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Teaching Advice/Questions Answered by Expert Patricia Ireland-Williams
| Subject | Date Asked |
| teaching as a career | 11/2/2011 |
| Q: I am considering going into teaching at a secondary education level. I'm just wondering why it is ... A: Amanda............. This is an easy answer for me. From my earliest memory as a child, I have ... | |
| school credit card | 9/3/2011 |
| Q: i was trying to order a textbook from pearsonschool.com , but "NOTICE - The item(s) marked with a † ... A: I have never experienced this. Most likely, the request for a PO or school credit card is the ... | |
| Certification | 8/9/2011 |
| Q: I'm planning to be a Music Education major and an English Comp/Lit minor. My advisor isn't exactly ... A: I think this is a good choice but given that Music programs are being cut each year, you are more ... | |
| teacher | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: I was graduated as associate comp.science(2yrs)last 2006 and planning to go back in school this ... A: In order to become best qualified for teaching you must first determine where you want to teach as ... | |
| busing | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: After reading your profile I thought you were the best person to ask the following question. I live ... A: Arianna, ALL Experts has just informed me that you have not received the answer I sent you. So ... | |
| School ID List | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you can kindly assist me. Im seeking to find a list of school codes or school ID ... A: This information is totally confidential and related to the tax exempt status. These numbers are ... | |
| Disciplining Other Parents' Children | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: Ireland-Williams, I had typed my question yesterday but didn't receive a confirmation, so I'm ... A: Actual discipline should be handled by the teacher but any adult who is assisting should feel free ... | |
| TEACHING | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: What are some ways elementary teachers can manage students working at different levels in the same ... A: Julia, Most classrooms have a diverse level of abilities, personalities, and learning styles. A ... | |
| TEACHING | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: How do you respond to an elementary student who does not want to sit next to a student who is ... A: Julia, In my 35 year career, I have NEVER dealt with this situation. It is my experience that ... | |
| TEACHING | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: If I have an elementary student who has a hard time staying on task, tends to distract others, and ... A: Julia, I would suggest that you speak to the student and parents as well as the previous teacher ... | |
| I've plagiarised on my coursework and my teacher wont accept my new version! Help! | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: Before my teacher told the class what plagiarism was, i had to hand in some coursework. This was a ... A: Ryan, Plagerism is a very serious offence which often leads to expulsion from school (especially ... | |
| black/white | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I'm an elementary teacher in a low-income African American community. I am a young, white, female. I ... A: I am sorry that you are having this experience and can only encourage you to continue all of the ... | |
| Becoming an English Professor | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I would like to become an English professor and teach overseas. What courses and degrees must I ... A: I would contact the ministry of education for each country and ask what the requirements are for an ... | |
| Becoming an English Professor | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I would like to become an English professor and teach overseas. What courses and degrees must I ... A: Julian, I have no idea what the requirements are in other countries. In the United States if you ... | |
| how to become a teacher ? | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: I want to know all the possibilities (if possible ) to become a teacher You would immediately ... A: Pablo, The fact that you want to help children is a great beginnng. As you begin your study for a ... | |
| Emergency Teaching | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: My name is Erin and I am a 22 year old from Australia. I have just finished my BA of Education at ... A: Erin, As a retiree, I enjoy subbing in a gr 3-5 setting so this is an easy one to answer. 1. be ... | |
| Substitute Teaching - Classrm Mngmt | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: Ireland-Williams, I am a substitute teacher in an inner city school district - grades 6-12. I have ... A: I understand your dilemma in that I have worked in a similar environment. I learned, however, that ... | |
| Principal | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: There is a principal who runs our high school in New York who has a second job as a CEO of a ... A: John, Being a high school Principal is definately a full time job but obviously, this individual is ... | |
| Teaching | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: How will you meet the needs of all the other students in your classroom and teach then at each of ... A: Jessica, Teachers do their best to evaluate each student and then create groupings in order to ... | |
| dealing with physical violence | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I'm a university student, psych major, who is planning to become either a child psychologist or a ... A: I am not a psychologist so I feel unqualified to give you suggestions in how to over come fear. ... | |
| Hey | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: So I'm in honors math for my 8th grade year. My teacher said if I pass when I go to high school I ... A: Alex, Normally advanced students in High School Math take advanced courses for college credit at ... | |
| Computers | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I am looking into working in the school system by teaching K-6 graders the basics in computers. I ... A: Marima, I have no idea about the requirements for teachers in your area..............most school ... | |
| english | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: 1-How can we apply the technology in teaching English? 2-What are the means that we can use with ... A: Because we live in a technological world and most kids relate well to electronics, teaching English ... | |
| English language teaching | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: i am an english teacher and english is a second language in my country.i wanted to teach tenses to ... A: Anabell, I just did a simple internet search for "teaching sentence structure in English" and ... | |
| How to prove my residency in Virginia while living in Tennessee | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I live in Tennessee and I would like to enroll my two sons in state funding on line school in ... A: Emma, I have no idea what Virginia would require for residency in that I live in Arizona. Here we ... | |
| Education | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I am going to school for education. I would like to know if it is a good idea to build a good ... A: It is DEFINATELY important to build a good relationship with your students but in my experience, ... | |
| Need Help with Math | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: I apologize in advance that this is a little long. I am very disappointed with the math education ... A: Leslie, In spite of the difficulty your daughter is currently having in math, I would not ... | |
| Classroom management | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: but when the entire class starts acting badly, I have a problem controlling them, and they know that ... A: Since I do not know what subject or grade you are teaching, I will provide you a rather general ... | |
| Plagiarism | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: My son was asked to define the word energy. He looked it up on Dictionary.com and wrote the ... A: I certainly do not think that defining a word by using a dictionary source is not plagiarism, ... | |
| Schools getting there | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: I grew up learning disabled in a school that was a private school without much LD help when I wasn't ... A: Michael, The situation you described is typical of private schools........many are ill equipped to ... | |
| SAT | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: When should I start studying for the SAT test? I'm going to be a sophomore in high school. A: I would recommend that you speak to your guidance counselor about this........if you are a good ... | |
| question | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a very shy and timid daughter. She came out of her shell a bit in kindergarten this year ... A: Melanie, I would encourage you to meet the Principal. It is amazing that you are a room mom and a ... | |
| Private school to public school | 4/19/2008 |
| Q: I went to public school until 6th grade and then went to a private school for 4 years(last year ... A: Since I do not know where you live, nor the requirements of the school you are intending to enter, I ... | |
| need of the special need children | 3/29/2008 |
| Q: What the social educationall and psychological need of the children with special need? A: I believe that the social, educational and psychological needs of special needs children are ... | |
| should students be graded? | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: I am a seventeen year old highschool senior involved in a debate that is going to take place in ... A: I do not believe that students should be "given" grades.....they should earn them. Student work ... | |
| Assessment of students | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: Willams, I had a questioning concerning assessment of elementary students. I was just wondering of ... A: There are many ways of assessing students on a daily basis: Observation Conferencing Written and ... | |
| Quick Question | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: I reallly don't know who to ask this question, I hope you can help. I have been attending a local ... A: I have no idea about how the hierarchy of your school but if it was me, I would ask to speak to the ... | |
| Tutoring | 12/14/2007 |
| Q: I have a fairly simple question. I am going to begin tutoring a girl Two days a week. For two hours ... A: Individuals without a degree usually get $10-$15 an hour where as individuals with a degree get $25 ... | |
| Teaching as a quasi-profession | 12/12/2007 |
| Q: I been looking for an answer..Using the criteria for a profession, defend the idea that teaching is ... A: Teaching is definately a profession in that teachers are highly educated, must continue their ... | |
| Was this the best way to handle the situation? | 11/9/2007 |
| Q: I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness (I'm an adult now.) In kindergarten (public school), a camera ... A: Katie, I have never dealt with a situation like this one specifically but have dealt with parents ... | |
| our 6 year old ADHD grandson | 10/10/2007 |
| Q: Our grandson is now twenty years old. When he was six and in first grade he was diagnosed as having ... A: Connie, it is very unfortunate that you and your family had to endure such insensitivity but as you ... | |
| Teaching in the US | 10/5/2007 |
| Q: I am a resident of Barbados seeking employment in the US as a teacher. I currently hold a BA ... A: I do not know what the specific requirements are for Georgia, but I assume that they are similar to ... | |
| Degree question | 10/4/2007 |
| Q: I wasn't sure who to ask...I want to be a home economics teacher/ health teacher. My question is: ... A: Home Economics is no longer a required course as it used to be................once in a while you ... | |
| Terms??? | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: My question is, does a college dean serve terms??? Much like a Governor or Senator??? If so, what ... A: I do not know about contracts in California in that I do not live there nor have I worked ... | |
| Terms??? | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: My question is, does a college dean serve terms??? Much like a Governor or Senator??? If so, what ... A: Unlike an elected official who has specific terms of office,and get their jobs by running for ... | |
| AllExperts Question | 7/28/2007 |
| Q: What do you think of rubrics used in classes? Are you for them or against them? Why? I would like to ... A: When rubrics came into use about 8 years ago I was not sure about them but now they seem to be a ... | |
| Math Games | 7/26/2007 |
| Q: Do you have any good ideas for Math games? I'm teaching mathematics at a local facility for ... A: Jim, I am sorry, but Math is not one of my strengths.............but I just did an internet search ... | |
| Teaching in the U.S.A | 7/21/2007 |
| Q: I am 17 years old and researching different careers that I could take.I would really love to move to ... A: This is a wonderful goal for a young woman of your age. If you attend a four year University and ... | |
| TEACHER CERTIFICATION | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions and can't get an answer from anywhere. I am a B.Sc from India under ... A: I am sorry, but I do not know anything about University training in India. You can easily find out ... | |
| Teaching In USA | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: I would like to inquire further about possibilities of working as a Pre School or Kindergarten ... A: Most states require a 4 year degree in order to teach but there are many positions as teacher aides ... | |
| I Need Help With A Student | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: Courtney refuses to do anything. She doesn’t do her homework, she doesn’t do her class work, she ... A: Hopefully, Courtney understands that she is going to fail your class if she continues to behave in ... | |
| 2nd grade curriculum | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: My son is in second grade. It seems that he has a lot of home work every night. He has already ... A: It is not unusual for children to have home work in second grade. Most schools begin providing ... | |
| Re: Christian School Prac. | 2/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm 43 and very anxious about my first practicum which will be at The Christian Brothers high school ... A: It is natural to be a little worried or anxious in such a new venture...just do you best and ask ... | |
| Could you please answer a few of my questions? (academic honesty) | 2/1/2007 |
| Q: My name is Lorelei Farrar and I am writing a paper on academic honesty. I would appreciate it if ... A: I have not dealt with this issue often because most teachers observe cheating and as a result, take ... | |
| vocabulary&writing | 11/28/2006 |
| Q: how i can help my 4 grader to love writing and to improve his vocabulary?thank you A: I would suggest that you find books that are of interest to him/her and then rather than telling you ... | |
| back to school | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: i am legally an adult now since i am 18 years old so i am responsible for my education now.are you ... A: Most community colleges accept a GED as entry level....you may have to take a test to determine your ... | |
| back to school | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: I have been homeschooled for the last few years of highschool,and I tryed to go back but they said ... A: I am sorry to hear of your unfortunate situation. As long as you are underage, your parents are the ... | |
| speech | 9/14/2006 |
| Q: im a student council member and im trying to make a good speech . can you help me choose a good ... A: Sorry, it would not be appropriate for me to write a speech for you in that I do not know anything ... | |
| advice | 9/9/2006 |
| Q: I am new supervisior in english can you help me to write a report for new teacher at the begining of ... A: Kamel, When writing a manual to assist teachers in the new year, try to include things that will ... | |
| Religious Comments in Science Class | 7/19/2006 |
| Q: In my elementary science classes, I often get questions and comments relating to God. I have not ... A: I understand your diliemma.....as a Christian, I have faced this many times. I believe that when ... | |
| Summer School | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: I'm am starting my first real job in a week. I'm going to be teaching summer school in a IEP class ... A: Asking them what they want to learn about is o.k. but I doubt that they will want to learn what they ... | |
| teacher | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: what is the characteristics of good and lovely teacher? A: The characteristics of a good teacher is one who is well prepared, genuinely cares for their ... | |
| class control | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: how we can make students involved in class activities? A: Not knowing what you teach, this varies from subject to subject but........When you design lessons, ... | |
| no subject | 7/1/2006 |
| Q: I am 16 years Old. FOR THE PAST 10 Years I have struggled with my studies and yes I have been able ... A: It is never to late to learn...............believe it or not, I never liked to read until after I ... | |
| Studying to become a teacher | 6/26/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering if u had any advice or information on how to become a teacher, by evening study or ... A: Darren......... You can obtain the information you need from your state's educational certification ... | |
| QUESTION FIVE | 4/5/2006 |
| Q: ..I don't think my questions 1-4 went through..but here those are too, while I am at it...... If he ... A: 1) He determined how he would be paid when he signed his contract......month to month or to extend ... | |
| QUESTION FIVE | 4/5/2006 |
| Q: ..sorry..I forgot to mention this questions. my friend has 17 years of teaching experience and great ... A: In my state, Arizona, the Unions welcome the opportunity to help their collegues....I encourage you ... | |
| emergency classroom management | 4/5/2006 |
| Q: I'm in desperate need of help. This is essentially my first year, and I'm teaching English language ... A: This is a tough one in that you are right.......classroom management starts the very first day and ... | |
| Music | 3/16/2006 |
| Q: How do you handle music as it relates to scheduling problems and demands within the school day. For ... A: I don't believe that this devalues music education at all in that a small percentage of kids are ... | |
| the right method | 2/11/2006 |
| Q: tell me about the right method to teach astudant who his thinking is limited? A: Anwar, I am not sure what you mean by "thinking is limited". I can only assume that this person ... | |
| parent teacher communication | 2/9/2006 |
| Q: I am a second grade teacher and I have one particular parent who will argue anything and everything. ... A: This is too bad but does happen.......you will find difficult to deal with parents throughout your ... | |
| Job | 2/4/2006 |
| Q: I was thinking about applying for a Library Aide position at an elementary school. I have an ... A: This would be a good beginning if you are interested in getting into the field of education. ... | |
| Principal employment | 1/6/2006 |
| Q: I had a few more questions, Is there a major difference in principal jobs ... A: The Principal's job varies from grade level to grade level. In elementary, they often have no ... | |
| Principal employment | 1/5/2006 |
| Q: I taught 2 years in Hawaii and now teach in a non-traditional setting at the Starbase Academy. I ... A: There are always many jobs for good Principals. Requirements vary from state to state but all ... | |
| Name Change | 1/5/2006 |
| Q: I'm getting married in April, before school lets out, and will be taking my fiancee's last name. ... A: I am sure your kids know you are getting married and are excited. I would do a fun "countdown" ... | |
| dear gentleman or madam how... | 12/14/2005 |
| Q: how to manage some of personnel in a system without encourage or punishment ? please answer to my ... A: I am sorry that this has taken so long to answer. I was on vacation and all messages were to be put ... | |
| teacher in the family | 12/5/2005 |
| Q: Here's a lighthearted question, but one that I am truly clueless about. My sister in law teaches 4th ... A: I would suggest that you go to a teaching supply store (listed in phone directory). If there is not ... | |
| Caring for children w/ special needs | 11/22/2005 |
| Q: I am currently seeking my teaching degree and have to survey a few people with some experience. My ... A: This is a huge question but the bottom line is that it is difficult to raise a child in the first ... | |
| Elementary Education | 11/18/2005 |
| Q: Ireland-Williams, I am a junior in the Elementary Education program at the University of Arkansas, ... A: I am so sorry to hear of your experience with these misbehaving kids. I would assume that by this ... | |
| Roles of teacher, parent, and child | 9/25/2005 |
| Q: Williams, I am currently seeking my teaching degree and I have to interview someone that has had ... A: Carla............ I apologize for the delay........I have been away on vacation and the notice to ... | |
| student council speech | 9/19/2005 |
| Q: Where can I find samples speeches for student council for children in the third grade? I need this ... A: I have no idea where you would find a sample speech. Surely there is a reason why he/she has been ... | |
| parent teacher communication | 7/13/2005 |
| Q: I am a high school teacher in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. I am also a writer. Presently, I am ... A: Robin.........this is an often published topic and you can find hundreds of articles on it. One of ... | |
| Tips on Assessment | 7/7/2005 |
| Q: Hie! I teach French to the 15 and above age-group. You have been a great help to me in the past and ... A: Quantifying assessments simply give you consistent measures over time...........many of these are ... | |
| Being a good substitute teacher. | 6/29/2005 |
| Q: my name is James Schendel and I am currently a substitute teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School ... A: Interestingly enough, since I retired I have been enjoying subbing. Here is how I handle ... | |
| getting their attention | 6/12/2005 |
| Q: I have been teaching in a middle school for the last two years and am trying to think of a good way ... A: I have used the prompt 5-4-3-3-1 (count down slowly) for years and it has worked fine. I also have ... | |
| problem students | 6/2/2005 |
| Q: I teach 7th grade science in a middle school and am almost done with my second year. Last year, the ... A: Amanda, My best advise is to welcome them to your classroom, keep doing what you have found ... | |
| teaching method | 5/6/2005 |
| Q: Ireland-Williams. I'm a student learning to teach. I have the following problem. I've been editing ... A: Sarah, this depends on the grade level of the child.....if this is an elementary student, you should ... | |
| Attendance | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: I have two students in my class that are continuously absent/tardy. The office has spoken with the ... A: I would suggest that you contact the parents either by phone or make a home visit. In my state ... | |
| early childhood careers | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: Greetings. My daughter has a BS in Early Childhood and teaches preschool, but doesn't have a ... A: I do not know about the Parents as Teachers Program or the Child Life Program. I would suggest ... | |
| leaving teaching | 1/30/2005 |
| Q: I know it may seem odd that I am asking you where I should go when I leave teaching at the end of ... A: Tony, It is not uncommon to have the "Seven Year Itch" and you should not feel uneasy or ... | |
| Studying to become a teacher | 12/15/2004 |
| Q: How are you? My name is Tieisha Young and I am writing to you to find out is teaching important ... A: ....... In my 36 years of being in education, I have never heard anyone say they are in it for the ... | |
| College Education | 11/9/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering which is more impressive to employers on a resumé, having attended a prestigious ... A: This is almost impossible to determine in that I do not know what given field you are planning to ... | |
| Assessment | 10/24/2004 |
| Q: Kindly explain what exactly is the difference between assessment and evaluation. I'm confused! How ... A: Assessment is often testing a student with a quiz, test, etc. It can also be looking at other things ... | |
| political excursion | 10/20/2004 |
| Q: If you were planning to take a year 6 class to Parliament House for political studies, what actions ... A: I would simply ask the students what they know about Parliament (prior knowledge).......lead a ... | |
| Special Education Student and dealing with Principal | 9/14/2004 |
| Q: I am a life skills teacher and currently have a student 9 students, and 4 school issued aides and ... A: I would suggest that you call a staffing team meeting right away and ask the Principal to attend. ... | |
| administration and senior info | 8/17/2004 |
| Q: Greetings Patricia Ireland-Williams, A new niche for Life Finances ... Made Simple (a managing your ... A: Gary, The idea you have is a good one in that all people today need money management ... | |
| 1st day of school | 8/16/2004 |
| Q: I guess I left out an important part..... I'm going to be the teacher. Sorry about that.I will be ... A: JAY.......... OOPS! Glad you clarified your role. Much of what I said as if you were the student ... | |
| 1st day of school | 8/15/2004 |
| Q: I will be starting my first day of Kindergarten soon. What are some things should I really focus on ... A: Jay............congratulations on starting Kindergarten......this is the beginning of a fun ... | |
| on line teaching degree | 8/1/2004 |
| Q: Ever since I was a teen I knew I wanted to be a public servant. I went into health occupations ... A: Gustavo.........GOOD FOR YOU choosing to follow your dream at this point. I live in Phoenix, ... | |
| memorization | 7/19/2004 |
| Q: I recently retired after 18 yrs. in schools, most recently 10th grade English. I thought that ... A: Memorization is still an important skill that all students must have in that it is a life skill. ... | |
| teacher generated lesson plans | 5/4/2004 |
| Q: Williams: about 15 years ago, a group of teachers developed lesson plans that integrated art with ... A: That is an excellent question. Note: I am not a legal authority and my advise should not be seen as ... | |
| Education | 4/20/2004 |
| Q: W. I have been given an exercise in which this is one of the eight questions. Please help me answer ... A: I am not sure what you are asking but in terms of equal opportunites, the public school sector works ... | |
| parent problems | 4/5/2004 |
| Q: a parent comes to you and complains that what you are teaching his/her child is irrelevent to the ... A: I would make an appointment with the parent to 1) review the district and state curriculum ... | |
| Prep. Time | 2/10/2004 |
| Q: Our principal is eliminating the 3 minute passing time for our special area teachers. This ... A: This often depends on negotiations by the teacher's union. I have never heard of a school calling a ... | |
| Curriculum | 12/27/2003 |
| Q: I am a teacher, although not presently teaching, and would like to develop curriculum for teachers. ... A: There are many textbooks and programs that focus on this subject...........especially seen in the ... | |
| your career as an administrator | 6/15/2003 |
| Q: I need to interview an administrator for one of my education graduate classes. I would appreciate ... A: The most challenging part of the job has been to try to keep the staff feeling a "buy in". I have ... | |
| classroom management | 6/6/2003 |
| Q: I have been a classroom teacher for six years now and have a Master's Degree in Elementary ... A: Wow! Lots of questions.................let me see if I can help you. 1. Class size...........ideal ... | |
| Interview | 2/24/2003 |
| Q: and have been "out of the loop" for a long time. Can you tell me what I might best be well-versed ... A: The competition is fierce and the questions are usually very challenging. Our district interviews ... | |
| anecdotes as a student / teacher resource | 2/1/2003 |
| Q: Do you think our website (see below) would be of interest to students &/or teachers for research ... A: Jay, I am sorry for the delay in answering... I just received your request dated 2/1. I cannot tell ... | |
| G.E.D | 12/2/2002 |
| Q: e.d but im also a single mother and was wondering if there was anyway to take my ged at home i am ... A: I would suggest that you contact your local community college and see what resources they ... | |
Teaching Advice
Answers by Expert:
Patricia Ireland-Williams
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am a retired K-12 Public School Principal (8 years as a teacher and counselor) and 23 years as an administrator. I can help parents with questions about how the system works, provide ideas on how to solve school issues or assist teachers in coping with the plethera of stressors they face.
Experience
I am currently an educational consultant and have served on the State of Arizona Solutions Team.
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