In 1999, an influential leadership and management book called First Break All the Rules was published—if you are a leader of an organization in any capacity, I would recommend it. I see all of my teachers as teacher leaders, so if you are a teacher, you should take a look. The follow-up book, Now Discover Your Strengths, is just as profound.

“Positive relationships with students.” “Making strong connections.” “Being relatable to your students.” No matter how I ask about it in an interview, it all essentially means the same thing. Can the teacher connect with students? I ask it every time, and it is one of the most important questions of the interview.

Here's why this is critical: Connecting with students not only relates back to the student’s sense of belonging in school, it's also heavily tied to motivation. If a student isn’t motivated in the classroom, the teacher’s first “go-to” should be to try to connect with them. This should come before any incentive program or consequence for lack of trying.

We’ve shared ideas with you covering how to transfer to a new job and get your new classroom set up, so what’s the next step? Now that the bulletin boards are complete and the nametags are on the desks, it’s time to think about building positive connections. I have witnessed more than one potentially great teacher fall victim to a lack of positive relationships within a school building. There is nothing more critical than connecting with others in a positive way.

Navigating the EdTech industry can often be an overwhelming task. As an educator, you have the responsibility to bring the right technologies into your classroom to help improve your students’ learning experiences. With all the available options, it can be hard to decide what the best approach is for your students. Here at Boxlight, we want to make it simple for educators to implement EdTech in their schools.

That’s why we have assembled this comprehensive list of educator guides that will help you bring educational technology into your school:

The interviewing is over, the offer has been made, and the contract is signed. Everything is wrapped up in the former place of employment (or at the university), and you are ready to dive in and get started at your new position.

While we often discuss education technology as well as new and innovative ways to create growth and optimize learning in this blog, making sure your students are ready for learning can be a key factor in a successful classroom. One of my favorite authors said, “Parents send us the best that they have. They don’t send us the tough kids and keep the really great ones at home. They give us the best they have.” It was said a little tongue-in-cheek, but there is meaning behind it that is important for all teachers to remember.

At times, making changes in our teaching methods can be very hard. The way we teach is a very personal matter, as teachers (should) bring their personality into the classroom to help connect with students. Because we want teachers to teach from their heart, to change our teaching  methods means we need to change our mindset, our beliefs, or even what we are comfortable doing and saying in our classroom. Even more so than instructional practices, classroom management is one of these areas where change can be especially hard.

Now that school is over, how do you recharge your batteries to face another year after the summer break? After my last student departs from my classroom in May, I set this goal: Update everything in the next five days or less! I get all of my summer print jobs into the print shop, update the syllabi and lesson plans for my classes on each class website for the first 4–6 weeks of August/September, and send out a general message that I will not be checking the school email—my administration knows how to contact me if it’s urgent. I also like to pack what I will need for the first three to five days of school in dated and labeled individual boxes (kind of like opening up a present to myself at the start of the new school year).

With new education technology becoming more accessible to streamline communication between teachers and their administration, it's important to stay up to date with what's available. The use of SMS texting is great for sending out quick messages—and keeping educators informed at all times. Teachers can use SMS technology to collaborate on lesson plans, organize events, and share information with colleagues. With most text messages being read within a few minutes, it's the fastest way to reach out and communicate.

This is the time of year when educators are finding new and different teaching jobs. Whether it’s the first job right out of college or changing schools after many years, the process of starting somewhere new can be pretty overwhelming.