Entries by Becky Hunsberger

Proactive Classroom Management

January 14, 2015 in /by

“The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline: it is the lack of procedures and routines.” –Harry Wong, author of The First Days of School In his teaching on classroom management, education guru Harry Wong emphasizes the importance of teacher preparation as the best means for preventing problems before they arise. Students entering […]

‘Tis the Season for Reviewing

December 3, 2014 in /by

In school settings, December frequently signals the end of the first semester. Whether the semester actually ends prior to the Christmas holidays or shortly after students return in January, many teachers find themselves using the time to help students review what they have learned over the course of the semester. This week’s OnPractice is devoted […]

Thinking Biblically About…

November 19, 2014 in /by

As the holidays approach, I thought it would be a good time to share some of my favorite resources about thinking biblically about specific disciplines.  If you are anything like me, a good book—especially one that challenges you to engage with both your faith and subjects that you love—is a treasure.  Here are some of […]

Keeping your Head Above Water

November 5, 2014 in /by

Ask any teacher, and they’ll tell you the same thing: teaching is complex. It is far harder than it seems at first glance. There are so many different activities to stay on top of: lesson planning, classroom management, testing, differentiation, field trips, record-keeping, communication, faculty committees, professional development, oh—and loving each one of the youngsters […]

Teaching to the Test

October 8, 2014 in /by

Tests. The very word inspires dread in the heart of many a student. Who among us doesn’t remember sitting at a desk, staring down at a thick packet of paper knowing that how well we remembered the answers to the questions could significantly affect our grade in a given class. The bigger the test, the […]

Vocabulary Instruction: It Really Does Matter

September 10, 2014 in /by

As teachers, we all know the importance of helping students develop strong vocabularies. This is true no matter if we are teaching first and second graders or seniors in high school. It is also true across disciplines. In fact, the research shows that there is a strong correlation between increased student vocabulary and greater reading […]

Unstringing the Bow

June 4, 2014 in /by

Several years ago, at an ACSI school administrator’s conference, I heard ACSI’s regional director for international schools (and former BFA head) Tim Schumann speak about the principle of unstringing your bow. Essentially Dr. Schumann was encouraging school leaders to take the time to step away from the battle—the stress and the busyness that comes with […]

Designing a Literacy-Rich Classroom

May 7, 2014 in /by

It has been said that learning travels on language, and there is no denying that language fluency is foundational for ensuring student understanding of any learning objective. With this in mind, it is not surprising that much time has been devoted to the concept of setting up literacy-rich classrooms. This is an important concept at […]

FarBeyond: How Jesus Modeled Transformational Education

April 23, 2014 in /by

At our FarBeyond conference this month, Dr. Joseph Kim gave us some good reminders about what it means to be involved in transformational education. Speaking out of Matthew 11:25-31, Dr. Kim pointed out that Jesus himself provides a model for the transformed teacher. For those of you who might have missed out, here is a […]

Connecting Field Trips to Learning Objectives

April 2, 2014 in /by

One of the many perks of teaching internationally is the availability of some really cool opportunities for taking field trips. Field trips are a great learning tool because they allow for experiential learning and the opportunity to apply content knowledge and skills in a context outside the classroom. But in order for your students to […]