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Can you replace the tables with desks? If all the students were sitting at desks, and the desks were facing the front of the room that might help. Do you have rules? Are they posted? Have you tried a reward system? Get The First Days of School by Harry Wong and Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov and read them this weekend. They are full of ideas. Whatever changes you decide to make, you want to make them NOW because the tone and climate that is established in a classroom at the beginning of the year tends to persist over time. You'll want to be consistent with the way you follow-through with classroom management and student behavior. With regard to students being bored and disengaged, think about what you'd like to do if you were a student in this class. Students like opportunities to get up and move, some like competition, games, and contests and others like music and art. Try to vary assignments and activities and ways for students to show you what they know. Do you have a Smartboard or overhead? Computers? Use them. If you need more ideas, write back.

Here is Customer Service phone number: 1-800-724-6527 Or you can search here for help: http://www.scholastic.com/cust...

Have you tried this? http://clubs.scholastic.com/ab... Or this? http://clubs.scholastic.com/ab... And here is customer service: http://www.scholastic.com/cust...

Here are 2 books you might want to own: Web Literacy for Educators, by Alan November and Teaching with Author Web Sites K-8, edited by Rose Reissman and Mark Gura. These are teacher resource books that will help you get started. Another way to start is with one Web site or program for literacy and one for math plus a kid-friendly program for teaching keyboarding. Keyboarding will work for students in grades 2 or 3 and up. Hands and fingers have to be big enough to reach all the keys. If you need additional, specific suggestions, just write back.

If you already have a Scholastic User Name and Password, you can log into Clubs Ordering Online and in the left hand column on the ordering homepage, you will see a box that says "Let Parents Order Online" and in the lower right corner of the box is your activation code in orange characters.

Your best bet is to contact Customer Service. Go here first: http://www.scholastic.com/cust... If you can't find an appropriate category, click on Contact Us on the left. Customer Service reps. are very prompt with their replies.

I hear you. We all want students to have meningful activities for their free time. It's a good idea to have on-going work students can do. For example, a reading journal, writing folder, or list of vocabulary or spelling words they can always work on independently. A well-organized classroom library with leveled books helps students find books they can really read. Reading is always an option. There are variations on reading like partner reading, whisper reading, independent, silent reading, etc. Create a prioritized list of agreed-upon activities with your class at the beginning of the school year. Talk through each option and model how to engage in activities appropriately. If you have centers like writing center, listening center, or science center, those activities may also be on your list. You might call your list, "What do I do NOW?" A large list on chart paper will give students a visual reminder and you'll be able to redirect them nonverbally just by pointing to the list. For other ideas, look for this book: The Daily Cafe.

I have empathy for you and your situation. As an elementary teacher, I'd be concerned too. Find out as much as you can about your students. Do they have severe special needs? Do they need a substantially separate program or are they going to be mainstreamed for part of their day? Is this a self-contained classroom? Do students just need tutoring and someone to keep them on task? Are any of these students ELL students? How many students will you have at any one time? And how many in all? Knowing the answers to these questions will help me assist you with planning and organizing for the upcoming school year. You're going to want to assess these students as soon as you can. You'll also want to see any SPED records, IEPs, test scores, report cards, etc., from last spring. Set up your room with desks in rows and students separated, facing you and the front of the room. If you have a Smartboard or overhead, use it right from the beginning. Students will look toward the light, especially if you turn off the ceiling lights. Create a set of rules, ideally with the help of your students. Have a quiet activity for them to start on as soon as they enter the room. If possible, have a student or assistant handle the attendance and other clerical tasks so your attention can be on the students at all times. Greet them at the door and call them by name, because calling them by name will help establish you as their leader. Use name tags if needed. Break assigments into chunks and give students lots of modeling and practice. Make sure students write down their assignments in agenda notebooks. If they don't have notebooks, maybe the school can purchase them for the students. Many of the classroom management techniques you already know will work with ninth graders. Keep the room simple and plain in the beginning. You'll be able to add bulletin boards, posters, etc. later. If you haven't read Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov, get this book!

Other ideas: Find out ways to assist teachers by providing web sites, help with research, etc. Set up a schedule for story hours for younger students. Select newer, colorful picture books, even if that means checking out books from your local public library. You're right that students are not interested in old, faded materials. Find out if you have a budget for new purchases. Is there a PTO or parent organization that would have a fund raiser, donate funds, organize a book fair, etc.? Some books have puppets or plush toys that go with the books. Buy puppet/plush and book combos and feature them. Help students start a list of recommendations on chart paper. The heading might say "I recommend _________ to __________ because..." When students recommend books to one another that's a way to keep them in circulation. Get faculty members to recommend their favorite books and set up a shelf with their recommendations, kind of like Barnes and Noble does with staff recommendations. Start a literature circle for 3rd and 4th graders that meets after school or at lunch. There's so much you can do. Need more ideas? Write back!

What an exciting job! a media specialist has such a special role in a school, an ambassador for reading and technology! I don't know how much time you have before school starts, but start going through your collection, a shelf or two a day. Remove the books and materials that are old, worn-out, or out-of-date. Make thematic displays on the tops of bookcases, maybe featuring books about friendship and back-to-school, books teachers and students could read together to refresh social skills. You might also go around your building and find out what science and social studies units teachers will be teaching in Sept. Then set up displays with selected books to tie-in with their units, for example, butterflies, magnets, or American Colonial times. Students are more interested in books that are facing forward,so they can see the covers. Do you have books and tapes or books and CDs? You might set them up in a prominent place. Maybe you'd write a note to parents, introducing yourself and letting them know they are welcome to bring their children to the library right after school. If you are looking for volunteers, say so in your letter. What you want to do is draw in parents as well as students. Best wishes!

One beginning step would be to use Book Wizard to level the books you want to keep. bookwizard.scholastic.com

Here's an article with lots of information for you from NEA: http://www.nea.org/tools/estab...

You will want to spend about 20 min. discussing rules. You'll want to make rules about classroom expectations and homework completion very clear. It might help to make a powerpoint, use an overhead projector, and/or later make a poster with rules to post. Give students copies of the rules. Check with your colleagues to see what rules they have. Think through the kinds of things you may be dealing with as you come up with rules. You may want to generate the rules with your students so they will have ownership of them. Check to find out if there is a dress code, rules about hats, chewing gum, or offensive language. Even though the rest of the school may not have consistent rules, think about your level of comfort and what behaviors you can reasonably tolerate. Negotiate a list of about 5 rules. That's about the maximum you'll be able to enforce consistently. Being consistent in enforcing rules is as important as the rules themselves. You'll want to follow-through with your rules 100% of the time. Otherwise you'll undermine your own authority.

Here is one lesson plan from scholastic.com on building community at the high school level. Teaching rules isn't a one day lesson, constant work on rules is a must. http://www2.scholastic.com/bro...

Is this just one or two students, or is this a problem for many students? Have students completed homework in the past? Is it just one class? Assuming it's just an isolated case, give this student a warning the first time it happens and repeat your expectations. The second time arrange for the student to stay after school to conference with you and to complete his/her reading at school. If this continues, ask parents/guardians to come in for a conference with the student present. At the conference, propose a system, like having parents sign off on the reading on a nightly basis, student tracks min. of reading in a reading journal, and you check every day to confirm student is reading nightly. In the beginning your follow-up and check-ins will be very important in assuring compliance. The system you establish is less important than your willingness to follow up on a daily basis. If the student responds positively to the new system, then gradually release responsibility to the student. If not, then you need to ask whether there's time during the school day for this student to catch up on nightly reading, for example, during study hall.

I think the book you're looking for is In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth. Other related books include: Cold Hands, Warm Heart by Jill Wolfson, My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, and Never Let Me Go by Kazu Ishiguro.

There are lots of ways to reward students that they'll find fun and don't include trinkets, prizes, or food. One way is to establish certain goals students will work toward for the week and a target range of points to achieve the goal. For example, a goal might be staying seated (2 pts. in AM and 2 pts. in PM) and a target goal of 14 points the first week. You may wawnt to divide the day at first so students who mess up in the morning can redeem themselves in the afternoon. All those who achieve the goal by noon on Friday will participate in a group activity, like extra time in a computer lab playing educational games, extra time on the playground or gym playing a group game like kickball, extra time to play board games, etc. You decide on the reward together. Anyone who doesn't earn the reward, will need to stay behind in the office or supervised in the classroom. Student will then complete a graphic organizer explaining why she/he didn't get the reward and what she/he will need to do differently next time to earn the reward. Another way of setting up a system is to use marbles and glass jar, adding marbles to the jar to reward positive group behavior. When the class has filled the marble jar, everyone earns a group reward like one of those mentioned above. When you set up a system it's important to make the goal reachable so everyone or almost everyone makes the goal the first week. You want students to earn the reward, so gradually raise your expectations and make the goal more difficult to achieve over time.

Thank you, Ruth! I can't wait to read through this article and check out these titles.

I found an interesting article for you here on scholastic.com with a list of resources to help you find novels for your students. http://www2.scholastic.com/bro...

I agree that it's a good idea to change up the look of your classoom so the kids feel like it's new. I change some of the picture books out for leveled chapter books in our library, change the games in the free play area, etc. You'll love that so much less time at the beginning of the year is spent on expectations and routines. You only have to introduce those things that are new to 2nd grade. You'll also love that you don't need to spend nearly as much time on the beginning of the year assessments. I say to the kids, "We'll pick up where we left off and if you're rusty we'll work on it until you've got it again!" It will be an awesome experience, but let me warn you - it's twice as hard to say good-bye at the end of the year :)

I did the same exact thing 7 years ago. The best part was that routines are already known and established, so that won't take as much of your time and you'll be able to have them show any new kids how you run the room. THe biggest thing I had to be aware of, was not doing the same activities, art projects, writing prompts, etc because they definitely remembered. Also, depending on your room them, make sure it's not too babyish. Mine had to change because I had lots of cute little mice - and changed to auto racing; which was just an excuse to change my theme! Other than that, it should be a great year for you as you'll see even more growth and have already established relationships with their parents. Whatever you do, don't treat them like babies. Remind them that even though they were together in 1st grade, this is a more grown up grade level now and they have to act accordingly. Enjoy!

When I taught a combined class rearranged my classroom and used as many new colors, designs, etc., so my students would feel it was a new experience. While you'll need to refresh your students with rules, expectations, and routines, you won't have to spend nearly as much time establishing procedures as you did last year. This means you'll be able to give fall assessments sooner, group students, and start working. You'll have time to meet with students to set individual goals for the first semester. It's going to be a great year, an easier, smoother start and less pressure to get everything in, since you'll recapture time at the beginning of the year.

Oops! Just noticed I misspelled "circulate."

45 min. is a long demo lesson. Typically they are more like 20 min. However, you'll be able to accomplish more. Maybe you could use a book like Math Curse by Jon Scieszka? http://www.jsworldwide.com/ This will combine your love of math with ELA. It's very funny and kids will get the humor. Maybe the follow-up writing activity might be writing real math problems that are humorous and CAN be solved and exchanging them with a partner. If there is a rug in the room, start with the students seated on the rug. Think about how to get them from their deaks to the rug. Have them sit for the book, then give them directions and a graphic organizer to help them structure math problems or just notebook paper. Give them about 10-15 min. to write problems. Have photos from magazines for students who can't think up a problem. Give them photos for inspiration. Curculate while students work at their seats, then call them back to rug for a group share.

I am also teaching 4th grade reading, language arts, and writing only. Maybe we could share ideas and resources!

I am also teaching 4th grade reading, language arts, and writing only. Maybe we could share ideas and resources!

This is a huge topic. If you want more details, email me at home ruth.manna@verizon.net. Fourth graders are fun and you'll enjoy working with them. Centers for 4th graders Comfortable seating area - old sofa, comfy chairs, throw pillows, area rug, and table lamps for reading independently. A chart so students can recommend books to classmates. Also a box of clipboards so students can work on an area rug or carpet. Writing Center - Colored paper, copy paper, notebook paper, blank books, pens, pencils, highlighters, stapler, hole puncher, tape, glue, scissors, etc., arrange in baskets and other organizers so it's easy for students to find what they need. Listening Center - Esp. for students who are not reading up to grade level so they can listen to stories their peers are reading. Set up a rotating schedule so all students get turns. Science Center - Microscope, hand lens, lab sheets, rocks, shells, coral, etc. Maybe a goldfish or frog? Math Lab - logic games and puzzles, chess set, math games, counters, number lines, multiplication charts, unifix cubes, etc. With students this age, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and begin teaching the curriculum. Capitalize on students' initial enthusiasm and energy for school. Later on you'll be glad you got into the curriculum right away, because your pace may slow.

What about D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths? It's a classic and you could use it along with Mary Pope Osborne book.

Do you know about Donors Choose? http://www.donorschoose.org/ You can donate to others and you may be able to find the books you are seeking. Last year I donated money to a teacher so she could buy musical instruments she was planning to use to teach math to her students. Check it out!

Make your room as attractive as you can with colorful bulletin boards, area rug, comfy chairs and/or cushions, table lamps, etc. Organize a classroom library with paperbacks and graphic novels your students can read. Take several days setting up your room, so it will promote learning. Resolve that for this year school will be different and better, at least in your classroom.

Are you famililar with Responsive Classroom? Here is a link to their Web site: http://www.responsiveclassroom... It seems like starting a regular Morning Meeting would help your students. Here's a book: http://www.responsiveclassroom... Morning Meeting will engage students and help build community. It sets the tone for the day and helps students feel safe and accepted.

I highly recommend you read Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov. There are so many practical suggestions and strategies in this book! Illustrations are usually middle school students because Lemov's Uncommon Schools are mostly middle schools. The is also a DVD with video clips that illustrate some of the strategies. Let me know how you like this book.