I had carefully planned a 2nd grade lesson about how-to writing, which included making an actual sandwich as a model for providing step-by-step directions of "how to" do something. Although students loved creating their sandwiches, unfortunately the lesson flopped.

Social-emotional competency is key to school success, but doesn’t come naturally to a lot of boys. In my book, The Elementary and Middle School Student-Friendly Handbook to Navigating Success, I detail eight strategies students can use to handle stressors and prevent bullying — as well as dozens more tips students can use to increase school success.

First of all, never give up. Your students need you. Get to know your students as individuals. Tap into their interests as you plan and execute your lessons; it makes learning engaging and relevant.

Just like graphic organizers, anchor charts, and other cues help students navigate and work independently with the concepts we teach, brief, kid-friendly strategies for handling emotional situations can help our students develop healthy social and personal habits. In my book The Elementary and Middle School Student-Friendly Handbook to Navigating Success, I detail eight strategies students can use to develop their emotional skills. Before introducing these strategies, you may want to lead a general discussion with your students centered on these questions:

At the beginning of the school year, every student in my 3rd grade class gets assigned five days when they will be the student of the week. They must create a poster about themselves at school or at home (I'm more than willing to lend necessary resources).

Schools need to focus on acknowledging the academic, psychological and physical needs of boys. For my doctoral dissertation, I examined the gender achievement gap in reading and writing of fourth and fifth grade boys versus girls and offered practical solutions.

Each of my 3rd grade students selected an important figure in history or a famous person within popular culture. One of my male students chose to research the author Jeff Kinney, who writes the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.