in Georgia are approaching retirement age. Nearly 20% of the teachers exiting the classroom have over 20 years of experience. While student enrollment projections continue to increase, the number of teachers joining [...]

In The Teaching Shortage in America, we examined the alarming teacher shortage that exists in America today. According to the Learning Policy Institute, the country faces a shortage of at least 110,000 teachers. Such a dilemma forces many school districts to hire uncertified teachers who lack [...]

A growing teacher shortage is disrupting the learning environment in the United States, and Florida is no exception with 3,500 vacancies entering the 2019-2020 school year. The consequences for students are concerning. Florida districts need qualified teachers, particularly in the subject areas [...]

A military career builds essential life skills. Service members develop self-discipline, structure and determination. We have found that these experiences create strong leaders in the classroom, where many veterans find a second career in service. Over the years, we have worked with hundreds of [...]

Passing teacher certification tests is a basic requirement for teacher licensure in most states. The test results are used to measure aspiring teachers’ knowledge and skills to ensure they are qualified to teach. Since each state sets its own standards, testing requirements vary from state to [...]

Many teachers don’t discover a passion for teaching until they have already finished college and worked in other careers. When you decide to make that transition from the cubicle to the classroom, you will need to begin researching teacher certification programs. While many schools hire [...]

Waldorf University (WU) is a private liberal arts school located in Forest City, Iowa. For more than 100 years, Waldorf has provided continuous academic excellence and civic outreach in and around the Forest City community. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central [...]

Teachers study Bloom’s Taxonomy in their education training program. Taxonomy means classification. Bloom’s taxonomy is a simple classification system that defines and distinguishes six levels of human thinking, learning and understanding. Teachers should include all learning levels in their [...]

Shelby County Schools  (SCS) is the largest public school district in Tennessee (Memphis area) and the 23rd largest public school district in the U.S. Given their student enrollment and student diversity, this district faces many challenges.  Consider the distribution of their 110,000 students [...]

When I recently met with David Saunders to discuss his career from teacher to coach and back to teacher, he said that “It doesn’t have to be a perfect little path”. David’s 37-year career has taken many twists and turns. The common thread found in his teaching and coaching is the emphasis of [...]

There is an increasing need for teacher portfolios which document achievements and classroom experiences. These portfolios visually communicate a teacher’s experience in a professional and organized manner. Teacher portfolios are not always required but are highly recommended for several [...]

To become a certified teacher, most states require a bachelor’s degree, student teaching and a passing score on teacher certification exams. Although student teaching provides invaluable training, it rarely allows enough time for new teachers to learn everything they need to know when they [...]

Most educators agree that mentoring programs (induction) are essential for beginning teachers to meet the needs of their students. Although available mentoring programs have doubled in the past two decades, approximately half of the states still offer no formal mentoring for new teachers. There [...]

To become a certified teacher, you must: 1. earn a bachelor’s degree 2. complete student teaching (also known as field experience, internship, practicum) 3. pass several teacher certification exams Through coursework, you study methods and practices of teaching (called pedagogy). Through [...]

If you want to earn the highest level of teacher certification, you should consider ‘National Board Certification’. We researched all the details and put together this simple overview to tell you about how to get this certification and how it can help you in your teaching career. What is [...]

During the summer, many teachers spend quality time with family, go on family vacations, take online courses, attend teacher trainings and plan for the coming school year. Some teachers like to spend the summer months to supplement their income.  Several summer opportunities include tutoring, [...]

In teaching, the term ‘state reciprocity’ refers to using an existing teacher certification to get a teaching license in another state. Because teachers are more and more on the move, most states developed certification agreements to outline the process to accept teacher [...]

This month we are going to talk about the teacher shortage in America –  why it’s happening, what is being done about it and how an online teacher certification program can help. The teaching shortage is a major issue in America that exists in many states. The Guardian conducted a survey [...]

In Part 1 of this series, we learned that English is the most spoken non-native language in the world which is why so many people want to learn this language. In Part 2, we talked about finding a teaching job abroad by first deciding what type of school setting you prefer and what requirements [...]

In part 1 of this series, we explained why so many people want to learn English. According to the data, English is the most spoken non-native language in the world today. Since over 1 billion people are currently learning English as a second language, there is a huge demand for teaching English [...]

 The English language is the most studied language in the world. According to the British Council, an estimated 1.5 billion people across the globe are currently learning English. There is a universal desire and need for people to learn the English language. This has opened a robust job market [...]

It’s spring time and with spring comes job growth and new beginnings. Now is the time to start a new journey in a new city with a new job. Deciding where to move is never an easy task but with our help you can find the city for you! The hardest part of any decision […]

After many years of working in other career areas, Leigh Ann Conrad became a teacher. She enrolled in TeacherReady 3 years ago and is now teaching 2nd grade in Leon County, Florida. The TeacherReady team recently had the chance to catch up with the entire Conrad family to learn how this online [...]

Dr. Janet Pilcher and Dr. Robin Largue founded an online teacher certification program which is a tough, tiring and tremendous task! It took vision and passion, knowledge and experience, determination and dedication, patience and persistence . . . and sheer nerve. Through the [...]

Most of us want passion and purpose in our career. Since we spend nearly as much time at work as at home,  we need joy and satisfaction from our job. Follow the nine suggestions below if you want to be a great teacher!  No one ever said that teaching is easy; but if done well, it will give you [...]

Many people change careers over 5-7 times during their lifetime. The story below describes David, a 68 year old, who has had 5 careers so far! From serving his country, to translating historical writings and to operating construction equipment, some may say that he’s seen it all. After [...]

The traditional model of our education system is shifting. Many classrooms have integrated hands-on approach to next-level engagement. Our students demand that we review our practices daily. It’s been proven that students want teachers who visibly care about them, engage them in the learning [...]

When it comes to earning a online teaching certification and teaching in private schools there are some misconceptions about the certification. We are here to set the record straight and help you decide which is best for you. Here are some of the facts: Certification positions you as a top [...]

Welcome back to school to all the students and educators around the world! Becoming familiar with new personalities and finding your groove can present some anxiety. We’ve curated a few tips to help you make those first 90 days stress-free while focusing on what counts – guiding the [...]

Before she was serving future teachers in the TeacherReady online teaching certification program, Dr. Sarah Miller spent 17 years in the classroom as a Special Education teacher. Dr. Miller’s experience and background in education give her a unique advantage in building the support [...]

Interview and Job Advice from An Online Teaching Certification Program What does it take to get a teaching job in America? It takes time, know-how, determination, dedication, preparation, patience, self-confidence, stamina, insight, a positive attitude and a proactive spirit. Do more teachers [...]

Providing Students Every Opportunity. Two stories were shared with me this week that reminded me of the passion and purpose to do worthwhile work and to make a difference. Teaching requires a special kind of passion as Dr. Sarah Miller shared in her story about her husband Chris. Did you relate [...]

Online Teaching Certification. Real World Impact.     Jack McMullen helps aspiring teachers earn their teaching certification online. Jack graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor’s in public Relations and then returned to earn a Master’s in Strategic [...]

Through sheer determination and continued perseverance, Paulette is about to complete our online teacher certification program and become a certified Physical Education teacher and coach. Nebraska, Junior High School, 6th grade Paulette was identified as a “special needs” student [...]

It is important that our students have the expertise and support they need for their journey towards becoming successfully equipped, certified teachers. When candidates call our Alternative Online Teaching Certification Program, located in Pensacola, FL, many may not realize the significance of [...]

Advanced Concepts For A Brighter Future: Ahead at Every Turn Now more than ever, education is facing “reform” on a continuous cycle. Though the world’s greatest education leaders attempt to “reinvent” or “reform” education, very little change is actually taking place. Specifically in the United [...]

Pursuing Education: An Alternative Teaching Certification Program to Reach Your Highest Potential A career in education translates to a life of service, fulfillment, and honor. Recently, at the 2018 PACE (Pensacola Area Commitment to Excellence) Awards in Pensacola, FL, this came to fruition [...]

Become A Teacher A study commissioned by Blue Star Families found that 43% of military spouses are jobless. In addition, the study estimates that military spouses who hold a bachelor’s degree earn 40% less and are increasingly underemployed. At TeacherReady®, we are working tirelessly to [...]

Education Changes Lives Throughout history, education has indeed served to change lives. The Ella L. Jordan House, also referred to as “the pink house,” was originally built in the year 1850 for local women of color in the Pensacola, FL community. Education is at the heart of this [...]

A key piece of curriculum in the TeacherReady® Online Certification Program is Using Assessment Data. What makes this specific portion of the online teaching certification process so important? We have found that when teachers effectively use student assessment data in the classroom, they can [...]

TeacherReady® was founded in response to high turnover and attrition within the teaching profession, as well as mass teacher shortages in various areas of the United States. This online teacher certification program offers increased flexibility, allowing aspiring teachers to maintain current [...]

For most of us, the careers we choose align to our passions. This passion is typically derived from a personal life experience that ignites a spark within—something that truly inspires us. For Todd Nemyo, a current TeacherReady® teacher candidate, his desire to earn his online teaching [...]

Dr. Aleta Schexnayder, a TeacherReady® instructor, knew she wanted to become a teacher at the young age of six or seven. Most of us did not know our calling at such an early age, and many of us may still not know. Recognizing your passion and following your calling in life can take time. [...]

Why provide feedback? It is vital to provide feedback to parents that recognizes what students are doing well. We often express what students do wrong, but seldom reward and recognize good performance. Similar to most people, students respond when they are recognized. Using research findings [...]

The Teaching ALWAYS Actions™ are “must do” behaviors in the Student Engagement Framework™ (click here for more on this framework). Below, we present a way for teachers to apply these essential teaching practices: Action 1 Procedures: The ultimate goal is to get the first day of [...]

As we work with teachers, we engage in conversations about domains of teaching. We introduce the Teaching ALWAYS Actions™ as a way of “making the complex, simple.” The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are five actions teachers must do every day in their classrooms to ensure students are [...]

Why I am proud to be a teacher… Growing up, for me, involved a lot of change. I was always interested in becoming an artist or animating for Disney. As I made my way to high school, that began to change. I enrolled in a specialized program for gifted artists that wanted to explore graphic [...]

Learning targets are essential to student success. They ensure students fully understand learning expectations. When creating these targets, it is important to be both strategic and intentional. We take a very systematic approach to developing learning targets, with the help of Bloom’s [...]

For students to learn they need to know what is expected of them and they need to know what success looks like. Therefore, teachers must create and effectively communicate clearly defined learning targets. These targets need to be posted in the same place in the classroom every day. With the [...]

Have a resume built, but need a little help perfecting it? When applying for a teaching position there are a few simple things you can do to make your resume stand out from the rest. Gayle Furlow, TeacherReady® Field Placement Advisor, shares a few key tips to add to your resume and help you [...]

Do you ever stop and think to yourself, “Wow, if I hadn’t had that particular experience, I wouldn’t be in the place and position I am in today?” For Quisha Wesley, a TeacherReady® alumna, this was a familiar and frequent thought that came full circle this month at Studer Education’s℠ What’s [...]

Promote What You Want to See in Your Students for a Happier and Less Stressful Start to the New School Year Students generally respond better to rewards than to verbal scoldings. Rather than getting overtly upset when a student doesn’t remember how to line up on the first week, try verbally [...]

Prepare in Advance for a Happier and Less Stressful Start to the New School Year Experienced teachers know that the sooner they get started collecting and organizing items for their classrooms (or take them out of storage), the better they feel about the first few days of school. Likewise, [...]

Plan for Success For a Happier and Less Stressful Start to the New School Year How do you do this? Consider and answer the following questions in advance of the school year: Look back over the standards appropriate for your grade level and subject matter. Think about those in blocks of [...]

Why? An instructional calendar is a valuable tool for mapping out curriculum standards, to ensure appropriate pacing, and to support student mastery of required content. Creating this instructional calendar is one of the most important things you can do before the school year begins. What? The [...]

What makes a stand-out, successful teacher? In a quick 3-minute video, TeacherReady® instructor, Susan McLeod, shares her insights on being the best teacher you can be for your students. She explains how to be prepared for the unexpected and why you should hold students accountable. “Love [...]

The first 90 days back to school can be filled with stress and anxiety, especially if you are at a brand new school or teaching for the first time. In an attempt to avoid stepping on anyone’s toes, getting on the wrong side of a new co-worker, or making a mistake, it’s often [...]

Back-to-school is almost here! Buying school supplies can be expensive, but you don’t have to break the bank this year. We’ve got you covered. Here are some deals and steals you don’t want to miss for the school year ahead. Tax Free Weekend 2017 Take advantage of Tax [...]

Lesson Development Process When teachers plan lessons, we suggest they view learning through a student’s lens. Effective teachers align the skill set required of a lesson to a student’s learning level. A teacher’s number one goal is to guide students to exceed their expected [...]

A curriculum calendar and lesson plans ensure you are teaching all the necessary material throughout the year. Without these items, you may find yourself behind in teaching all content. We suggest you start the process with a broader curriculum calendar and then develop individual lesson plans. [...]

Building an effective communication plan should be part of the school year planning process. Typically, when teachers are preparing for the first day or week, they treat a communication plan as something that will come together over time. A communication strategy should be carefully developed [...]

An effective management plan is vital to the success and efficiency of your classroom and most importantly, your students. Well thought-out classroom procedures should be in place on day one. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to teach every procedure on that first day. What are the key [...]

Preparing for the First Day: Organizing your classroom Prior to the first day of school, there are many classroom organization details to consider. You want to be sure to have your classroom organized and ready for students to step through the door that first day back. An organized classroom [...]

Structuring Back to School Pre-planning time is limited and there is a lot to do! Determine and prioritize the actions you must take prior to Day 1. It is also important to consider which actions can happen after the first day of school. Some things to begin thinking about are classroom [...]

During the busy school year, it can be easy to forget the impact we, as teachers, may have on each individual student. When the chaos subsides, it is important to reflect on our work and take notice of how we touch the lives of our students. Kara McAlister, a TeacherReady® alumni, reflects on a [...]

Bright Ideas The coaching probes and rounding sessions (as described in the previous two blog posts) provide ways for school leaders to harvest intellectual capital from teachers. Through our research in high need schools, we’ve found that the use of collegial coaches and coaching probe [...]

Rounding In a previous blog post, we discuss the benefit of applying the Coaching Probe Tool with collegial coaches and teacher learning teams to reflect on student success. Rounding is another effective tool to aid teachers in the reflection process. Collegial coaches use various strategies to [...]

Coaching Probes: A collegial coach of a teacher learning team can be someone in the school or someone at another school. Alternatively, the role can rotate from team member to team member in the teacher learning teams. Regardless, the teams work together to create individual or team 30-Day [...]

Reflect on How Well Students are Learning: In performance-driven classrooms, teachers constantly reflect on how well their students are learning. Success should be measured by how well students have learned rather than how well teachers think they taught. Data help teachers know if and when [...]

Students Emotionally Experience Assessments Recently, Who’s Engaged? author Dr. Janet Pilcher was interviewed on The Daily Brew, a show on Pensacola’s BlabTV. In the interview, Dr. Pilcher discussed the changing landscape in education, including the implementation of more complex [...]

Amie Canter TeacherReady® certified teacher, leader, and advocate for students and teachers, Amie Canter, is continuing her work making a positive change in education. Canter’s innovative classroom can serve as an example for fellow teachers of what is working well. She is presenting [...]

Most people have at least one bad habit, if not, more than one. The bad habits can be in their personal lives and in the workplace. Many teachers have bad habits they probably don’t even notice. Some of these bad teaching habits include: Using a textbook as the script for teaching. Saving [...]

A Standout Teacher in the Making Sheri Green, a teacher candidate currently completing the TeacherReady® program, says she always wanted to be a teacher. “I wanted to inspire, motivate, encourage and help develop our children. My biggest motivation was just giving back to our youth, which [...]

What does engaged and effective teaching look like? There is no single definition or bullet point that shows what effective teachers should look like. We do know, effective teaching doesn’t require any fancy programs or cost a lot of money. John Hattie’s evidence-based [...]

We recently wrote a post about the importance (or rather lesser importance) of degree majors. Sure, there are plenty of people who go to school with a laser-focused path. They know exactly what they want to do, and they choose their degree field with calculation and intention. But, that’s [...]

What problem do new teachers face? “Nearly half of all beginning teachers will leave their classrooms within five years, only to be replaced by another fresh-faced educator,” Owen Phillips told nprEd. When asked “What can schools specifically do to address the problem of [...]

When I decided to go to school to be a journalist, I had big dreams. I was going to chase down stories reminiscent of Citizen Kane. I would spend long days ferreting out the truth behind conspiracies and sleepless nights clobbering the keys of a typewriter. I was young. It didn’t take [...]

If you don’t know how your students feel about the environment in your classroom, you should ask them. Our goal as teachers is to create learning environments where students want to learn and gain confidence when they experience success. In order to do this well, teachers must reflect on [...]

A Veteran and Mother in Italy After 20 years in the United States Army, Bernadette Hanley retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. She was living in Italy with her two sons, suddenly finding more time on her hands. She focused her newfound free time on her family, specifically her sons. It wasn’t long [...]

Great teachers reflect on their work to assess what has been successful and what has not. Successful teachers are steadily asking themselves and their students: What’s working well? Are there areas for improvement? Are there barriers that keep me from teaching at my best? Do these [...]

There is a high learning curve during your first year of teaching. We do everything we can to prepare before entering the classroom, but there are somethings you can’t always anticipate. Diana Shenkel, proud TeacherReady Alumni, finished her first year of teaching at Holy Family School in [...]

We all know the end of the school year can get a little crazy with a great deal of activity. The last few weeks are full of testing, recitals, final projects, and so much more. Let’s not forget about Teacher Appreciation Week. This is a week students, parents, and school leaders show [...]

Once the end of the school year rolls around, it can feel like everyone is dragging their feet. Students and teachers can see the light at the end of tunnel and are ready for summer vacation. This can be a challenge because the end of the school year is when all of the major testing happens. [...]

The need for more teachers is a reality school leaders have every year. All over the United States, school leaders are continuously looking to fill teaching positions. Filling these positions has become harder and harder in recent years. Teacher shortage throughout the U.S. Typically, school [...]

For the love of Football Before leaving college, Zack Fleming knew teaching was his passion. He realized this during his collegiate athletic career. Zack wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines and watch the game. While experiencing some significant injuries, he asked his coach what he could [...]

Choosing the right program is extremely important to your development and success as a teacher. It is easy to become overwhelmed with all the options for becoming a teacher, whether it’s other online teaching certification programs or even traditional routes. It is important to weigh all [...]

Remember Bill Nye the Science Guy? He was a staple in my education, and he is still teaching science in a way that makes it fun and understandable. Bill Nye got into our classrooms via a rolling cart, a color tube TV, and a VHS cassette. In the classroom is where he planted a seed that grew [...]

As a parent, you are always trying to help your child in any way possible. You want what’s best for them and you will do whatever it takes to make sure that’s possible. As your child gets older, you seem to have to help them less and less as they become more independent. Here are [...]

What is “rounding”? Rounding is a tactic used in hospitals, and it is one of their most successful practices. Think back to being in a hospital and having the doctor or nurse come around every so often to ask a list of simple questions: How well is your pain being managed? Do you [...]

Communication is key when working with students and their parents. Parents know that their child’s education lies in your hands. Teachers must help to remove the anxiety from parents and a great way to do this is to introduce yourself. This sounds simple, but it can go a long way and [...]

Why would we ever let students lead a conference? After a long year full of hard work, students and teachers want to showcase what they have been doing all year. Teachers and schools always invite parents into classrooms at the beginning of the year for Open House. What about at the end of the [...]

While working in classrooms in the United States and overseas, Spencer Hays discovered his true passion: teaching. Hays has taught several subjects to a range of age groups at different schools. At one point, Hays quit teaching to pursue another opportunity in school administration, be that [...]

If you are starting to feel that career change itch… that nagging thought growing louder and louder: “I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life,”  you are not alone. According to The Wall Street Journal, the average person entering the workforce in 2010 are [...]

Improving student learning is the number one goal for teachers and school leaders. Parents play a major role in achieving this goal.  It is vital for parents to be partners in their child’s education. We work with thousands of teachers, everyday. Here is what they shared with us when we [...]

A community comes together for the students Katie Blomquist, an Elementary School teacher in North Charleston, South Carolina recognized a need for the students of Pepperhill Elementary. Blomquist set out to get each student at Pepperhill a brand new bike. To raise the money, she was going to [...]

Open House is a highly anticipated event for teachers and parents. Kim Rhodes, TeacherReady® Instructor, held a webinar to help teachers host a successful Open House where they can establish a bond with parents. Rhodes shared some of her best tips for maximizing Open House as the first [...]

To achieve improved student learning, it is important to enlist the parents of our students as partners in the teaching and learning process. High School Teachers Make Phone Calls to Parents Some high schools may be reluctant to consider positive phone calls to parents, but one of our local [...]

Amie Canter, TeacherReady Alumni, is turning the traditional classroom experience on its head. Amie became a certified teacher through the TeacherReady program in 2011. Ever since, she has been changing the way her students learn in her ground-breaking class: Advanced Concepts for a Better [...]

Students are challenged when tasked with developing assessments. In order for students to be successful test makers, they need to know how to apply good criteria to create accurate and quality assessment tools. How to Set Students Up For Success Before we ask students to develop assessments, we [...]

As teachers, how do we become better and better each day? We want to be the best we can possibly be so we can improve student performance and increase student achievement. Five Tips to Increase Student Achievement Align instructions to learning standards. Instructions for an assignment should [...]

When Jason Walters retired from the military, he knew he wasn’t finished serving. While in the Army, Walters coached little league baseball and football. He discovered he had a passion for teaching and watching his students learn and improve. Jason knew, then, that he wanted to continue [...]

What is a Minute Paper? The Minute Paper is a feedback tool that teachers can use with their students to help get feedback about themselves while also giving students a chance to self-reflect. This tool gives students the opportunity to reflect on the day and where they are in the learning [...]

When students don’t have benchmarks to compare their work, there’s no opportunity for feedback until their work is reviewed by the teacher. If given the opportunity, students have the potential to recognize their own learning gaps through “Meeting of the Minds.” Why hold [...]

The Bureau of Educator Recruitment is offering a unique opportunity for aspiring teachers to break into the field. If you are not yet certified, you can get into the classroom and then work towards teacher certification. Educator Preparation Institutes, like TeacherReady, make it possible for [...]

The Story Behind St. Patrick’s Day When you start to see people decked in green clothing and shamrocks, you can be certain that St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner. St. Patrick’s Day occurs every year on March 17th. This Irish-centered holiday is celebrated all around the [...]

Students Teach Students: A Method to Improve Learning “While we teach, we learn,” said the Roman philosopher, Seneca. When we give students a concept to teach, students learn what they know and what they don’t know. Teachers in successful classrooms often recruit their students as teachers. How [...]

Students want to be rewarded and recognized for their performances. Once given positive feedback, students will respond better to all feedback given. Ideas for Providing Positive Feedback Send thank you notes to students. If a student receives a thank you note expressing your appreciation for a [...]

In performance-driven classrooms, teachers constantly reflect on how well their students are learning. They collect and analyze information about student learning, to use in focused conversations with students. This helps teachers know if and when they need to re-teach the content, provide more [...]

A flipped classroom is when what happens in the classroom and what happens at home are basically “flipped.”  Students listen to lectures, read lessons, and complete guided practice at home and then come into school ready to practice and review what they have learned with the teacher.  Homework [...]

1. Provide Feedback to Recognize Good Performance We often express what students do wrong, and rarely recognize them for good performance. Most people respond better when positively encouraged. When trying to give feedback to students, be sure to recognize good performance. Here are some [...]

Effective Teacher GPA The Effective Teacher GPA is a great tool for teachers to use to help measure teaching effectiveness in the classroom. As a teacher, how well do you think you generally perform the following items? I judge my ability to teach by how well my students learn rather than how [...]

Happy Read Across America Day! March 2nd is Read Across America Day. If you are thinking “but, I’m a math teacher”: not so fast. “It’s common to believe that literacy instruction is solely the charge of language arts teachers,” says Rebecca Alber in an [...]

Why Give Feedback and Use Formative Assessment? When you provide feedback to your students in creative and fun ways, they are more likely to succeed.             D. Royce Sadler, a Professor Emeritus of Higher Education at Griffith University, points out that students must be able to recognize [...]

Building relationships make a difference Checking in with your students makes such a difference. Not only does is it improve student grades, but it is also key to building relationships between teachers and students. According to edutopia, checking in with your students is a technique used for [...]

Why hold teacher-student conferences? As teachers, we know there are so many things to get done in a school day. It can sometimes be overwhelming to think of trying to add anything else to that list. Teacher-student conferences can be the most valuable time we spend in a day or week. [...]

If something is important enough to give an assignment, it should be important enough to assess. Many teachers hear the word asses and their minds immediately go to grading, and how dreadful it can be to grade every assignment. An easy way for teachers to assess, not grade, is by using [...]

Six Traits To Help Meet Students Expectations As teachers, we always want try to meet students expectations by create learning environments where students want to learn and gain confidence as they experience success. We do this by building the teacher-student relationship. For this to happen, [...]

How much is too much? The answer is you can never check for student understanding too much. Frequency is key when trying to asses where students are during a lesson. Many teachers struggle to decide how often to check for understanding of the material at hand. According to KIPP:Blog: Check for [...]

This week Florida State Parks highlighted Black History Month by encouraging folks to “celebrate Black History Month in Florida State Parks” with “travel through the state’s many cultural and historically significant sites.” In the message, the Parks share cultural [...]

Science intersects with art at the STEAM 2017 Art Exhibition at the University of West Florida. STEAM represents science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. The art exhibition invites students and their teachers to explore the integration of these fields. Here’s a bit more [...]

Celebrate a Truly Amazing Teacher. Each year in January our leaders celebrate colleagues who embody and live a decade-long commitment of our mission and standards of behavior. We celebrate these individuals as truly amazing colleagues who make a difference in education and healthcare. This is [...]

One goal for school leaders and teachers is to improve student learning. To achieve improved student learning, it is important to enlist the parents of our students as partners in the teaching and learning process. As school leaders or teachers, there are many ways we can create opportunities [...]

If you think about feedback and student emotions together, test anxiety might come to mind. Most teachers, parents, and students are familiar with the apprehension that builds up to an assessment, but emotions play a much larger role in learning. The student’s anxiety about [...]

  Develop excellent teachers by coaching them to consistently execute a set of actions built on clinical expertise and experience from professional practice.  How to Lead Teachers to Become Great (Read Chapter 1) recognizes that great school leaders and great teachers make great schools. [...]

In her book Who’s Engaged? Dr. Janet Pilcher writes, here is what we know. Students emotionally experience assessments (p. 35). What does this mean for teachers and parents? We are responsible for knowing where, when and how these emotions occur. The question Janet asked herself at the end of [...]

Recognize and Reward. As educators, we’re responsible for shepherding Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z and giving them the tools to attain their personal and professional goals.[1] Each of these groups shares as many commonalities as they do differences. Our students come from vastly [...]

  School leaders and teacher leaders must train and support teachers to get student learning results that last. Training and support begins with communicating expectations to teachers. Just as we communicate expectations for student learning to our students in our classrooms, a school [...]

Using Assessment Data in the Classroom. As teachers, we have so many tools at our disposal that it can become overwhelming to sort through all the items in the toolbox and select the one that will most benefit our students. So often I have found myself planning that perfect lesson for my [...]

Make Gratitude Part of Your Classroom Culture. Across the United States this week many of us will visit with family and friends in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. As we “give thanks” and share stories of gratitude, this week’s Quick Reads challenges us to make gratitude part of [...]

Write Clear Learning Objectives for Student Achievement. Dr. Wes Gordon presents on writing clear, data-driven, learning objectives to drive student achievement. Learn how to assess without teaching to the test, lesson plan, and help students take ownership of their learning. In the [...]

What Mentor Teachers are Saying. Our experience preparing new teachers over the last 11 years shows the relationship between a teacher candidate and his/her clinical educator or mentor teacher grounds the development of the teacher candidate and helps to solidify the teacher candidate’s [...]

School District HR Employee Seeks to Become a Teacher. We recently caught up with TeacherReady teacher candidate, Aimee Kirkpatrick, a clerk in the human resources department in an Alabama school district. Aimee is setting the stage to earn a professional teaching license and apply to one of [...]

As teachers and leaders we want to move our low performing students to middle- and high-performing and move middle-performers to high performers. To do this we focus on consistent feedback and formative assessment; these are actions teachers take every day to become better and better teachers [...]

   Teach in Alabama. We recently caught up with one of our 2015 TeacherReady graduates, Keith Owens. Upon completing TeacherReady and earning his professional teaching certificate in Florida, Keith was hired to teach Business Education at the high school level in Alabama that summer. This [...]

  Retaining New Teachers. The school leaders and clinical educators / mentor teachers we work with in TeacherReady know the best way for new and early career teachers to learn and grow their skills is to complete tasks themselves with coaching and support from them. School leaders and [...]

The gift of knowledge has no boundaries, or state lines.  Education is a universal gift that remains in high-demand, presenting unique opportunities for teachers to seek international positions. Like many other educators we connect with, TeacherReady teacher Tom Gates wanted to teach [...]

The Art of Teaching. Mr. Stephen Freer is a 7th Grade English Language Arts Teacher and Level Leader, and Middle School Debate Coach in Istanbul, Turkey. This is his sixth year teaching at the Hisar School! What a pleasure it was for us to welcome Stephen and his early career teaching [...]

Extend Your Professional Learning Network. Today I was connecting with a few of our TeacherReady instructors and in doing so enjoyed the following “revelation” in an email exchange from Dr. Kim Thomas, an assistant principal: One of our new teachers this year was in one of my [...]

TeacherReady celebrates World Teachers Day by recognizing our teacher candidates and Mentors around the world, and thanking teachers who have made a difference in our lives. For more than 20 years, the annual celebration of World Teachers Day has aimed to support and appreciate teachers and [...]

Love Teaching, Love Education. There’s a section in Liz Jazwiec’s book Eat That Cookie: Make Workplace Positivity Pay Off… For Individuals, Teams and Organizations, that is titled “Stop Beating Up on Healthcare.” In it Jazwiec talks about how there is no one harder on healthcare than the people [...]

Refer a Friend! Know someone who would make a great teacher? Now is a critical time for the education profession! We’re seeing calls for high-stakes accountability, fewer new professionals entering the field, and continued requests for schools to do more to educate the whole child while not [...]

The University of West Florida’s TeacherReady has worked with individuals who want to become teachers by offering them an opportunity to earn a professional teaching certificate. These students live across all 50 states and in 95 different countries. Today, we share some experiences of [...]

Teaching requires a special kind of passion. It is the kind that is unmistakable; the kind that spreads to students, parents, and the community. These are the teachers that light a fire in their students. Their passion makes them a success in the classroom. Find your passion Chris started his [...]

As I read an assignment today from one of our teacher candidates in Lesson 3, I was reminded of the importance of reward and recognition as a feedback process in our classrooms. As teachers, we harvest wins with reward and recognition! At the beginning of this week we mentioned that everyone [...]

Teaching Gratitude Changes the World. Each year in August our friends at Studer Education showcase select school district executives and their leadership teams at What’s Right in Education in Chicago. In 2016, more than 200 educational leaders attended. The event’s Twitter feed (#WRIE) [...]

Teaching Gives Life Chances to Children. Each year in August our friends at Studer Education showcase select school district executives and their leadership teams at What’s Right in Education in Chicago. In 2016, more than 200 educational leaders attended. The event’s Twitter feed (#WRIE) [...]

Earlier this month we received a letter from a proud educator sharing about the Satsuma City System Teacher of Year Nicole Salter White. Nicole completed TeacherReady in 2012, earning her professional teaching certificate in social studies. An excerpt from the letter:   The letter began, [...]

This time of year is always so exciting for us! As TeacherReady prepares new teachers for the new school year and beyond, we also wanted to take time to welcome teachers back to the new school year, thank them and their school leaders for representing one of the greatest professions on the [...]

Over the last two years, TeacherReady has helped many individuals residing in India to earn their professional teaching certificate. In fact, India is one of the 95 different countries represented by teacher candidates (students) and teachers earning their professional certificate with [...]

Ever thought about having a gratitude station in your classroom? A gratitude station provides an opportunity for students (and teachers and school leaders) to share a “Thank You” to someone who made a difference in their day, their life. A gratitude station setup in your classroom [...]

Summative Assessments. The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are ‘must do’ behaviors or essential teaching practices teachers must do every day in their classrooms to ensure students are engaged and therefore, learning. See earlier posts about the Teaching ALWAYS Actions from last week at Action 1: [...]

Feedback. The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are ‘must do’ behaviors or essential teaching practices teachers must do every day in their classrooms to ensure students are engaged and therefore, learning. See earlier posts from this week for Action 1: Procedures, Action 2: Targets, and Action 3: [...]

Practice. The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are ‘must do’ behaviors or essential teaching practices teachers must do every day in their classrooms to ensure students are engaged and therefore, learning. See earlier posts from this week for Action 1: Procedures and Action 2: Targets. Action 3: [...]

Targets. The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are ‘must do’ behaviors or essential teaching practices teachers must do every day in their classrooms to ensure students are engaged and therefore, learning. See yesterday’s blog for Action 1: Procedures. Action 2: Targets Show and communicate the [...]

Procedures. The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are ‘must do’ behaviors or essential teaching practices teachers must do every day in their classrooms to ensure students are engaged and therefore, learning. Action 1: Procedures Have a well-managed classroom with very well-defined classroom rules and [...]

Today is the first day of school in Santa Rosa County School District, Florida, and Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick was on this morning’s news sharing his excitement welcoming students, their parents, and teachers and staff on opening day. During the interview on WEAR television, the [...]

One of the new additions to the TeacherReady curriculum is an activity that has teacher candidates preparing for the first days of school by creating a classroom mission statement. The activity includes sample classroom mission statements from one of our partner school districts, and provides [...]

Today we celebrate TeacherReady in the News! Thanks to Pensacola News Journal reporter Thomas St. Myer for connecting with us at TeacherReady to learn more about alternative certification and its influence on teacher preparation. TeacherReady is state-approved and is a member of the NCATE [...]

Today kids in our hometown of Pensacola, Florida, in the Escambia County School District headed back to school. They were greeted with welcome back messages on school marquees, and smiley-face cookies, and great teachers and great leaders! Great leaders and teachers create a great school [...]

Meet TeacherReady teacher Laura Corder. Ms. Corder earned a professional teaching certificate through TeacherReady, an online alternative certification program and a member of the NCATE accredited educator preparation institute of the University of West Florida. As an alternative certification [...]

As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends, it’s likely that we have all celebrated Back to School with youngsters in our lives. In the book How Will You Measure Your Life, Christensen and his colleagues think about various aspects of their lives by asking what job they expect [...]

Thus far in 2016, TeacherReady has helped 36 individuals from Colorado earn their professional teaching certificate in Florida, and many of these are Service Members and Veterans. TeacherReady is state-approved and a member of the nationally accredited professional education unit at the [...]

Meet TeacherReady teacher Sara Rabb at Oakcrest Elementary School in the Escambia County School District, Florida. Ms. Rabb earned a professional teaching certificate through TeacherReady, an online alternative certification program and a member of the NCATE accredited educator preparation [...]

One of the requirements for earning a professional teaching certificate in the State of Florida is successfully passing the three Florida Teacher Certification Examinations or FTCEs. We often receive requests for resources and assistance from future teachers preparing for the FTCEs. Although we [...]

Educators are often asked, why did you go into education? Today in Chicago at What’s Right in Education, Dr. Pat Greco, Superintendent of Menomonee Falls School District shared it’s “to give life chances to children.” We also asked this question to our colleagues. Below [...]

TeacherReady engages with students and teacher candidates who teach abroad in 95 different countries! Excited to work with them and provide them an opportunity to get certified. Here’s what a few of them shared about their TeacherReady experience. “Having just completed your course [...]

Teach in China! Check out this video from Silas, one of our TeacherReady teachers, who is teaching in China. Whether you’re teaching in China or across the globe, TeacherReady provides an opportunity to earn a professional teaching certificate from the State of Florida in as few as 9 [...]

Great teachers make great schools. They are the ones who work tirelessly to help students learn, grow, and achieve, the ones who make sure parents are satisfied with their children’s learning experience, the ones who never give up. Our focus at TeacherReady is to assist new teachers be [...]

At Hunt Elementary School in Jackson, Michigan, Principal Raczkowski-Shannon says to show our commitment to students, “We let students and their parents know that we do care about their children. We have a flyer posted outside of every classroom or on the door that is signed by each teacher [...]

Teaching methodology is a widely discussed topic in the education world.  Who’s Engaged? introduces The Learning Ladder. As part of the 30 day lesson development process teachers establish an overall learning goal that is represented at the top of the ladder. Teachers then create daily targets [...]

1. Pay it Forward Pay it Forward. “I became a teacher because of my 11th grade American History teacher who worked to make us think she was crazy,” says Dr. Robin Largue. “She marched as the British marched on Breed’s Hill and played the National Anthem with the birth of the nation. Her class [...]

The Teaching ALWAYS Actions are part of the curriculum and are actions that a teacher must do each day to be successful in creating an engaged classroom where students are learning. Action 2: Targets! Check out Action 1: Procedures here. Targets: Show and communicate the learning targets of the [...]

Our goal at TeacherReady is to help our teacher candidates earn a professional teaching certificate in the State of Florida and become successful first year teachers. The TeacherReady curriculum was developed with the assistance of national board certified teachers and is grounded in research [...]

Meet Master Sergeant Matthew Knight, United States Marine Corps Reserves and Physical Education teacher at Indian Peaks Elementary School, Denver, Colorado. In his drive to become a classroom teacher, Matthew participated in the Troops to Teachers program. Matthew represents one of the [...]

Interested in becoming a teacher? Individuals can earn K12 teaching credentials while earning a master’s degree, thanks to a continued partnership between CSU-Global and TeacherReady. Since 2014, more than 160 adults have engaged in the CSU-Global / TeacherReady partnership for an opportunity [...]

Chronically Disengaged is part of the title in a Forbes article. The author cites research that links student academic motivation with four conditions; three relate to when students:   feel competent enough to complete the task at hand; see a direct link between their actions and an outcome; [...]

Be a teacher. No matter what one’s profession, one might argue that all of us are teachers; that is, all of us seek to engage others in something—carpentry, government, gardening, a product, the legal system, chemistry, reading, communicating—where the “something” often represents our passion [...]

Communicating with key words helps teachers maximize the potential influence of feedback they provide to students. Similarly, how teachers use key words can also help them maximize parent-teacher interactions. The following video highlights the power of (using key) words. In TeacherReady, we [...]

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and today we share from students… Teachers Matter. [#TeachersMatter]. Students are fortunate to to have many great teachers that help them become engaged learners and make a difference in their lives. The student voices today help us to see that teachers matter; [...]

As the U.S. celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week and National Military Appreciation month, our colleagues at TeacherReady share their continued commitment to Service men and women, their families, and the education programs and centers of the military. Nearly 900 active duty, reserve, and [...]

“Don’t let teachable moments get away” offers Susan McLeod, a National Board Certified Teacher with more than 25 years in the classroom and a TeacherReady instructor. Offering this advice now, after she was taught it by her mentor teacher as a student teacher: You should love [...]

Collaborate with Special Education Teachers. As a special education teacher, I fought against the idea that the kids with special needs were “my kids” and all the rest of the kids were the general education teacher’s kids almost every day of my career.  When I am in a classroom, I pay attention [...]

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Marianne Perez, Media Relations Manager 858.513.9240 x11636 · marianne.perez@ashford.edu   Ashford University Launches New Instructional Practice Specialization for Master of Arts in Education Degree Program Ashford forms partnership with TeacherReady® that will prepare [...]

Incorporate Movement into Your Classroom. Currently, it is believed that getting kids moving in the classroom is essential to maintaining engagement.  This is also a way of reaching kids who learn kinesthetically or through actually doing an activity instead of reading about it.  This does not [...]

Learn Antonyms! Not sure about you, but as an elementary teacher I sometimes think, “Pseudonyms and Antonyms and Synonyms, Oh My!” Are your students confused? Here’s a great activity that is played similar to the game Simon Says. In this game, however, whatever “Aunt [...]

Earlier today I was reminded of my student teaching experience when a Mentor suggested to me that it would be helpful to focus on “limiting movement during content delivery” as a means of limiting distractions. If you’re anything like me, I was focused on discovering ways to [...]

Teachers are amazing people.  We constantly push and rediscover ourselves as the education system changes and develops. We lose sleep over kids that are in our classroom; we never stop believing in them. Check out this video from The Teaching Channel (here or by clicking on the image below): [...]

  What if you could change your life? “Well, you can,” says Special Education teacher Serena Matarazzo. “If you think that you are not contributing enough to the betterment of society or wondering how you could make a difference, consider inspiring young minds!” She [...]

Great school leaders and great teachers make great schools. To get there, school leaders must recruit, retain, coach, and support effective teaching in their schools. To create school environments where students want to learn and are inspired to achieve, school leaders [must] first recognize [...]

One way teachers engage students across their individual classrooms at the beginning of a school year is by collaborating to create a Class Mission Statement. The Mission Statement activity is an opportunity: for teachers to get to know students and begin building a relationship with each of [...]

The Colorado Department of Education (DOE) regards TeacherReady, a state approved and nationally accredited teacher preparation program affiliated with the University of West Florida, for initial teacher certification licensure in Colorado and its teachers “highly qualified.” More than 316 [...]

Educators change lives. There are many reasons why candidates, just like you, choose our flexible online teaching certification program. However, all have the same purpose behind the decision: to pursue a passion in teaching and make a difference. Why have you decided to enter our online [...]

Be a Brand Ambassador! When’s the last time your school district sent you an email like this? Please share the following press release with your [social] network. You can do this by… We encourage all employees to be brand ambassadors and share Huron content. When’s the last [...]

Recognize Student Strengths. Today’s Exercise asks teachers to reflect on whether they consistently recognize student strengths. Historically, teachers have encouraged unsuccessful learners to act in particular ways by using grades as a punishment tool, such as assigning zeros on [...]

Respect Teaching. Not sure if you saw the most recent video of six-year old Joahnna engaging with the lyrics of Aretha Franklin’s Respect, but it’s quite spectacular to see how this young dancer channels the song’s message in her expressions:   Wouldn’t it be great [...]

At a graduation I attended in Kentucky on Saturday morning when the principal asked all the kids “who are college and career ready” to please stand, a large majority of the graduates stood up. This small school (total number of graduating seniors was 104) highlights the college and [...]

I want to be a teacher! It’s close to the end of the school year, so let’s connect our heart and mind with “Career Pride,” and what it means to love leading and learning in schools. Below are five quick reads on the topic of why I want to be a teacher: “The ability to [...]

Students’ progression from one learning target to another works best when students receive descriptive feedback to help them improve. Provide feedback to recognize good performance. As teachers think about how we generally perform two teaching actions related to feedback: My students receive [...]

The power of identification is often the jumping off point for individuals on their way to achieving great results. As educators, we might argue that without the power of identification nothing can be accomplished. Celebrated, yet now deceased renowned educator Rita Pierson, conveyed this in a [...]

What’s the problem with new teachers? “Nearly half of all beginning teachers will leave their classrooms within five years, only to be replaced by another fresh-faced educator” Phillips told nprEd. When asked “What can schools specifically do to address the problem of [...]

Key words help teachers maximize their interactions with students and parents. When teachers key word messages to students and to parents, we provide clear communication, whether it be of expectations or to reduce anxiety about the first day of school, or testing. For this reason and many [...]

We’re heading into the final weeks and months of school—often a time for celebrating high-achievement among colleagues and students. This time of year reinforces what it means to love teaching and learning in schools. This post offers an opportunity to connect our heart and mind via [...]

Educators are resourceful. Think about it. As K12 educators, we share lesson plans, bulletin board ideas, and partner with local businesses and the local community to get supplies for our kids and classrooms. As university educators, we often recruit practitioners to come to our classrooms and [...]

What if the call to action is at the instructional level – teachers responding to their coaches’ question, “What can we do to better assist you meet your instructional goals?” Engage teachers using online survey tools. Below is an example how instructional coaches at one [...]

Dr. Janet Pilcher began her career as an educator in the late 80s as a high school mathematics teacher and tennis coach at Woodham High School in the Escambia County School District (FL). This was the same school she attended as a kid growing up in Pensacola! She reflects on this time [...]

Students’ progression from one learning target to another works best when they receive descriptive feedback to help them improve. This means teachers should provide descriptive feedback. As a teacher, think about how you generally perform these two teaching actions related to feedback:  “…my [...]

It has been five years since The International Educator reported findings from Gates Foundation research that the “key to better learning is more effective teaching and better-prepared teachers” (October 2009). Although a review of research since this time reports inconsistency in the [...]

Often times it can be difficult to see the changes and the differences we’re making in the lives of students each and every day. Recently, a TeacherReady student teaching abroad in Thailand reminded us of why we do what we do to help teachers do what they do each and every single day. I [...]

Join us in celebrating TeacherReady alumna and current TeacherReady Field Placement Advisor, Tatiana Phan-Lung Keith! Tatiana who is from Peru, was one of sixty-eight people from more than 30 different countries becoming a U.S. Citizen today. During the ceremony a seventh grader from J. H. [...]

“I had 30 years of experience working with young people, but had never been a classroom teacher.” – Ms. Lillian Pfluke, TeacherReady alumna  Ms. Pfluke is one of more than 900 TeacherReady alumni teaching in 49 different states and 71 countries. As a second career teacher, Ms. Pfluke [...]

TeacherReady is the state of Florida approved Educator Preparation Institute of the NCATE accredited Professional Education Unit at the University of West Florida. At the completion of TeacherReady, you can transfer up to 6 hours to the University of West Florida’s comprehensive master’s [...]

ESL Job Link is a teacher recruitment agency based in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Our mission is to help teachers find reputable teaching jobs in South Korea. We are excited to partner with TeacherReady because our partner schools in South Korea are eager to hire certified teachers. TeacherReady is [...]

The Scientist in the Classroom Partnership (SCP) Program is a partnership between Vanderbilt University and Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools focused on enhancing the teaching and learning of STEM in elementary and middle school classrooms. All participants in the program are graduate [...]