Teaching abroad is the life for me!

Hello! I’m Holly Harris Wood, beginning elementary school teacher and classroom management geek. I have developed this project as a way to synthesize my own learning about how to maximize student learning through the routines, procedures, and communication that takes place in our learning community. At its best, I believe classroom management gives students safe boundaries to explore and learn with joy and curiosity, as well as build an environment that fosters the building of emotional intelligence. In his book, Emotional Intelligence (New York: Bantam, 1995), Daniel Goleman describes the power of empathy, cooperation, flexibility, impulse control, and more--these are the life skills that ultimately determine success. The rhythm and spirit of a happy, productive classroom--a class that offers learning opportunities that are both academic and social-emotional--are defined by the hundreds of thoughtful practices established by the teacher. The ideas here are my approach to this essential task.