Working in an (International) School in the USA

Many international teachers want to work in the USA, and doing so can be both rewarding and a great adventure. However, it can also be a great challenge with all the different programs, types of school, jurisdictions, and expectations. The greatest challenges of all can be related to "employment authorization" or the visa. While I am not an immigration attorney, I have employed dozens of international interns and teachers, both locally and internationally hired. As a "Green Card" older myself, I have jumped through many of the hoops of living and working in the US.

Teaching IB Commentary - Language

IB a written comparative commentary where one or often both passages are non-literary. While the passage sources will be different, commentary and comparative commentary skills are easily learnt. A simple method and accompanying checklist will prove invaluable to teacher and student alike.

Teacher Observations

A formal observation of a teacher can be harrowing for both observer and the observed. This pressure can be much greater if initial or continued employment depends on the observation. However, it need not be such a trial. Both participants, particularly the observer, can take steps to make it constructive for both sides.

Teaching IB Commentary - Literature

IB Language A (Lit) students must produce a commentary on a literary extract, one written and one oral. Language A (Lit /Lan) must produce an oral literary commentary and a written comparative commentary. While the passage sources may be different, commentary skills are easily learnt and a simple method and accompanying checklist will prove invaluable to teacher and student alike.

Look, see, watch

Similar words, related meanings, widely different uses. How does a teacher show the differences?

Early learners and writing in English

Adult learners in an English class are often eager to begin writing as soon as they star their oral lessons. While younger learners may not have the same urge, often their parents have it for them! So how does the TESOL teacher introduce writing with an early learner which is both appropriate and does no harm?

Prepositions of place and of time

Non-English speakers often struggle with the uses of in / at / on. As soon as they think they have an understanding, they come across something which does not make sense.

Start-up - A boy-friendly school

I met with parents who were unhappy with their sons' US elementary public-school experiences. It quickly emerged that their sons' were being labeled as "problematic" when they were really just having trouble sitting still and quietly for long periods of time. Further discussion revealed that teaching and learning approaches placed the boys in situations where they would be seen as causes rather than consequences of the "problems".

Start-up - Language-immersion for a Native American tribe

The Council Chair of a Native American tribe was concerned. As he looked at his people, he saw the language dying and the culture disappearing. The former was being replaced by English, the latter by US popular culture. Only the tribal elders maintained both and the gulf between them and the children was growing wider by the day.

Start-up - An educational program embedded within a residential counseling program

A non-profit organization specialized in helping women recover from addiction through a residential program with intensive counseling. The organization's leaders quickly became aware that many of these women were mothers with young children, and they needed also to provide services for the children. They then discovered a need for the same type of addiction-recovery program for older children and teens.

Program - Re-launching the overall direction

Drafting it now. Please check back, or send a message through the Comments section below.

Program - the English Problem

Drafting it now. Please check back, or send a message through the Comments section below.

Dissertation - the Use of Humor in TESOL

This graduate student is an adult TESOL teacher in a non-English-speaking country. She noticed that when she made jokes in class, specific students participated more fully in oral activities such as discussions and role-playing. She decided to investigate this as a teaching strategy, and to what extent it might be effective, by comparing two of her learner groups. One group would have lessons straight from the coursebook, and she deliberately attempted to minimize the incidence of humor both planned and spontaneous. The other's lessons would be accompanied by planned humor on her part and deliberate attempts to provoke spontaneous humor.

Dissertation - Contraceptive use in Sub-Sharan Africa

This researcher had conducted a meta-study of contraceptive use and availability in Sub-Saharan Africa. She had spent so much time on her research and had so much data that she developed writer's block. Actually, it was more like writer's reverse as she was virtually running away from her project and the submission deadline was looming.

English Language and the study thereof

To be honest, English teachers teach three distinct but related subjects: the use of English, the study of English Literature and the study of English Language. Far too frequently, English teachers are prepared in the first two of these, but they have at best a passing knowledge of the third. The study of English language includes dialects, advertising and commercials, the language of power and so on. A knowledge of semantics, sociolinguistics, pyscholinguistics, philology inter alia is invaluable and will unlock English to teacher and student alike.

Teaching Fantasy Writing

From Narnia to Harry Potter to Middle Earth, fantasy writing is popular amongst students. Yet writing fantasy is not as easy as it appears. Too often, teachers follow a "deep end" approach and results are disappointing. Simple steps and story prompts can produce some wonderful pieces, while providing excellent teaching and learning opportunities.

Starting an Immersion or Dual-Language Program

Immersion or dual-language programs* are now becoming popular in the US especially. However, elsewhere in the world they have existed for at least 150 years! To be successful, they must be carefully and thoughtfully designed and implemented.

(*Sometimes these programs are called "bilingual", but that is really a different thing.)

Oral Activities and Assesments in the Classroom

Oral activities are not just for the language class. Unfortunately, few non-language teachers are trained in oral work. Many of their lessons are not as effective as they could be, while few provide valuable assessment opportunities. In addition, many non-language teachers may feel unprepared for or intimidated by oral activities. They do not use them to their full effect, and do not use them to provide alternative (read "whole student") assessment data. Oral activities can be rigorous, effective and above all, very teacher-friendly.

Budgeting for your Preschool or Early Childhood Center

Your students may be happy, your parents may be thrilled and your staff may be ecstatic. Nevertheless, a preschool or early childhood center, including non-profits, is a business and must be run as such. Your budget is probably your most important concern, although a program focus may seem much more attractive! Creating an appropriate budget, following and monitoring it will do much to keep you out of financial trouble.  

Using Small Group Discussions

Small Group Discussions should not be restricted to language classes. They are a quick, effective and teacher-friendly method of exploring new content, exploring material which has already been seen and checking understanding.

Using Pairwork

Pairwork should not be restricted to language classes. It is a quick, effective and teacher-friendly method of exploring new content, exploring material which has already been seen and checking understanding.

Teaching Macbeth

Teaching Shakespeare's great tragedy Macbeth involves more than just introducing students to great literature. It also involves considerations of classical tragedy, Elizabethan world view, Renaissance theater, the nature of the drama, early modern English and of course universal themes of what it is to be human - inter alia. It should be a wonderful experience for all. Too often, it becomes an unwelcoming grind.

First-time tutor or tutoring problems?

Tutoring can appear a quick and easy way to earn some cash, but it is not so quick nor easy. If you are considering becoming a tutor, or you are already a tutor and want to improve, or you want to start a tutoring business, you should consider a set of preliminary questions if you are to succeed.

Teacher Appraisal and Evaluation

Assessing a teacher's performance for appraisal (development, support, career progression) is not the same as doing so for contractual reasons (termination, promotion, salary enhancements). While overlap exists, many problems in schools and much of what contributes to the current public debate is due to the blurring of the distinction between the two.

Student Recruitment

Public and non-public schools need health enrollments to survive, and for the majority this means an active and successful student recruitment program. An element of your school's overall marketing strategies, student recruitment is nonetheless separate and specialized. Most efforts produce a low return on investment, and many are actually ineffective.

Generating Story Ideas for your Student Newspaper

Sick of pitches for horoscopes, gossip columns, "funny" letters page? Struggling to find ideas for story assignments? I can help.

Fundraising ideas

Income from the state (public schools) or tuition and other fees (non-public schools) can, and usually does, fall short of what your school needs or wants. So to make up or to augment that income, you will need to fundraise and believe me, everyone is sick of bake sales / cookie dough sales / spellathons which typically do not bring in sufficient to justify the effort anyway. I am not saying that bake sales / cookie dough sales / spellathons are not a good thing for an elementary class project in that they teach planning, organizing, the value of time and money and so on, but for the real cash you need, they just do not do.

Funding your school

Despite what happens in the classroom, what happens behind the scenes show clearly that a school is a business and must be run as such. This includes non-profits! Fewer things cause more problems for an administrator than funding, and funding issues are almost certainly the number one cause of school failures.

Strategic Planning for a Preschool

Like any organization, a Preschool or Early Childhood center needs a strategic plan and standard templates often do not apply to their special circumstances. Without planning and the subsequent preparation, lessons and even the daily routine will fail. The same is true of a Preschool.

Funding a Student Publication

Initial enthusiasm for a student publication can disappear when met with the reality of paying for it. In addition, an administrator who funds a publication can quite reasonably expect some say in what happens with that investment. More funding sources mean more can be done and even more freedom to do it, and it is not as hard to fund your publication as you might think.

Setting up a School or Student Newspaper or Publication

Teachers (and administrators) often enthusiastically embark on a student newspaper project, only to discover it is more challenging than at first thought. Equally often a teacher is often told s/he is sponsoring a student publication, despite having no background in it!

A Sample Common Core lesson

Teaching and learning is context-dependent, thus who, where and when matter and standard or one-size-fits-all or textbook-driven lessons are not appropriate. Common Core forces teachers to plan lessons and to take into account who they teach, what their students know, what they are like and so on. Yes, Common Core forces a significant change for many teachers and in many schools. 

Marketing your school

Despite some superficial approaches, and some structural similarities, educational marketing is not like other marketing. Few schools have the time, staff or funds to experiment or shotgun their message; schools need quick, cost-effective and proven approaches.

Starting a School

Starting a school is not as difficult as it appears, and following a framework and avoiding certain pitfalls can make it easier.

Starting a Pre-School

Starting an Early Childhood ("ECE) or Early Years ("EY") program or opening a center for children aged 3 - 5 or 3 - 6 is not as difficult as it appears, and following a framework and avoiding certain pitfalls can make it easier.

How does it work?

How does it work?

It's simple really. I am like your personal private coach or mentor; your critical friend. You pose questions that trouble you, or you have been unable to answer from other sources, and I provide suggested answers.

• use the labels to the right
• find the general category
• look for your specific topic