TEACH Magazine

Classroom Perspectives

The Value of Accessing Professional Development in Your First Years of Teaching

After my first week of being in a long-term occasional role, it became very clear to me that learning about being in the classroom is not the same as actually being in the classroom.

Deanna Gerjol - September 17, 2025

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Back to School

The First Six Weeks: Laying the Foundation for a Successful Middle School Year

The first six weeks of a new school year are essential. In middle school classrooms, those weeks are not just a warm-up. Rather, they are the foundation on which the entire school year is built.

Classroom Perspectives

Social Media, but with Paragraphs: Using Substack to Reflect and Connect

After 17 years of mostly reflection-free teaching, I’ve finally found the perfect space to force myself to stop, step back, and think about what I’m teaching. That place is Substack.

Classroom Management

Breathe, Focus, and Learn: 3 Simple Exercises That Prepare Students for Academic Success

When practiced regularly, breathing techniques can become powerful self-regulation tools that serve students throughout their academic lives and beyond.

Mental Health & Well-being

Professional and Present: Creating Healthy Boundaries in Your First Year of Teaching

Early in your teaching career, there are many areas in which you should consider establishing boundaries. Here are three that should be at the top of your list.

Classroom Management

Ditch the Desk and Embrace the Flex

I began the school year in a classroom with eighteen standard desks. Today, I have none. This isn’t a lament about budgetary constraints or overcrowded classrooms; it’s a deliberate choice.

Back to School

The Secret to a Quiet Lunch Break: Building Student Relationships

The trick to not using all your personal days during the first month of school is to focus on stopping bad behavior before it starts, instead of punishing students after the fact.

Back to School

Back-to-School Must-Haves: Transform Your Classroom with These Indispensable Items

With the right tools and products at your side, you can turn the chaotic transition from summer break back to school into a smooth ride.

Special Education

3 Places to Buy Sensory Toys Online for Special Needs Students

Explore sensory toys that support focus, calming, and skill-building for students with special needs—plus where to find them online.

Back to School

How to Tame a Chaotic School Cafeteria: 7 Tips for Managing Lunchroom Behavior

Let’s face it—most staff don’t willingly volunteer for cafeteria duty. But with a few thoughtful tweaks, lunch doesn’t have to be the noisiest, most dreaded 30 minutes of the day.

Education News

Book Lists

The Birth of StoryQuest™: Storytelling Framework Reignites Writing Confidence in Students

September 18, 2025 0

“The Adventures of Gabriel,” a book co-authored by an 11-year-old boy and his mom, has blossomed into StoryQuest™, an emotional literacy initiative piloted in the U.K.

Black Voices

Talking Educational Equity with Bush Fellow Marvis Kilgore

September 16, 2025 0

A dedicated teacher and educational equity strategist, Marvis Kilgore is passionate about increasing Black male representation in teaching. In our conversation, he shares his vision for transforming education.

Back to School

Student Sleep Health Week Highlights the Powerful Connection Between Sleep and Well-Being

September 15, 2025 0

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is hosting its sixth annual Student Sleep Health Week from September 15–19, bringing together families, educators, and community groups to highlight the importance of healthy sleep for students of all ages.

Education News

Supporting the Next Generation of AI-Native Learners

September 12, 2025 0

The question is no longer should students use AI, but rather: What skills do we equip students with to prepare them for a future where AI is a part of their life?

American Studies

New Book Offers the First Comprehensive History of Sex Ed in America

September 8, 2025 0

Sex ed in schools is about much more than just health. It’s about reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equity—and it matters now more than ever.

Classroom Perspectives

How Cooperative Learning Made Me A Better Teacher

January 1, 2015 0

Let’s begin with the realization that what we all inherently understand is indeed true: kids are different today than they were when we were younger. You hear this stated by colleagues and, if you’re like me, from your own mouth quite frequently. The fact is, they are.

A Lesson on Empathy: Refugees and the UN Rights of a Child

November 1, 2020 0

During our staff meeting that afternoon, my colleagues and I learned our school had six new students who were Syrian refugees.

Unseen Struggles: The Obstacles to Diagnosing Learning Disabilities in Children

November 13, 2024 0

It is not uncommon for a student to struggle with newly learned material. The question we need to ask is when does it become problematic?

Techexpertise: The Digital Starter Kit

September 1, 2020 0

As teachers, we’ve been given the role to navigate what technology now looks like in our classrooms. At my school we have developed a model to support technology use.

The Figurative Language Fashion Show: Where Words Walk the Runway

May 1, 2025 0

Getting kids to write in this day and age, where entertainment is merely a swipe away, can be like asking them to eat their vegetables.

The Value of Diversity: A Poetic Celebration of Asian Heritage Month

May 1, 2022 0

In honour of Asian American Heritage Month, which is celebrated every May, I tasked the students in my three Asian American Literature classes with a special project.

Shaking Up Shakespeare: Digital Tools for Digital Students

July 1, 2022 0

Many students dread reading Shakespeare because they think his works have nothing to do with their 21st century interests.

How Data Sharing Can Help Struggling Readers

May 1, 2017 0

When I first created the reading test, it was supposed to simply track student progress. But I quickly discovered that sharing the results of my personal tracking system with students has completely changed their engagement and motivation levels.

The Value of Accessing Professional Development in Your First Years of Teaching

September 17, 2025 0

After my first week of being in a long-term occasional role, it became very clear to me that learning about being in the classroom is not the same as actually being in the classroom.

Reading Lists

Shining a Spotlight on 10 Banned Books

Kelsey McCallum -

As groups, government entities, parents, and individuals continue to raise issues about the content of certain books, it’s important to consider the impact this will have on our students.

8 Books to Read During Latin American Heritage Month

Rae Sarathy -

In honour of Latin American Heritage Month, here are some books that promote diversity and celebrate Latin American experiences.

A Truth and Reconciliation Reading List: 10 Books for K–12 Students

Nupur Bagoria -

To help you generate meaningful discussions for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we’ve compiled a list of books about Indigenous history, culture, and resilience.

Back to School

Flipped Classrooms Explained: Learn at Home, Practice in Class

Meagan Gillmore - 0

Teachers are constantly look for ways to make best use of their limited class time. That’s one reason why many have taken to “flipping” their classrooms in recent years.

Effective Strategies for Managing Split Grade Classes

Meagan Gillmore - 0

Newfoundland and Labrador to introduce split-grade classes in 2016–2017, raising concerns among parents about academic and social impact.

Why Lining Up Is Good for Students (and Schools)

Laura Mooiman - 0

Something as simple as lining up can bring clarity, consistency, and connection, benefiting not just students, but staff as well.

Meet the Parents: Navigating the Challenges of High-Maintenance Families

Alex Newman - 0

Most parents are rational, reasonable, and respectful, but it’s those high maintenance ones that every teacher dreads. And the situation seems to be worsening each year.

4 Memory Training Apps to Start the School Year With

TEACH Magazine - 0

After summer holidays, getting back into study mode can be a struggle. These apps can help get students' memory wheels turning again.

Top Tips for Parent-Teacher Interviews

Meagan Gillmore - 0

Preparing for parent-teacher interviews can be as stressful, especially because teachers often receive little training.

Back to School

Break the Ice: The Ultimate Back-to-School Toolkit

Here are six simple icebreaker activities, as recommended by K–12 educators, that are sure to help make this back-to-school season your best one yet.

Behaviour Management

Movement in the Classroom

After teaching at an alternative middle school for the past 4 years, the one thing I constantly hear from new students is: “We can move around in your room and not get in trouble?

Dealing with Aggression in the Classroom

It seems that when education becomes a less positive experience, school climate suffers, and students become angrier and more confrontational.

Should Schools Suspend Suspensions?

A growing chorus of educators and researchers have lately come together to urge schools away from suspension as a way to tame repeat classroom offenders.

The Art of Communication: Interpreting Student Drawings

Teachers are currently under an increasing amount of pressure to interpret their students’ drawings and better understand what can indicate a potential threat.

ADHD: Naughty or Neurological?

For K–12 teachers, children who exhibit the signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can present a significant classroom challenge.

Failure to Communicate: Ending School Violence

What can be done when facing violence in the classroom? There is no one right answer. It often depends on the student and their individual needs.

How to Calm Explosive Student Behaviour

An inability to function socially or emotionally is as much of a learning disability as the inability to read. The tragedy of our time is that few people recognize it as such.

The End of Discipline in the Classroom

The current thinking on discipline is preemptive, rather than reactive. Change how you run your classroom, experts suggest, and discipline issues will no longer be a problem.

Get Moving: Helping to Close the Phys Ed. Gap

Although physical education may be on the decline, experts say there are a number of ways for K–12 teachers to help get kids moving.

Field Trips

6 Indigenous Cultural Centres to Inspire Young Minds

Nupur Bagoria -

These cultural centres and heritage sites allow students to respectfully engage with the stories and perspectives of Indigenous peoples across Canada.

7 Immersive Art Adventures for Kids

Nupur Bagoria -

Art education works best when it’s interactive, engaging, and yes, even a little messy.

Start the School Year off Right with These 10 Team-Building Field Trips

Kelsey McCallum -

Team-building exercises encourage students to work together to solve a common goal, all while developing communication, problem-solving, and even leadership skills.

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