Each day I would start class with a set of Daily Announcements including:

1)  Homework Assignments

2)  Due dates for Lab Reports

3)  Dates of Tests or Quizzes

4)  Other announcements important to the students

This aided both student and teacher to keep up with the regular day-to-day demands , as well as to communicate any  changes in the schedule.  For example, if the teacher chose to edit Class Objectives (either adding or deleting), or if a quiz date has been changed.

Students who had been absent missed these announcements and would usually ask me what the homework assignment was for the specific date.  These daily announcements were eventually hand-written in a notebook I kept in the classroom -- a student who had missed the class could easily look it up. 

The students could earn extra credit by writing the announcements every day.  To be fair, this extra credit option needs to be shared -- there's always one student who would do it every day if he/she could. 

Years later, I worked at a school that had its own website, and each teacher had a page with the expectation of posting announcements and correspond by email with students and parents.  When I had this opportunity, I would repeat the Daily Announcements (which I had written in my Plan Book).

Today, many teachers have websites as the majority of students have Internet access.  If you're starting a new website, here is some information to help you:

Here is a 2011 article that lists several website options:

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/02/10-ways-for-teachers-and-students-to.html

Here are a few other options not listed in the 2011 article:

http://classjump.com/

http://www.educatorpages.com/

http://teacherweb.com/

And here is a 2014 web page providing website reviews:
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/

If you develop a website (or already have one), I'd love to see it!  Send me the address so I can check it out.  To write me, click on the "Contact" button at the top of this page.

I hope your summer is going well!  During this time, you can purchase my lab book "Chemistry on a Budget" at amazon.com -- it contains 13 labs that require consumable materials you can purchase at local stores -- and it's only $20! 

http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Budget-Marjorie-R-Heesemann/dp/0578129159/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389410170&sr=1-1&keywords=chemistry+on+a+budget

Each lab is presented with two possible report formats -- both labs use the same procedure but each has a different conclusion -- one with 10 questions to be answered as a conclusion, the other with a full laboratory report required.  This gives the teacher the option of what type of report is desired, and each version is designed to be just two pages.  This way the teacher can photocopy just one 2-sided page per student (saves paper).  

It will take a little time to get to you, so order it and enjoy your summer vacation!

Have a good week!

Many teachers organize and calculate their students' grades using a grading program -- what a wonderful tool !  I save my grades on two disks (just in case) -- it was a good thing one year because one disk failed and I needed the 2nd!

I still had a handwritten grade book -- I'm just really old-fashioned, but I needed it during my first year of teaching when I lost my grade calculations and had to reestablish the whole thing! (thus my double back-up).

Here's an article about the benefits of grading programs:

http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/grade-keeping-programs/22745

Here is an article listing several grading programs:

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/11/6-excellent-gradebook-tools-for-teachers.html

Your school may provide a grading program to use.  If you're on your own, here are a few more ideas:

https://www.thinkwave.com/secure/start_gradebook/

http://www.gradekeeper.com/

https://www.learnboost.com/

I used the Jackson Software program "GradeQuick" at one school, and eventually purchased my own copy when I was at a school w/o any grade program.

http://www.softlookup.com/display.asp?id=43262

What's nice with this grade program is that you can print individualized reports.  I would print out mid-quarter and end of quarter grade reports for the students -- they appreciated knowing what was in my record and could point out any errors.  I would tell them that I didn't have an assistant and I needed them to check the entries.  Tapping into the students' grade concern made this a useful technique.

If there were any errors  in the printout, I required that they submit the graded assignment and the printout with the entry of concern circled -- there was a deadline for these submissions.  It made my work a lot easier, and cut down on the "what can I do to improve my grade?" discussions.

I would also have a "pep talk" at the beginning of each quarter to encourage students to reflect and see what needs improvement.  I stated that they could meet with me to figure out strategies, not to get overwhelmed but pick one area to improve on which they could focus their energy.  It could be making sure homework or lab reports are done and on time, coming for extra help, better preparing for quizzes and tests -- don't try to do everything because it's overwhelming.  Just pick one thing, and follow through.

I hope your summer is going well!  During this time, you can check out my lab book "Chemistry on a Budget" at amazon.com -- it's only $20!  It will take a little time to get to you, so order it and enjoy your summer vacation!
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Budget-Marjorie-R-Heesemann/dp/0578129159/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389410170&sr=1-1&keywords=chemistry+on+a+budget

Each lab is presented with two possible report formats -- both labs use the same procedure but each has a different conclusion -- one with 10 questions to be answered as a conclusion, the other with a full laboratory report required.  This gives the teacher the option of what type of report is desired, and each version is designed to be just two pages.  This way the teacher can photocopy just one 2-sided page per student (saves paper).  

Have a good week!

It is very important to be conscious of the chemistry laboratory safety of your students --  it is important for a student's safety, their fellow students, and the teacher's safety.  At any time, a teacher or student may  be required to react in a situation.

If you haven't already taken a course, or experienced an in-service session through your school, try to find the time to read about chemistry laboratory safety and/or take a course.

Here's an article by Flinn Scientific that presents ideas for lab safety education for your students:

http://www.flinnsci.com/teacher-resources/safety/general-laboratory-safety/steps-you-can-take-to-prove-you%27re-a-responsible-science-teacher/

Here is a quick overview of lab safety basics:

This video is a bit older, but I showed it a lot in my classroom!

Here are a couple chemistry laboratory safety quizzes:

http://www.flinnsci.com/media/396492/safety_exam_hs.pdf

This quiz could be taken online, and a result printed out:

http://daphne.palomar.edu/safetyquiz/safetyquiz.htm

Teaching chemistry laboratory safety is helpful to the student who can react with more knowledge in an accident situation.  Teaching chemistry laboratory safety once at the beginning of the year is not enough, and it will not protect the teacher from being sued over a laboratory accident.  A Safety Quiz record can show a pattern of laboratory safety behavior to support the teacher's defense. 

I recommend that the teacher address the safety requirements of each lab, ideally stating the requirements in the handout, and enforcing safety behavior in the classroom.  I was in the habit of tapping on my goggles to show that my eyes were protected by wearing them properly.  Students will perch them on the top of their heads, like sunglasses  -- be prepared to enforce proper safety in your classroom!

To read an entry about laboratory safety, and view several labs which include safety issues for each lab,  check out my lab book "Chemistry on a Budget" at amazon.com -- it's only $20!  It will take a little time to get to you, so order it and enjoy your summer vacation!
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Budget-Marjorie-R-Heesemann/dp/0578129159/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389410170&sr=1-1&keywords=chemistry+on+a+budget

Each lab is presented with two possible report formats -- both labs use the same procedure but each has a different conclusion -- one with 10 questions to be answered as a conclusion, the other with a full laboratory report required.  This gives the teacher the option of what type of report is desired, and each version is designed to be just two pages.  This way the teacher can photocopy just one 2-sided page per student (saves paper).  

Have a good week!

You may not have the class time to devote to public speaking, so use your discretion.  Also, you have to decide if you have this type of assignment every quarter.  A student could have a decent grade 1st quarter b/c of this assignment, and then plummet the next quarter w/o it.

During a class or after school session, students can earn extra credit by helping to hang the posters in your classroom.  The students can take great pride in their classroom by helping to get it set up -- it can be a great help!  I'll mention other classroom ideas in future posts.

Check out my lab book "Chemistry on a Budget" at amazon.com -- it's only $20!  It will take a little time to get to you, so order it and enjoy your summer vacation!
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Budget-Marjorie-R-Heesemann/dp/0578129159/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389410170&sr=1-1&keywords=chemistry+on+a+budget

Each lab is presented with two possible report formats -- both labs use the same procedure but each has a different conclusion -- one with 10 questions to be answered as a conclusion, the other with a full laboratory report required.  This gives the teacher the option of what type of report is desired, and each version is designed to be just two pages.  This way the teacher can photocopy just one 2-sided page per student (saves paper).  

Have a good week!