Women in Education Leadership Conference – 4 helpful takeaways

Women in Education Leadership Conference – 4 helpful takeaways

by | Dec 13, 2022 | Leadership

Women in Education Leadership Conference – 4 helpful takeaways

This blog post is a little different from my others. Earlier this year I attended an online conference run by Janine Stratford called ‘The Leading Edge: Women in Education Conference’.

The conference was designed to provide personal insight and practical strategies specifically for women in education who are ready to take the next step in their career and progress into various leadership roles. 

During the conference I learnt so much about my own leadership style and things I should watch out for and be aware of during my leadership roles. In this blog post I am going to share my key takeaways and some of the immense value I got out of the course.

Women in Education Conference

women in education leadership conference

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If you are interested in doing this course and progressing your career I will put the details at the bottom of this blog post for you. I am not an affiliate for this course nor do I earn any commission from it – I am simply writing about it because I recognise the value it provided and I can wholeheartedly recommend it for any other woman wanting to progress their career in educational leadership.

A little about the presenter –

Janine Stratford

Apart from the insightful content (which I will get to soon), Janine Stratford’s experience and passion for helping other women achieve their leadership goals brings the course a high level of credibility. Janine is a Leadership Coach and Career Strategist with a particular passion for supporting women and school leaders across Australia and New Zealand. 

Janine caters to people at all levels in the education profession whether they are aspiring, stepping into leadership, or experiencing challenges in a new or current leadership role. Her focus is to support leaders in being role models for others, to lead with clarity and confidence and being both consistent and considered in their approach and interactions. 

Janine also assists educators to realise their career aspirations through strategically planning their next steps to bring their goals and future plans to life. She critiques applications and CVs and prepares applicants for the interview process.

Her conference, ‘The Leading Edge: Women in Education Conference’ runs three times a year, in May, August and October. 

Women in Education Conference 

The Leading Edge:

Women in Education Conference

 

Part 1: Personal Branding

Personal branding was not something that was new to me – particularly as I have my own business. However, I had not considered it in my own school context.

Whether you realise it or not, you have your own brand. This is how other people perceive you – not how you perceive yourself.

Your brand is built on how you interact with others, what conversations you choose to participate in in the staff room, what your teaching strengths are, your relationship with students, and your attitude towards the school, leadership team and colleagues. 

By working on your individual brand you will increase your influence within your workplace, enhance your reputation and therefore open up new opportunities. 

Even if you are not yet ready for a leadership role, by working on your personal brand now, you will ensure that when the time is right, you already have a strong reputation which will enhance any applications you make. 

While I liked to think I had a strong personal brand, Janine helped me to realise that there was definitely a lot of room for improvement. This involved me considering what I wanted to be known for in the school. Did I want to be known for my innovative use of technology? Or my wide range of differentiation strategies? Or my skill as a new teacher mentor? In addition to this, I really thought about how my conversations in the staff room were being considered. Am I complaining a lot? Am I someone who adds to a positive vibe in the staff room? Am I perceived as someone who helps others? 

Having a focus area has helped me to put effort into the areas that matter in order to strengthen my personal brand in my workplace.

My takeaway:

A big takeaway I got from this section was that if I don’t take control of my branding, then it will be decided for me by others and their perceptions of me – as perception is reality. 

Women in Education Conference 

Part 2: Knowing Your Leadership Style

The DISC model

As part of the Women in Education Conference, each delegate received a personalised 40 page booklet that delved into our behavioural characteristics, our position on the DISC model (which I will unpack shortly), the value we would bring to an organisation, our natural and adapted styles, our communication styles, time wasters, and driving forces. This booklet was the result of questionnaires we had completed prior to the conference.

I cannot even begin to go into the amount of insight and value this one booklet holds. It was both amazing and unsettling to see myself on paper! But it helped me to understand so much about myself and also about others.

The DISC model

The DISC model is a way of understanding the four personality styles that exist, particularly when it comes to leadership. This model was initially proposed by psychologist William Moulton Marston in the 1920s. DISC is an acronym for the behaviours of these personality and leadership styles. 

D = Dominance

I = Influence

S = Steadiness

C = Conscientiousness

A dominant leader is ambitious and decisive but can come across as being aggressive and demanding when stressed. 

An influential leader is sociable and enthusiastic, but can come across as easily distracted or impulsive when under pressure. 

A steady leader is stable and consistent though can be seen to be resistant to change or stubborn.

A conscientious leader is very detailed and systematic in their approaches to work, but can also be seen as being hard to please or critical of others. 

The Women in Education Conference went through each of these leadership styles and how to navigate them personally and also in respect to others.

My takeaway: My leadership style is primarily Influence and Steadiness. Understanding this helps me to be aware of how my leadership style is perceived by others and what areas might be time-wasters for me. Women in Education Conference

Part 3: How to communicate with other leadership styles

Even if you aren’t aspiring to become a leader, understanding how to communicate with colleagues who have different leadership and communication styles is eye-opening. 

While I thought of myself as a good communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, this session really helped me to understand where the other person was coming from and how to adapt my own responses in order to get the most out of the interaction. For example, to communicate with a Dominant leadership style, it is important to be clear, specific and to the point, and to avoid chit chat and rambling. 

My takeaway: Spend time identifying which leadership style others have. Consider how to best communicate with them. Women in Education Conference

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Part 4: Getting yourself application ready

This part of the conference was excellent as Janine had some wonderful guest speakers. After their presentations she also had some guests take part in a type of mock interview process. This involved us being in small groups of 3 or 4 with one of the presenters and we took turns answering interview-style questions. We then received feedback from the presenter and our peers. It was a vulnerable but rewarding experience and I am so glad that we were able to have that experience before going in for a real interview.

Janine also taught us how to use the STAR format to ensure our interview answers were clear, concise and actually answer the question. The STAR method is as follows:

S – Situation: What was the situation?

T – Task: what were you trying to achieve?

A – Action: What did you do?

R – Result: What was the outcome?

Apart from ensuring we answer the question fully, using this format also helps to keep us on track during an interview and avoid unnecessary rambling.

My takeaway: Practise interview-style questions before any interview. Think about situations in which I have solved problems before the interview in preparation.  Women in Education Conference

Conclusion

The best thing about ‘The Leading Edge: Women in Education Conference’ is how personalised it was for me. I walked away knowing exactly what my leadership style was, what challenges I am likely to face and how to combat them, and what strengths I have and how to utilise them. 

While many conferences provide a one-size-fits-all approach, this conference was completely different. It was tailored to me which meant that I walked away with immense value and useable strategies. 

Want to attend the Women in Education Conference yourself? Click here for conference details and registration.  In 2023 her face-to-face conferences will also be returning with one in Melbourne and one in Brisbane.  

Connect with Janine Stratford here:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janinestratford 

Email: janine@coachingfocus.com.au

Women in Education Conference

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Written by Katrina

Katrina Harte is a multi-award winning educator from Sydney, Australia who specialises in creating resources that support teachers and engage students.

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5 common teacher fears and how to overcome them

5 common teacher fears and how to overcome them

by | Nov 21, 2022 | Teacher Tips & Hacks

5 common teacher fears and how to overcome them

There are a lot of moving pieces to be on top of as a teacher. Some of these are more unreliable or unknown than others and can bring about a lot of worries and teacher fears. While experience brings confidence, for a beginning teacher, these fears can be very real and quite overwhelming.

This post will address not just what some common teacher fears are, but also how to overcome them and give you confidence in your role. common teacher fears

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common teacher fears and how to overcome them

Disclaimer: This blog post, ‘5 common teacher fears and how to overcome them’, may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission on qualifying purchases. This is of no extra cost to you and it helps me to continue writing awesome content for you! Read full disclaimer here. common teacher fearsNew Science Teacher Advice

5 common teacher fears

1. Common teacher fears #1: Losing control of the class

Often teachers, in particular beginning teachers, avoid trying new things, like allowing students to work in groups, for fear of not being able to get students’ attention back afterwards. There is a fear that allowing students more freedom or choice in the classroom requires you to loose a sense of control.

 

This does not have to be the case. 

You can overcome this fear in the following ways:

  • Have well established classroom routines
  • Practice with students using the technique you want to use to get students’ attention back without raising your voice if possible
    • E.g. Counting down 3 – 2- 1
    • Use a timer on the board
    • Raise a flag
  • Have clear consequences for not following classroom rules / routines or bad behaviour during activities

 

2. Common teacher fears #2: Losing respect of your students

This can go hand-in-hand with the first point. If you don’t have control of your classroom it can also feel like you have lost the respect of your students. Other common ways to lose student respect include allowing students to talk to you in a disrespectful way and not doing anything about it, and not having confidence when teaching the content.

 

You can overcome this fear in the following ways:

  • Have and follow through on consequences for students who talk to you (and other students) in a disrespectful way. 
  • Spend time learning the content and gaining confidence that you know what you are teaching
  • For science teachers: practice experiments before running them with your entire class where possible
  • Show compassion and patience with students
  • Spend time building relationships with your students in the playground and during class time by showing a genuine interest in their lives

common teacher fears

 

3. Common teacher fears #3: Not doing enough for your students

As teachers we really do care about our students. If you are also quite an empathetic person this can be felt 10 fold. With this, it can often fear that we are not doing enough for our students and feel teacher guilt that we are letting them down at certain points.

This may be due to not having enough time to plan a great lesson, seeing students achieve poor results on a test, or due to various welfare struggles you are aware of. These things can weigh on our hearts and, from experience, can lead to teacher burnout. 

 

You can overcome this teacher fear in the following ways:

  • Ensure you are meeting the requirements of the curriculum
  • Provide as much information and direction as possible for assessment tasks
  • Allow students to ask you clarifying questions for classwork and tasks
  • Have a few resources on hand to direct students for welfare issues. This may be within the school, such as a school counsellor or year advisor, or outside the school, such as beyond blue or local youth services.

 

It is also helpful to remember:

  • You are not a counselling service and there are places you can direct students to with people who are trained in those sorts of areas
  • You are not solely responsible for student achievement – there are a whole range of factors involved that are out of your control.
  • You are also responsible for your own wellbeing, and your family and friendships. You need to reserve energy for these too.

 

4. Common teacher fears #4: Not knowing enough 

Often students expect teachers to know everything about anything related to their subject area. While this is obviously not possible, it does put pressure on us to feel like we can answer all our students’ questions.

 

You can overcome this teacher fear in the following ways:

  • Spend time learning the content and refreshing your memory of content you haven’t taught in a while. This is as important as actually designing the lesson.
  • Create videos. Sometimes if I am teaching a really complex idea in chemistry, I create my own video of it for my students so that I can plan my delivery in a clear and concise way, and I don’t get tongue tied. It also means I can revisit my own video for the next time I have to teach it. 
  • Have a statement to use when you don’t know the answer. To avoid you stuttering or being put on the spot and giving out incorrect information, being prepared with a statement that will give you time to find the answer is the way to go. Some examples may be:
    •  “Oh that is a really interesting question! I’m not confident I know the answer to that one so let me do some research and get back to you”. 
    • “That is a great question to ask. How about you and your partner spend 10 minutes now seeing if you can find the answer to your question and share it with the class”.
    • “That question is not in my area of expertise, however, Mrs ________ loves that topic so let me ask her and get back to you”.

common teacher fear

5. Common teacher fears #5: Dealing with parents

Dealing with parents can be scary, and rightly so! They are advocating for the people they love most in their lives. In staff rooms, parents can cop a lot of flak for being overzealous or unrealistic. On one hand I ask you to give them some slack – remember that they are just trying to be a good parent and look after their child’s wellbeing and academic future. On the other hand I support your fear in this area – you are dealing with some passionate mumma bears. 

 

Having dealt with a number of parents and parent-types over my many years teaching, I have found that there are some really helpful things you can do to ease the tension, not just for you but also for the parents’ of your students. 

 

You can overcome this teacher fear in the following ways:

  • Break the ice early. Start the year by sending out a ‘meet the teacher’ page that introduces yourself, provides expectations for the class and how to contact you if the need arises. This will help parent’s feel comfortable to approach you and also ensures your first correspondence with parents is a positive one that you are in control of.
  • Get on top of issues early before they end up out of control. If you have a concern then it is a good idea to make contact with parents early on – before it becomes a huge issue. 
  • Keep communication as open and honest with the student and the parent.
  • Plan what you are going to say and potentially have a practice with a colleague if you are nervous about it.
  • Remember that often parent’s just want to feel heard. Have some phrases handy like 
    • ‘I understand why you feel like that’. 
    • ‘Yes I can see why you think / feel that way’.
    • ‘I understand your concern regarding that’. 
    • ‘What are your thoughts on how we can move forward here?’ 
    • ‘Do you have any ideas for how we can help your student in the classroom?’

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Conclusion

 These teacher fears are not stupid. They are 100% warranted and you fear them because they definitely do happen from time to time. 

For all of the above, it can be helpful to talk to more experienced teachers or your teacher mentor about strategies and how they might go about dealing with a particular situation. While you might not have the experience to draw on yet, people around you will and their advice and support will be valuable to you.

As always, please do reach out if you have any questions or comment below with your own fears you would like me to address. 

Make sure you join my email list for top tips, free resources and classroom ideas. 

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Written by Katrina

Katrina Harte is a multi-award winning educator from Sydney, Australia who specialises in creating resources that support teachers and engage students.

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Science Halloween Activities Middle School: 3 Easy Last Minute Ideas

Science Halloween Activities Middle School: 3 Easy Last Minute Ideas

by | Oct 21, 2022 | Lesson Ideas

Science Halloween Activities Middle School: 3 Easy Last Minute Ideas

Science halloween activities middle school

Halloween is such a fun time to celebrate and being a science teacher gives you the best opportunity to make the most of super fun Halloween activities and experiments. However, I totally understand that sometimes it is not possible for you to prepare, purchase or have enough energy for the messy kind of experiments that Halloween often calls for. Or maybe its suddenly the week before and you forgot about it?!

Don’t worry! I’ve got your back.

I’ve created a list of my favorite mess-free Middle school science Halloween activities so you can still wow your students without the mess and expense! Make sure you read all the way through to also claim a FREE murder mystery template!

Mess-free science halloween activities middle school

science halloween activities middle school

Disclaimer: This blog post, ‘Science Halloween Activities Middle School: 3 easy last minute ideas’, may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission on qualifying purchases. This is of no extra cost to you and it helps me to continue writing awesome content for you! Read full disclaimer here.New Science Teacher Advice

Mess-free Science Halloween Activities Middle School

I don’t want you to miss out on the Halloween fun just because you aren’t able to run Pinterest perfect experiments or decorate your classroom with hundreds of dollars worth of decorations that are only useful once a year. So I’ve created this list of spooky, engaging, and fun Halloween science activities that are easy to implement and enjoy without the mess or expense usually expected at Halloween. 

The resources I’ve collated cost less than $5 which is a lot less than buying materials for a whole class to do an experiment. These resources can also be used year after year and with multiple classes. 

If you don’t want to purchase them you can definitely come up with your own similar ideas and resources to implement in your classroom. I hope they inspire you and spark some ideas!

1. Digital escape rooms

Digital escape rooms are my absolute favorite resource to use in my class. They are engaging for students and promote problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and collaboration. They are also no-prep for you as they are self-marked and also come with a full set of teacher answers in case students need help along the way. 

Here are some of the spookiest digital escape rooms for middle school science:

Mess-free science halloween activities middle school

What is needed to access the digital escape room?

Students just need access to a device with internet access. While the escape room uses a Google Form, students are not required to sign in so they don’t need an account to play. It is designed to be zero prep for you – just share the link with students and away they go!

What does the digital escape room consist of?

The activity contains a set of tasks students must complete in order to ‘escape’.

Answers are entered into a Google Form (provided). The task cards are included digitally within the Google Form, but a pdf version of the task cards and answers is also included for you.

Why use science digital escape rooms?

  1. It is zero prep! Just share the link with students and away they go!
  2. It is a fun and engaging way for students to review content.
  3. It builds student skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration.
  4. It can be used in a wide range of environments including in the classroom, online learning, homeschooling, and distance education.
  5. It is self-marking.
  6. Full teacher answers included.

Mess-free science halloween activities middle school

2. Two-player racing quiz

2-player racing games are an awesome way to engage students and revise content and key terms. You can build them yourself in Google sheets or purchase them for a few dollars.

This bundle includes 3 racing games on the scientific method and branches of science in spooky Halloween themes including spiders, witches and ghosts.

Mess-free science halloween activities middle school

meet the teacher handout template

3. Murder Mystery

Murder mysteries are a fun way to make a worksheet more fun and they can be created for any topic.

The way I create mine is to have four ‘characters’ who each tell their ‘facts’. 

The ‘murderer’ is the one who has told 2 lies. The ‘accomplice’ tells one lie. The witnesses are innocents and have only true statements.

To see an example of my Classification Murder Mystery click here.

Do you want a free template? Enter your details below and I’ll send you my template so you can make your own murder mysteries!

Mess-free science halloween activities middle school

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     Conclusion

    Preparing middle school science Halloween activities doesn’t have to be an onerous task. Just grab one of the above resources and watch your students engage and have fun this Halloween!

    Mess-free science halloween activities middle school

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    Written by Katrina

    Katrina Harte is a multi-award winning educator from Sydney, Australia who specialises in creating resources that support teachers and engage students.

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    New Science Teacher Advice: 25 Top Tips

    New Science Teacher Advice: 25 Top Tips

    by | Oct 3, 2022 | Teacher Tips & Hacks

    New Science Teacher Advice: 25 Top Tips

    I will never hold back from saying that science is the hardest subject to teach. Apart from the fact that the practical nature of the subject is often dangerous (think fire, chemicals and scalpels in the hands of teenagers), it is also difficult to help students understand the abstract concepts of the course. If you are a new science teacher then you may be feeling overwhelmed, stressed or unsure about how to bring all the necessary elements together.

    This blog post will provide you with 25 top tips for a new science teacher so you can start the year feeling confident and in control of your science classroom.

    New Science Teacher Advice

    new science teacher

    Disclaimer: This blog post, ‘New Science Teacher Advice: 25 Top Tips’, may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission on qualifying purchases. This is of no extra cost to you and it helps me to continue writing awesome content for you! Read full disclaimer here.New Science Teacher Advice

    Tips for running labs as a new science teacher

    One of the most overwhelming part of being a new science teacher is having to run labs with teenagers. It’s terrifying!

    Apart from there being so so so many things that could go wrong, you are also required to be able to watch all students at all times while predicting problems and responding to things as they happen. 

    1. Practice labs before you do them with your class

    It is impossible to be able to practice every lab or activity before you do it with your class. There simply are not enough hours in the day. However, if they are particularly dangerous, require preciseness or you are unsure about how they work, then I highly recommend you take the time to run through them yourself first. Even though I am not a new science teacher any more I still try to practice labs that are new to me.

    Why?

    Because:

    • It will help you predict potential issues the students will have
    • It will help you identify the safety precautions that will be necessary for the particular experiment 
    • It helps you realize if you forgot to buy/order any necessary equipment or materials, and,
    • It helps you gain a deeper understanding of what the experiment is demonstrating

     

    2. Order your experiments well ahead of time

    If you are lucky enough to have a lab assistant or, even if you’re not, you will do yourself a lot of favours if you order your experiments and materials ahead of time.

    I like to put all my orders in at least a week before doing the experiment. This allows me time to check for the materials we have, buy the materials we don’t have and practice the experiment if I need to.

     

    3. Ensure students know emergency procedures

    Make sure you constantly revisit emergency procedures including evacuation procedures, where the fire blanket and extinguishers are located, where the emergency gas cutoff, emergency power shutoff, and emergency showers are located, and how to use them.

    4. Spend your first few lessons drilling in safe practice and classroom routines 

    A big part of being able to run your classroom well is to ensure the safety of your students and yourself. By establishing and enforcing strict, clear lab safety rules and routines right from the beginning, you can run safe and smooth lab lessons. 

    Every classroom will be different, but here are some clear things to consider when setting up your classroom routines:

    1. How will students enter the room?
    2. Where will students sit?
    3. Where will students put their bags?
    4. How will students complete labs?
    5. How will students clean up after a lab?
    6. What is the expectation for homework?
    7. Where do students find the work they missed?

      New Science Teacher Advice

    My favourite all-year-round posters

    New Science Teacher Advice

    science variables posters free
    lab safety rules posters

    5. Use poster and anchor charts 

    Posters and anchor charts are excellent to have a visual reminder and reference point each lesson. I love using lab safety posters and these FREE science variables posters in my lab all year round. 

     

    6. Have students sign a lab safety contract 

    It is important that students hold themselves accountable for their own actions. I like to have my students sign a lab safety contract at the beginning of the year to hold them accountable. It helps them to understand the seriousness of working safely in the lab and it gives you a reference point if students are misbehaving or acting unsafely. 

     

    7. Share expectations with parents

    It is a good idea to share the expectations of students with parents. This includes expectations for homework, class behavior, and assessment tasks. You could even consider having them sign the lab safety contract as well to say that they understand what is expected of their child and that measures will be taken if students do not adhere to the contract. 

    I like to send home this Meet the Teacher page at the beginning of the year to share a bit about myself as well as my expectations for students for the year. Feel free to grab a FREE copy of my template here.

     

    8. Don’t be afraid to make students miss out on labs if they are unsafe

    It is your responsibility to look after the safety of all the students in the class. If a student is behaving in an unsafe manner then don’t hesitate to make them miss out on the lab. I would follow this up with a chat with the student to ensure they understand exactly why they are not able to participate and a phone call home. If you are nervous about the phone call home, I often phrase it in terms of the student’s own safety and the safety of others in the room. 

    9. Have multiple lab groupings on hand 

    Sometimes labs call for work in pairs, other times in groups of fours. Sometimes you will want students to work with their friends, other times in ability-based groups, and other times in mixed-ability groups. Having these lists on hand makes these groupings quick to allocate and communicate with students.

    I often have these groupings printed on A3 paper that I can quickly put up around the room so students can check their groupings rather than me having to call the names out individually every time. 

    New Science Teacher Advice

    10. Utilize teachers aides with explicit instructions for lab time

    Often teachers’ aides want to help but are unsure when it comes to experiments. Give them clear objectives to follow so they are helpful and feel a sense of purpose too.

    It may be that you want them to stay with a particular group of students and re-read the instructions to them one step at a time.

    It could be that you want them to roam around the room reminding students of safety protocols or helping you ensure they are on task. 

     

    11. If you are unsure about something – ask

    There are so many things that can go wrong when teaching science, particularly if you are a new science teacher. If you are unsure how an experiment works, how equipment should be set up or whether you can substitute one chemical for another – please ask! Ask your lab assistant (if you have one), another teacher, or someone you follow on Instagram or look it up on youtube or google.

    There are also many credible sources of information out there now so if the internet is your only option then don’t hesitate. You could also look it up online first then just double-check with a colleague as well. 

     

    12. Ask to watch another teacher complete new experiments

    As a new science teacher, if you are completing a lab for the first time, don’t hesitate to ask for help or to watch another teacher do it first. 

    I don’t specialize in biology, however in Australia, the way our timetable is set up means that I teach all sciences in years 7-10 before specializing in years 11 and 12. When it came to doing my first pluck dissection I asked my lab assistant to come and demonstrate it for me with my class. She had a lot of experience in biology labs and was more than happy to come and show my class.

    Not only was it fantastic having her expertise in my classroom, it also meant I got to watch and learn from her and my students also had the opportunity to learn from another scientist too. 

     

    13. Utilize youtube videos

    Not every opportunity for an experiment can be used as such. While I love hands-on learning, sometimes there aren’t enough lessons, isn’t enough preparation time, you don’t have the equipment, or the class’s behavior has made the experiment impossible.

    In these circumstances, I highly recommend utilizing available YouTube videos and virtual labs. 

    The other reason to check out YouTube videos as a new science teacher is if you need a refresher of the content or you are teaching outside of your subject area. There are many great tutorial videos out there to help you. 

     

    14. Label everything 

    Label everything so students know where things are and where to put them away. Draws, cupboards, boxes, and tubs should all have a label on them. 

     

    15. Keep a shopping list

    When you are in the middle of an experiment or lesson and you notice that your materials are running low or you need more of something you need to make note of it then. Otherwise by the time you go to order things you will have forgotten important items. 

    My suggestion is to use an electronic ‘note’ or document to keep a running list that you can quickly add to on the go. 

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    Tips for teaching science as a new science teacher

     

    16. Review vocabulary as often as possible

    Teaching science is often like introducing a whole other language with the amount of new vocabulary for students. Some fun ways to review science vocab include racing games, self-marking quizzes, escape rooms and murder mysteries. 

     

    17. Use modeling as often as possible for complex concepts

    As many concepts in science can be abstract or hard to visualize, modeling provides students with a way to visualize and make sense of them. Use lollies, modeling clay, dioramas, and role play. 

    For example, Le Chateliers principle in Chemistry and the concept of a chemical reaction reaching equilibrium is difficult for students to grasp because they cannot see what is happening at a particle level. I love to use m&m’s to model this concept as seen here.

     

    18. Learning intentions for each lesson with success criteria including relevant labs

    Help give students clear directions by providing learning intentions and success criteria for each lesson. If you are completing a lab, my suggestion is to include a skill in the success criteria relevant to the lab as well. For example:

    • Students can perform an experiment safely using appropriate equipment
    • Students can choose the most appropriate equipment for accurate measuring. 
    • Students can design an experiment to determine…

    19. Organise your lab

    An organised lab is safer, easier to tidy and will help your students feel safe. 

     

    20. Utilize free resources 

    As a new science teacher it can feel like you have to start from scratch with resources. But don’t forget that there are so many free resources out there now that are well worth having a look at. PHeT, Kahoot, Quizlet, and YouTube. Utilizing these resources is a great way to provide variety in your lessons as a new science teacher without creating extra work for you.

    New Science Teacher Advice

    21. Find a mentor

    Having someone mentor you in your early years of teaching is a great way to grow as an educator. It provides you with someone to go to with questions and to run your ideas by. If your school hasn’t set you up with a mentor already then see if there is an experienced teacher you connect with to ask if they would mind. They don’t need to be in your faculty.

     

    22. Don’t recreate the wheel

    Don’t feel that you have to create your own resources or come up with new ideas. Your first years of teaching should be focused on learning the content and working out your classroom management routines. Feel free to use pre-made lessons, worksheets, textbooks and resources. 

     

    23. Skip labs if you need to

    Organizing labs is time-consuming and can be exhausting to run. If you are feeling the pressure of time and energy then it’s okay to skip a lab every now and then. Potentially swap it for a virtual lab online that doesn’t require the same level of preparation or cleanup. 

     

    24. Show your excitement

    Enter the classroom with a smile on your face and let your students see your excitement for teaching and for science. Students will vibe your energy and it will help your students connect with you as a person.

     

    25. Be confident

    Students like to know you are in charge. It’s okay to fake it til you make it. 

    New Science Teacher Advice

    Conclusion

    Being a new science teacher can be overwhelming and hard work. Try these tips to help make your job a little more manageable. 

    Are you a new science teacher? Make sure you join my email list for top tips, free resources and classroom ideas. 

    New Science Teacher Advice

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    Written by Katrina

    Katrina Harte is a multi-award winning educator from Sydney, Australia who specialises in creating resources that support teachers and engage students.

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    9 better alternatives to homework

    9 better alternatives to homework

    by | Aug 31, 2022 | Lesson Ideas

    9 better alternatives to homework

    Traditionally homework has been school work that students complete outside of the classroom and outside of school hours. This usually consists of textbook questions, worksheets, or research tasks.

    Studies have been inconsistent in providing concrete evidence for the benefits of homework, and the effectiveness of set homework tasks depends greatly on the task itself.

    This list of 9 alternatives to homework will help you give students a break from the norm while still impacting their learning and character development. 

    alternatives to homework in middle school

    alternatives to homework in middle school

    Disclaimer: This blog post, ‘9 better alternatives to homework’, may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission on qualifying purchases. This is of no extra cost to you and it helps me to continue writing awesome content for you! Read full disclaimer here.

    Alternatives to homework

    It is worth noting that I don’t use the word ‘homework’. Why? Because it has such a deeply ingrained negative connotation for both students and parents.

    Terms I prefer to use instead include:

    • At home learning
    • Daily / Weekly Practice
    • Challenge
    • Game
    • Consolidation

    These terms don’t have the same negative connotation as ‘homework’ and help the students think about the tasks in a more positive way. 

    Before I get into my suggestions, here are some benefits of using alternatives to homework:

    1. You don’t have to mark them. These activities are designed to be able to be marked simple as participated or not. Not all home learning tasks need to add to your workload!

    2. They encourage the development of character traits and skills – not just academic ones.

    3. They are simple and easy to assign to almost any topic – and in fact, they don’t need to be specifically linked to a topic at all.

    4. The nature of the tasks remind students to maintain balance between school / study and home life. 

    5. They can be easily differentiated to cater for the variation of student situations.

    alternatives to homework in middle school

    9 better alternatives to homework

    1. Baking from a recipe

    Following instructions is very important in life as well as most subjects. For example, in subjects, such as science, students need to be able to work safely in a laboratory.

    Setting a home task where students need to bake something following a recipe is a great alternative that allows students to practice these skills in a fun way.

    Have students either bring you a photo of them in action baking, or evidence of the product itself!

    Be mindful: Check any food allergies of your students if you want students to bring in the treats they bake.

    2. Photo challenge 

    Having students take a photo of their learning as applied in real life. This is a great way to help students practice being observant and also see the relevance of their learning outside of the classroom.

    Be mindful: Students may not have access to a camera or smartphone. They could just write a short description of what they saw and where they saw it.

     

    3. Play a board/card game 

    Playing board games or card games requires students to practice their social and problem-solving skills. These are skills that are essential in the classroom and also in the real world. 

    I love alternatives to homework that help build student character in addition to academic skills. 

    Be mindful: Depending on your context, students may not have access to board games or they may not have family members around each day to play a board game with. Often school libraries contain games that can be rented out.

    alternatives to homework in middle school

    4. Home learning / flipped learning

    Flipped learning is different from homework in that rather than practicing a skill they have learned in class, they learn the skill so they come to class ready to practice the skill.

    This is usually done with the teacher filming a short tutorial to be watched at home before the upcoming lesson.

    Flipped learning helps to develop autonomy and allows students to take their learning at their own pace since they can pause, rewind and rewatch the video as many times as they need to. 

    The videos are usually less than 10 minutes in length so it is also a nice quick learning opportunity. 

    Be mindful: Ensure all students have access to the technology required to watch the video.

    5. Activities that apply their learning 

    Activities that focus on applying their learning in practical ways are effective alternatives to homework tasks of a traditional sense.

    For example, have you taught students about the unit cost in maths? The home task could be going shopping with a parent and photographing different options and calculating the best buy option.

    Or maybe you’ve been learning about density in science? Have students compare the density of various household items in water at home. 

     

    6. Reflect on learning

    Asking students to write a small paragraph to reflect on the things they learned in your class that day or week is a really valuable use of their time and a great alternative to homework.

    Reflecting and writing it down helps their brain to recognize the information as important. 

    Are you reading this thinking ‘yeah but its so annoying to mark’. 

    Then don’t! Just mark it as a participation home task. Whether students submit their paragraph on Google Classroom or hold up their book in class for you to tick off ‘complete’, it doesn’t have to be an onerous task for you.

    alternatives to homework in middle school

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    7. Interview someone

    Interviewing someone can be as simple as giving the students 3 questions to ask someone at home. It could be about their own views on a topic, where they see the usefulness of your subject, or about their career. 

    This activity builds student skills in communication and listening whilst also providing an opportunity to build or deepen connections with people.

    Be mindful: Some students may not have access to someone to interview every day. Try to give a few days so students have the opportunity. If they don’t have anyone at home you could suggest they interview a teacher, another student or even the bus driver. 

     

    8. Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while

    Promoting the continuation and building of connections during term time is important for students to maintain balance in their lives. Some students struggle to do this themselves and so may feel the need to have ‘permission’ from their teacher. 

    Be mindful: Some students may not have access to a phone or enough credit to make long calls. Provide alternatives such as chatting with a neighbour in person. 

    9. Spend time with family

    If a student spends 60 minutes completing homework, then for a family whose parents don’t get home from work until after 5pm, and who go to bed around 9pm, that is one quarter of their family time taken away by homework every day. Add in an extracurricular activity or sport and students are missing out on significant family time.

    The simple act of not setting any homework or task can make a significant difference in the home lives of our students. 

    Encouraging them to spend quality time with their family instead is a valuable alternative to homework. 

    alternatives to homework in middle school

    Conclusion

    Homework is not bad and it does have its benefits. However, having a range of alternatives to the typical homework tasks allows for students to enjoy a balanced life while also building skills other than just the academic ones. 

    Have you tried any of these alternatives to homework?

    Comment below!

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    Written by Katrina

    Katrina Harte is a multi-award winning educator from Sydney, Australia who specialises in creating resources that support teachers and engage students.

    Comments