My grandson is experiencing a couple of firsts this year- he is in first grade with a teacher who’s teaching for the first time.

I imagine that the first year of teaching is filled with trials and triumphs. A whole list of, “I wish I would have done that differently.”

One message I would like to give my grandson’s new teacher is this: “Cut them a little slack. They are, after all, only seven years old.”

My grandson is very social. An inquisitive chlid who’s reading well above his grade level.

The fact that he and nearly all of the boys in his class are on a “contract” to be better classroom citizens tells me that it may not be the first graders, it be the teacher, her expectations, and her classroom management style.

Edutopia recently published a blog post by educator, Rebecca Alber who offers tips on classroom management for new teachers. Here are excerpts from her wonderful suggestions:

I made a good number of blunders my first year teaching that still makes me cringe. I learned though. And it's fair to say, when it comes to managing a classroom, most of what we learn as new teachers is trial by fire.

It's also smart to heed the advice of those who have walked -- and stumbled -- before you. If you are struggling with discipline, here are five tips that you can start using right away:

#1) Use a normal, natural voice
Raising our voice to get students' attention is not the best approach, and the stress it causes and the vibe it puts in the room just isn't worth it. The students will mirror your voice level, so avoid using that semi-shouting voice.

#2) Speak only when students are quiet and ready
This golden nugget was given to me by a 20-year veteran my first year. She told me that I should just wait. And wait, and then wait some more until all students were quiet.

So I tried it… Slowly but surely, the students would cue each other: "sshh, she's trying to tell us something," "come on, stop talking," and "hey guys, be quiet." (They did all the work for me!)

#3) Use hand signals and other non-verbal communication
Holding one hand in the air, and making eye contact with students is a great way to quiet the class and get their attention on you. It takes awhile for students to get used to this as a routine, but it works wonderfully. Have them raise their hand along with you until all are up. Then lower yours and talk.

With younger students, try clapping your hands three times and teaching the children to quickly clap back twice. This is a fun and active way to get their attention and all eyes on you.

Wondering how to easily and effectively teach decoding skills and improve reading gains in only 60 hours of online instruction?

#4) Address behavior issues quickly and wisely
Be sure to address an issue between you and a student or between two students as quickly as possible. Bad feelings -- on your part or the students -- can so quickly grow from molehills into mountains.

Now, for handling those conflicts wisely, you and the student should step away from the other students, just in the doorway of the classroom perhaps. Wait until after instruction if possible, avoiding interruption of the lesson. Ask naive questions such as, "How might I help you?" Don't accuse the child of anything. Act as if you do care, even if you have the opposite feeling at that moment. The student will usually become disarmed because she might be expecting you to be angry and confrontational.

And, if you must address bad behavior during your instruction, always take a positive approach. Say, "It looks like you have a question" rather than, "Why are you off task and talking?"

#5) Always have a well-designed, engaging lesson
This tip is most important of all. Perhaps you've heard the saying, if you don't have a plan for them, they'll have one for you. Always over plan. It's better to run out of time than to run short on a lesson.

I thank Rebecca, all earnest teachers everywhere, and my grandson’s first-year, first grade teacher for tackling a job most of us cannot or will not do. My hope is that you will continue to share your ideas and mentor each other. Our children, and we, cannot succeed with out you.

Share your classroom management ideas by leaving a comment here.

It occurred to me the other day that some of our readers may wonder about a few of the people behind the product.

Each day we write, talk, share, program, and develop content to help communicate the value of our research-based reading software. It is undeniably the most successful decoding program – anywhere.

And the marketing team is incredibly passionate about literacy and Reading Horizons. However, we are not robots squirreled away in little boring cubicles.

Okay, the cubicles are a tad bit boring, but we’re not.

We regularly collaborate, enjoy a speed-workout to Go You Chicken Fat Go Away, Tae Bo, or Richard Simmons and eat cereal together.

Unexpectedly some of the most random and interesting comments float through our department. The best are written down on the two gigantic quote boards in our office. I decided that it was time to share that profound wisdom.

And now for your reading pleasure, a few of my favorite Reading Horizons’ marketing team quotes:

“Jonathan, I love you in a strictly platonic way.” - Dan “I don’t know if we can salvage our platonic relationship now Dan.” - Jonathan

“And the panda was white, with a little bit of black.” – Carly

“Sometimes to get people moving you have to be a little offensive.” - Jonathan

“Usually fetuses make things much more normal.” - Angie

“I just might pass out from cuteness.”  - Katie

“Well at some point everyone HAS to Google it.” - Angie

“Reading Horizons is the Disneyland of offices.” - Katie

“There’s a cookie bouquet now?” - Carly

“He wants canned happiness.” - Angie referring to Jonathan

"It would be different if you were killing a dolphin or something." - Josh

“Conflict creates conversation. Conversations create friendships… it doesn’t always work.” - Jonathan aka Dwight Schrute

“You know that moment when you realize that you’ve been mispronouncing a word you’re entire life? Yeah… that’s awkward.” - Christine

Well that’s us…. A hard-working, fun-loving bunch of office mates who believe in changing the world – one struggling reader at a time.

Our vision is to help teachers teach reading effectively… resulting in happy readers in the classroom. If you’d like to learn more about out guaranteed-success reading program, take a tour now!

Reading, spelling, and writing – they’re like a three-legged stool. If one is missing you’re in jeopardy of looking foolish.

Currently there is a run on articles relating to the subject of commonly misused words. I recently typed the words “misused words” into the search box on Pinterest and came across style guides and infographics relating to this hot topic.

I believe that the entire hubbub surrounding commonly misused words is a result of the fact that we write more than we ever now. We (and by we, I mean students too) text, tweet, write blogs, post on Facebook, and Linkedin and the lack of attention to proper English is appalling.

Help your students be better readers, spellers and writing by sharing this information in class:

Adverse / Averse
Adverse means unfavorable. Averse means reluctant.

Afterwards
Afterwards is wrong in American English. It’s afterward.

Complement / Compliment
This one is my personal pet peeve. Complement is something that adds to or supplements something else. Compliment is something nice someone says about you.

Farther / Further
Farther is talking about a physical distance. “How much farther is Disney World, Daddy?” Further is talking about an extension of time or degree.
“Take your future further by reading good books.”

Fewer / Less
If you can count it, use fewer. If you can’t, use less. “James has less incentive to do what I say.” “Tony has fewer fans on Facebook.”

Hopefully
This word is used incorrectly so much (including by me) it may be too late. But let’s make you smarter anyway. The old school rule is you use hopefully only if you’re describing the way someone spoke, appeared, or acted.

•    Smart: I hope she says yes.
•    Wrong: Hopefully, she says yes.
•    Wrong: Hopefully, the weather will be good.
•    Smart: It is hoped that the weather cooperates.
•    Smart: She eyed the engagement ring hopefully.

Need reading help in your school? You can improve reading skills and change lives. Learn more by taking a free online tour. >

Imply / Infer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Imply means to suggest indirectly (you’re sending a subtle message). To infer is to come to a conclusion based on information (you’re interpreting a message).

Insure / Ensure
Insure is correct only when you call up Geico or State Farm for coverage. Ensure means to guarantee, and that’s most often what you’re trying to say, right?

Irregardless                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Irregardless is not a word. Use regardless or irrespective.

It’s / Its
It’s is a contraction of “it is.” Its is a possessive pronoun or adjective.

Lie / Lay
Lie has no object. It is an intransitive verb. Lay is a transitive verb. It has an object. “ How dare he lie where I lay my egg?”

Literally
“I’m literally starving to death.” No, odds are, you’re not. Literally means exactly what you say is accurate, no metaphors or analogies. Everything else is figurative (relative, a figure of speech).

Premier / Premiere
Premier is the first and best in status or importance, or a prime minister. Premiere is the opening night of Star Wars 8: George Wants More Money.

Principal / Principle
Principal when used as a noun means the top dog; as an adjective, it means the most important of any set. Principle is a noun meaning a fundamental truth, a law, a rule that always applies, or a code of conduct.

Then / Than
Use then when referring to points in time (“I did this, then I did that”). Use than when comparing (“I’m better than that”).

It’s not too late to insist that the students in your class learn these most commonly misused words. Someday they’ll be grateful. Literally.

A month ago, I had an interesting experience with a group of teachers. I was attending a two-day Reading Horizons training at the University of Utah Reading Clinic and I was told to “dress comfy” for the training.

The problem is – I really don’t subscribe to “dressing comfy,” I dress for success – my own and for those around me.

Yes, I realize how cliché that may sound but I have to be honest, almost harsh here – nearly every teacher I have met wears the standard comfortable, ill-fitting, and uninspiring clothing.

This leads me to wonder about challenges in classroom management, learning environments, and role modeling. Is it really okay to wear faded polo shirts and khakis? What’s the message sent about the teaching profession and the importance of education? And what do students really think about teachers who are ultra-casual? Perhaps I’ll ask some students and report it in another blog post.

I am not suggesting that dressing down makes a teacher unfit, inexperienced, or in any way less than wonderful. I do question if many of our teachers have missed the mark when it comes to being the professional in the classroom, in every way, and this includes the perception that administrators, parents, and students will unavoidably make about appearances.

Some may argue that casual attire helps students feel more comfortable in the classroom. Is that what we really want - more informal classrooms? What about more respect and admiration?

Others may claim that they are bending up, down and that the job is very physical. I have little sympathy here having on more than one occasion schlepped around 25 lbs. boxes in high heels.

It is timely that today the Washington Post released this blog post, New study: What you wear could affect how well you work. In part, the article, reads:

“A recently published study from professors at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University shows that when research subjects wore a scientist’s or medical doctor’s white coat, they performed better on a test known as the “Stroop test,” which asks participants to say the color of a word being shown on a flash card, rather than the word itself.

The group who donned white jackets identified as lab coats performed better on conflicting flash cards, such as when the word “blue” is spelled in red letters. Those wearing the lab coats, which people typically associate with care and attentiveness, made about half as many errors as their peers.

Interestingly, the study subjects who wore similar white coats but were told they were artists’ coats did not perform above average. As a result, the findings show that it’s not just the experience of wearing the clothes, but the symbolic meaning they hold for people.

Much of the research on clothing has been focused on how we’re perceived, rather than how it affects our own behavior; just as most dress codes and workplace dress norms are established in order to set up a certain perception of the people who work there, rather than to actually make those people feel, think or perform better.”

My primary point is this: we never know who is looking at us, and who we may be influencing simply by what we wear, and now it looks as if what we wear may affect how well we teach.

Your thoughts?

It will be here before we know it.

March 7, 2012 is World Read Aloud Day. This movement is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people.

World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.

Worldwide 793 Million People Remain Illiterate

LitWorld.org sponsors the annual event and you can participate by registering your commitment to celebrate with your school, organization, or independently. LitWorld.org is trying to get one million participants in World Read Aloud Day.

Ideas for participation are simple:

• Read aloud to loved ones or new friends and talk about the importance of global literacy.

• Help spread the word about World Read Aloud Day and the Global Literacy Movement to your friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other social media platforms. You can get a fun World Read Aloud Day badge here.

• Join an upcoming Live Orange Broadcast Series on the art of reading aloud by going to LitWorld.org.

Reading is such a critical skill. It's hard to understand why more emphasis isn’t placed on making certain that teachers know how to actually teach children to read.

Understanding the decoding skills needed to learn how to read comes from much more than a basal or some worksheets.

Learn more about teaching children to read by signing up for this free teacher workshop and don’t forget to support World Read Aloud Day this year!