You're smart. You know lots of words and you have more concepts and ideas in your head than most people. But, you may need some help on knowing what a desk is...and is not. This article is about what a desk is NOT. Be sure to read the other one I have on what a desk IS. As a professor, you need to be clear that a desk is NOT

1. A storage unit. Look at your desk right now. If there are items that have been on your desk for longer than a few days (or even a week), then you're treating your desk as a storage unit.
2. A book shelf. Do you have books either stacked on your desk, or maybe even in a tidy row with bookends? Either way, a desk is not a bookshelf, so move those books over to your book shelf.
3. An in-box. If everything that comes into your office goes onto your desk (or the chair that is right next to your desk and serves as a desk extension of sorts), then you are using your desk as an in-box. Not good. Get an in-box to put ON your desk...but wait, that's a whole different article so I won't get started on that here.
4. A permanent repository. Besides the top of your desk, you need to consider the inside drawers. The vast majority of folks have items in one or more of their desk drawers that have been there a REALLY long time. Desks aren't meant as permanent repositories for anything.
5. A photo album. Sure it's nice to have pictures of a pet, a family member, a great view, the coolest thing you ever found in your lab, or any other memento to look at. But, not on your desk. Put those pictures onto nearby shelves or on top of a file cabinet (and do you see the assumption I'm making, i.e., that you have room on a shelf or file cabinet). Whatever the case, move those pictures off your desk. A desk is not a photo album.
6. A museum. If you are an artist, an archaeologist, an historian, or any other academic who finds and treasures nifty items, that's great. however, your desk is not the place for this trove to be displayed (or stored). A desk is not a museum.
7. A pantry. One or two food bars, hot chocolate packets, or Ramen Noodles is OK, but when you have entire drawers dedicated to the storage of food, then you're not using your desk for its intended purpose.
8. A pharmacy. If your drawer has enough analgesics, antacids, lotions, potions, and powder to stock an aisle at your local drugstore, then it's time to do some tossing (and/or to get some medical attention!)
9. A holding zone. What is just sitting there...waiting? It might be something you're waiting to file, waiting to hear back on, waiting to see if you're going to move forward on it, waiting until the next time you teach this class, etc. Whatever it is, move it to a home that is somewhere other than your desk. Your desk isn't the cell-phone waiting area at the airport. It's a place where you can do some work without undue clutter and distraction and 'holding zone' items are both.
10. A supply closet. Depending on how long you've been in the professoriate, you've been through the inevitable ups and downs of the economy and the ebb and flow of the department budget. Sometimes, you know when times are good, you better stock up. Not necessarily a bad plan, but the place to store all these excess supplies is NOT your desk. A few pens, some paper, a pad or two, as well as a reasonable portion of other office supplies is OK to have handy in your desk. But if it's more than you access in a week, then it needs to be somewhere else. Somewhere like an actual supply closet.

What you see - This Pune Children's Center is housed in a beautiful old colonial bungalow surrounded by abundant foliage and creepers. It is a true delight at first sight. The school has two levels. On the ground level is the playgroup class while on the first level is the mini kindergarten and toddlers' class. Every classroom is decorated with posters and the walls are painted with popular cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, alphabets and numbers. In spite of its proximity to the busy Deccan Gymkhana, this place seems blissfully devoid of noise and pollution.

What you get - This Pune Children's Centre was started by Neelima Ranade who is the principal and owner of the school. She has vast experience in teaching and also holds a child psychology degree from America. The center has four programs to offer. The first being the toddler group which is for kids in the age group of 15 months to 2 years. This is a stage of transition from homes to the first school experience, so the focus is to get kids accustomed to the school environment. The kids are assisted with their mothers who are a part of the various games and learning exercises. We noticed some kids who were trying to scoop sand from the ground into their buckets with the help of teachers. We were informed that this helps in motor co-ordination and concentration of the child. Classes takes place on alternate days - Monday, Wednesday and Friday - from 10 AM to 11 AM.

Then we had a glimpse of the play group class for age group of two years and above. These classes take place between Mondays and Fridays from 9.15 AM to 11.15 AM. The class starts with traditional prayers like the Gayatri Mantra or Saraswati Puja. We were told that other than the regular English rhymes they are taught Hindi and Marathi songs to give them a better understanding of the local languages. After the initial learning lessons where basics of alphabets and numbers are taught, they are given some kitchen replica toys. We saw some boys rolling chapattis like their moms and girls preparing tea for their teachers. Kids are also potty-trained in these classes.

The mini kindergarten classroom is the biggest and the most brightly decorated of all. This class involves activities which would help them to adapt easily to the bigger schools. They are taught to handle creative toys, building blocks, drawing, matching alphabets, stamp craft and more. The books for all of this are prepared by the teachers. They even have a library of 500 books where the kids are read stories. These classes are from Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 11.30 AM. Every Friday they have a sing-a-song routine where the kids sing their nursery rhymes to the tune of their music teacher's instruments like the tabla or the harmonium. This session brings in a lot of joy to the young minds.

The last program is the young achievers' program for kids between the ages of four and six years. It is an after-school nurturing program which involves instilling manners, playing interesting games, encouraging reading habits and more. Neelima Ranade believes that till the age of six years children have a strong grasping power and the things learnt at this tender age remain with them forever. This extra-curricular program is from 4 PM to 5.30 PM on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Our verdict - The school does not believe in a fixed curriculum. So there is newness in their programs on a continuous basis. Their motto is to bring fun and learning together and the school does seem like an extension of home.

Our schools have always had a need for books and sometimes we take it for granted. We probably have not really thought about how we can keep books in the schools that our kids are in, but we really should.

If you have ever talked to your kids, you probably know that schools are always needing books for the library. These places are able to get some books though government programs but there is still a need to have more used books and new books in the school system. There might even be a need for books for the younger children as well as the older ones that may be in the same school. There are some ideas that can help you to get the used books for your schools.

One idea is to organize a book drive. This can mean asking people to bring in the used books that they have but are no longer using. This will help fill the schools with the books that students might want to read. These used books may not be something that they can get in any other way but though a used books drive.

Another good idea to think about is to give your used books to the schools that your children go to as well as some that are in your area. You might even donate your used textbooks to the schools so that they can get some use out of the books that you are no longer in need of. Talk to your friends and get them to give the used books that they have so that the schools can use those books as well. You will feel good keeping the books in the schools in whatever way that you can.

There are many schools that would love to have the used books that are hiding inside your closet and in your attic. You can help keep the schools books up by just giving them the used books that you are not going to use. All you have to do is call the schools and ask them what they need and what you can do to help them get the used books and new books that they need to make the school better. You will feel great knowing that you are doing something that will help the schools and that will help you clear out the clutter in your own home.

Among the thousands of teachers in America, one particular group in this profession deserves to be recognized more than the others - they are the special education teachers. They are a group of specialized teachers who work with students of special needs that not every teacher is able to teach. If you are one of these teachers this article is to help you create a lesson plan for your students.

If you are a special education teacher you are probably having trouble creating a lesson plan for your students. A special education lesson plan is an educational technique or teaching method that is made specifically for students of any age group that have some disabilities.

Now, the lesson plans do vary depending on the student's disability, its extremeness and the student's age. The main goal of the lesson plans are to prepare the students to function on their own, to master certain minimum skills to help them, and to help them build and support social competencies. All of these things are important but the number one importance of a special education lesson plan is to help the student and their family to lead normal and problem free lives.

Some of the topics a special education lesson plan covers are math, language, arts, science, music, computer and internet lessons, P.E., social studies, health, etc. The plans cover pretty much every subject that those in a regular class are learning but the material is changed to suit the students.

The best subject for those with a disability is music, dance, and any other art form. These subjects help students with disabilities to relate to the lessons which directly enhance their learning process. Also, reading, writing and any public speaking should be encouraged by the special education teacher as it will help the students in the long run.

As long as you have a well thought out lesson plan you will be able to enhance the student's feelings and responses, the student's reasoning ability and reading skills, create a sense of fulfillment in the student, promote the student to communicate, help the student to achieve motor control and physical wellness, etc. Hence, it is most important for any special education teacher to thoroughly plan out a well thought lesson plan as this will enable and enhance the learning process of these special students.

If you have no idea on how to create a good lesson plan, you can get some references and information on the internet, in books, and in articles. Do not just take the lesson plan and use it but modify it to suit the individual student.

Being a special education teacher is one of the hardest things you could do but is also one of the most fulfilling. With a good special education lesson plan you are able to accomplish so much in making the student's life the best it can be.

Have you ever asked yourself why some teachers seem to be able to handle the difficult classes better than others, and why they get respect that others don't? Do you ever wonder why some teachers find the job so enjoyable while others find it so stressful and frustrating?

When I first started teaching I was always amazed (and I have to say a little jealous) by the way some members of staff could get even the most challenging class to obey their every command. Perhaps 'obey' is the wrong choice of word. The kids in their charge didn't so much obey them; that conjures up an image of them following commands out of fear. No, these teachers didn't rule with fear. They didn't need to resort to such futile tactics, because they had students eating out of the palms of their hands.

These teachers were the pied pipers of the school building, the ones who were sought out at break times for a chat, the ones who the rough, the mad, the bad and the sad all respected - equally. When these teachers walked into a classroom for a cover lesson the mood was immediately upbeat and at the request "quiet please, let's make a start", a respectful hush soon followed. The males of this rare breed of teacher would always get a nod in the corridor from the 'hard lads' while the ladies would be greeted by an "alright Miss?" or a door help politely open. "Wow!" I used to think, "How do they do that? Why is it that they can get respect from these kids - even the really difficult ones?

So I asked them. Not the teachers, the kids. I decided that if I was going to find out what these teachers had that was so appealing to the kids, the best people to ask were the kids themselves. I asked them directly and I gave them questionnaires. Every class and every pupil I taught, from ages 11 to 18, for the first few years of my teaching career was asked the same question...

"What are the features of the best teacher you've ever met?"

On the questionnaires I probed further. I wanted to know what sort of things these teachers said, what they did, what teaching methods they used, what strategies they used to help kids when they were down, how they used humour in the classroom, how they encouraged them to work harder, how they got them to follow instructions, why they did that made them smile.

Call me obsessive but there was a hidden agenda: these teachers were enjoying their careers far more than the majority of my colleagues. The kids enjoyed being taught by them and they enjoyed coming to work to teach them. To me that spelled success, purpose, happiness and less stress. I wanted the same.

The results won't surprise you, as they didn't me. All the usual requirements were there. The features the pupils said they wanted to see were, in no particular order...

* They treat us in a nice, friendly manner
* They recognize when we do something right
* They can have a laugh and are cheerful.
* They give out information in a fun and interesting way
* They trust us
* They're firm and fair
* They have the same rules for everyone
* They are always in control
* They are there for us, they care, they listen

As I said, no surprises - and yet this short list holds the key to your success as a teacher and classroom manager. The teacher who has all these attributes and consistently displays them will have far fewer problems to deal with in the classroom. It is as simple as that. The secret of behaviour management is preventing the majority of problems from happening in the first place.

It took me a long time to realize the real importance of this, however. Years after confining my little questionnaires to a file somewhere it suddenly dawned on me that the reason these teachers were having such an easy time in the classroom went way below the surface of merely providing interesting lessons, being firm and fair etc. Taken collectively, there is an important reason why these key attributes are so effective in preventing problems and making students feel content - they satisfy 3 critical psychological needs.

Most teachers will be familiar with Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory. It suggests that we all have basic needs and that as a group of needs are met or satisfied, we move up to the next level. The lowest level consists of our most basic needs - shelter, food and water. Our needs for safety are on the next level up. Then we progress into the realms of psychological needs, and this is where it gets interesting.

Psychologists list a wide variety of needs under this heading - from the need to achieve through the need to contribute, to the need for love and a whole host of others in between. We can boil them down to just three to make life easy. I like easy and I'm sure you do too!

The first group of needs falls under the heading 'Empowerment' and encompasses recognition, freedom, autonomy, achievement, contribution, choice and competence. If these needs aren't being met we will feel 'Powerless' and frustrated in any given situation. Second is the need for 'Fun' and includes the need for curiosity, interest, growth and learning, adventure, amusement, surprise, variety. If this need goes unmet we feel bored, lethargic, switched off. Finally, the most important need by far is the need to 'Belong' - to be accepted, valued, appreciated, needed, related to or connected with something beyond oneself. In short, the need to be loved. If this need goes unmet we feel lost, uncared for, lonely, isolated, vulnerable, let down and inferior.

The important thing to remember here is that these needs HAVE to be met. They are as important to us as food and water if we are to live full and satisfying lives. Most, if not all, of the children we teach get their basic needs for air, water, food, shelter and even safety met as a matter of course, both in the home and at school. But when we get into the higher levels of social and self-esteem needs the picture is a little different. Some of our young people are growing up in our societies without these needs being met. These youths form the more troubled members of any group, they are the difficult, the vulnerable, the confused, the let down; the mad, the bad and the sad.

These are the kids who cause problems in lessons: the silly ones who look for attention; the mischievous ones who play pranks and mess around; the devious ones who go out of their way to make life miserable for others; and the switched off ones who just couldn't care less. These children present problems because they have problems themselves. They are driven by some compelling urge to act the way they do and I believe the needs theory explains it all.

For these kids life isn't easy. They are missing something. For them home isn't a balanced loving place of support, moral teachings and kindness. But while their backgrounds may be very different from other, more compliant and well behaved members of the class, they have exactly the same needs. The teachers who meet these needs will reach them very quickly and manage to keep control in the classroom. For the teachers who don't, it's a different story.

Let's look at the simple example of a teacher who doesn't consider it important to provide interesting lessons. Instead they simply hand out worksheets, day in, day out. They offer no variety of activity, they don't use (or even allow) humour, there is no sense of discovery, no choice in the seating arrangements, no movement, no challenge, no music, no colour, no adventure, no dynamism, no curious props, no energizer, no warm-up activity, no break... NO FUN! Instead they present a monotonous stream of text-based work which is in total misalignment with the preferred learning style of many of the pupils in the class.

The need for fun has to be met and clearly this lesson format is not going to do it. The need for fun is a primeval, subconscious thirst which needs quenching. One way is by looking for fun outside the learning activity. Perhaps there's something more interesting happening outside the window, or on one of the other tables in the classroom. Attention wanders. The kids look for ways to make their own fun. Doodling might do the trick. Passing notes under the table might entertain for a while. Sooner or later the desire for amusement will lead to increasingly disruptive activities. If the teacher doesn't provide the fun through the lesson activity for a lively group, you can bet the pupils will meet their need for fun and excitement in other, less appropriate ways.

Returning to this 'worksheet' example we discover that while some of the pupils find this work far too easy and are bored to tears, others find the work, together with the confusing instructions, almost impossible to fathom. They can't make sense of it. They feel confused and frustrated and consequently totally powerless.

The teacher has offered no choice or freedom in the way the work is to be presented or tackled; and let's face it, there is limited variation in the way you can fill out a worksheet. The teacher offers little, if any valuable feedback or encouragement, nor does he recognise or praise pupils who attempt the work. Beyond the academic pedagogical side of the classroom this teacher also gives no responsibility to the kids. We all know that the louder members of any groups, those that tend to cause us problems, also tend to have a great capacity for leadership. By giving them some responsibility in the classroom we not only fulfill their desperate need for attention and recognition (both needs under the 'empowerment' umbrella), we also make life easier for ourselves as they are less driven to get these needs met by clowning around and causing problems. But that doesn't happen in this classroom because the teacher sees no point in giving these kids a responsibility.

The kids aren't included in any of the routines either, so a simple but effective way of both empowering them and creating a sense of belonging is missed. Indeed there are no routines. It is chaos.

This teacher is also very hostile in the way he deals with problems. He is condescending to the pupils, belittles them, makes sarcastic comments, he shouts. Again this undermines the pupils and makes them feel powerless. It takes away their sense of identity. They feel persecuted. They feel that they're being treated unfairly.

How can kids succeed and gain a sense of achievement when the work is either too complicated or difficult, or perhaps even too simple and boring? If they're given no freedom in the way this work is to be presented and have no input in any of the classroom activities, their lack of autonomy and choice will again make them feel powerless. The need for empowerment still has to be met and these pupils will get their need for power satisfied - one way or another.

They may decide that their way is to simply opt out; this act in itself is quite empowering. By opting out they are making their own choice and dictating terms in the classroom. Alternatively the way may be to complain or misbehave; again, they are making their own choices and gaining power from doing so. If the teacher doesn't meet their need for empowerment by giving them chances to succeed and achieve (with support and appropriate work), recognition (in the form of praise, encouragement and responsibility, support), they will seek other ways of getting this need satisfied.

Finally, they need to belong. This need, more than any other is missing from many of our vulnerable and most difficult students' lives - not just in the classroom, but sadly at home too. The main reason why kids form gangs is to meet this one need. The drive to be part of a group, connected to something, valued, appreciated, heaven forbid call it 'loved' - is essential to all human beings. We all positively need to be loved.

The worksheet teacher ignores this fact. He ignores the fact that teamwork, co-operative work and peer support systems will give pupils a sense of community. He ignores the fact that positive relationships are a sure-fire way to get the most from any under-performing pupil and are the foundation of any successful discipline plan. He can't be bothered to spend a little extra time taking an interest in these pupils, talking with them and making them feel valued. He ignores the fact that giving his pupils a voice, giving them support and making them feel a valuable part of the school environment, is essential if they are to feel content, to feel safe, and to be less inclined to attack a system they feel is inherently against them. All that is too much trouble. It is far easier to hand out a worksheet, and with it the instruction to "get on with your work!"

... but it is not easier at all, because this is the teacher who dreads coming to school every morning; the teacher who spends every break time complaining about the 'uncontrollable kids'; the teacher who is often ridiculed and insulted on a daily basis, and wonders why. The easier way might take a little more effort, but pays the dividends.

My mother always put it like this...

"Life is like a teapot. You get out of it what you put in."

She was, of course, talking about 'attitude'. If you put weak tea bags in the pot, you get nothing of worth back out of it. It is so sad that many teachers think they can turn up to class with super-cheap tea bags in the form of dull work (and grumpy persona to match) and expect compliant, thoroughly engaged pupils in return. You know that it doesn't work like that. You know that to receive, you have to give first, and the best teachers do this. They give, they meet needs. They adopt those crucial features outlined above, and in doing so prevent the majority of behaviour problems from ever taking place.