Last week I had the privilege of teaching two online workshops for teachers about getting ready for the upcoming school year. They were both so much fun! We played games that teachers can use with their students (either in person
“I’m on the edge of a breakdown. I’m pouring everything I have into my students, and it doesn’t seem to be enough. My principal keeps telling me I need to take care of myself, but she never gives me time
It might be the understatement of the summer that teachers, students, parents, and administrators are anxious about the upcoming school year.
In addition to the priorities of health, safety, and equity of access to education in this COVID-19 period, distance
What might schools look like in the fall?
We can learn from schools that have already welcomed children back to school.
In the United States, many of us (teachers, parents, and students) are filled with anxiety about what the
This has been a spring that few of us anticipated. As we now look to the end of the year, many of us are aching for our favorite end-of-the-year moments—that final awesome read-aloud, the class gathering with families, the spring
A Conversation with Mike Anderson, Little Things First
This is part 3 of a four-part series on how to support educators in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
In this conversation with the Little Things First podcast hosts, Tracy
A high school math teacher is recording short lessons on his phone in his basement, using a dry erase board and marker as he explains new math concepts. He posts the videos and then offers one-on-one and small group coaching
Remember those days in the classroom when you thought, “I have friends who work from home. Wouldn’t that be nice?” Well, here you go! COVID-19 is giving you a chance to try it out.
No doubt, there are some upsides
You’ve spent the whole year building a community of learners. You’ve established rules and routines to help learners manage themselves and work well with each other. Now, with schoolwork potentially moving offsite, you still want to support your students as
Is it time to try something different with your students? Is there something you’ve been trying over and over again that just isn’t working?
One year, I remember it taking me way too long to realize that I needed to
A school-based content coach wrote to me because her K-5 school is considering moving toward content specialization. This means that at each grade level, teachers would focus on specific content areas and kids would change classes throughout the day. She
The Dilemma
You want to offer students choices about what they learn or how the learn it. Engagement would be higher and you could offer differentiated options to meet the needs of various learners. However, you’re saddled with a scripted
A teacher recently reached out to me about PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports) and reward systems. It’s a question I’ve been hearing a lot as I work with teachers across the United States.
I am in a district
Is there a more controversial issue in schools right now than grading? If it’s not at the top of the list, it’s certainly close. As many schools move away from traditional grading practices and toward standards-based (proficiency-based or competency-based) ones,
A teacher recently wrote me an email asking for some advice about student motivation. She graciously agreed to let my answer morph into a blog post.
I just finished listening to your ASCD webinar about language. I found your presentation thoughtful,
There is much debate about what kind of role homework should play in schools. Research on the topic is mixed. It has negative impacts on the achievement of younger children, positive impacts at the high school level, and mixed results
Are incentive systems used in your school? Do kids get handed tickets or fake money (to be spent at the school store) for walking quietly in hallways? Are gem and marble jars used to motivate kids to raise their hands
Do you care about equity in your school? Do you believe that all children should have a fair chance at school success?
It’s common for grade levels or departments to create long lists of supplies that students are expected to
Do you care about equity? Do you want all of your students, regardless of their socioeconomic status (SES), to have a real chance for success?
Of course you do. Most teachers consider themselves fiercely protective of students who come
What do you think–should teachers call students “friends”?
Educators at William H. Rowe School in Yarmouth, Maine are engaged in an exploration of teacher-talk. They’re using What We Say and How We Say It Matter: Teacher
Have you ever had a student you struggled to connect with? How you ever felt a twinge of guilt as you recognize that there are a couple of students in your class who are harder to like than others?
I
We know about the power of relationships. We’ve heard (and believe!) the old adage, “Kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” So how do we build and cultivate those all-important relationships…with some of our toughest
Tell a story that you would want your students to tell about your class at the end of the year.
This compelling challenge was posed by Bena Kallick on a recent video interview I had with her and Allison Zmuda.
If you teach reading and/or writing, there’s a good chance that when introducing a new concept or skill, you begin your lesson by saying some variation of, “Good readers….”
“Good readers pay attention to context clues.”
“Good writers add
As the school year winds down, it can be hard for students (and teachers) to keep their positive energy high. With the end in sight, it can be hard to stay motivated to do work. With worries about the end