Today’s cool idea comes to us from friend and colleague, Gillian Andrews. Make sure to check out her bio at the end of this post!
How many times on any given day do you catch yourself saying, “I wish there
It’s the beginning of a new school year, and your energy and optimism are high. You’re looking forward to a wonderful year—full of new growth and learning. As you settle in with colleagues for the first staff meeting, you chat
What if the best recipe for creating successful schools was developing relaxed, safe, and joyful ones? What if the key to raising achievement (even as measured by standardized tests) was to have students engage in authentic, student-driven, choice-based, and fun
In survey after survey, business leaders are clear about what they’re looking for in employees. They want creative, dynamic, and independent thinkers. They want people who work well with a variety of people. And, importantly, they don’t want to hire
I wish I could teach social and emotional skills, but there’s too much pressure to teach academics—I just don’t have time!
As I work with teachers in schools across the United States, I often hear some version of this statement.
You already know this, but I’m going to say it anyway. You can’t do it all in these last days of school. Go ahead. Admit it. You have too much planned, and you know no one’s going to come along
How Sharing Control of Learning with Students Makes Differentiation Better
Too often, differentiation (especially when it’s called differentiated instruction) places nearly all of the responsibility and work for differentiation in the teacher’s court. This often results in teachers feeling like
One of the most exciting and enjoyable ways to differentiate learning for students is to lead them through a process of independent research. When students get to dig deeply into something they’re passionate about, they have the drive and stamina
You invested hours and hours of time and energy in the first six weeks of school teaching and practicing routines, and it made a huge difference. Students knew what to do and how to do it, and your classroom (usually) ran
Today’s post comes to us from good friend and colleague, Kristen Vincent. To learn more about Kristen and her work, check out her bio at the end of this post!
Many teachers and families are wrapping up the fall season
I have always struggled with assigning math homework. I hate the idea of busywork, so work that seems too easy feels like a waste of time. Then again, assignments that are challenging don’t work either since I’m not there to
The first weeks of school are winding down. The weather is cooling off and academic work is heating up. This is a great time to reflect on the relationships you’re building with your class. How well do you know your
Math teachers, I have a warning for you. (Cue ominous music.) There’s a trap that’s lurking around the corner—one that many of us fall into at some point. (Cue increasingly ominous music.) And once you’re in, it’s hard to escape.
There are so many routines to teach early in the school year–it can be a bit overwhelming. Where do you begin?
Of course, there is no one right answer–no definitive list. One way to start is to think about ones
It’s now widely recognized that teachers must teach students the routines of the classroom. This is actually a shift. Years ago, it was often just assumed that kids should know how to walk respectfully in the halls, get supplies and
Setting up classroom spaces has always been one of my favorite things to do as a teacher. Now, as a consultant, I love helping other teachers think of fun and practical ideas for designing great learning spaces. Last year, a
One of the most devastating effects of the standardization movement—with its pressures to conform and emphasis on accountability through high-stakes testing—has been the stripping of teacher autonomy—our power to make informed decisions about how best to meet the needs of
Note: This article first appeared on Learning Personalized in April, 2016: http://www.learningpersonalized.com/students-learn-choose-choose-learn/. Thanks go out to my friend and colleague, Allison Zmuda, who originally published the post!
I was recently working with a group of high school teachers, and they
Many schools are working hard to help promote a growth mindset in their students. I recently facilitated a learning session with a group of teachers that I’d like to pass along. It is a simple activity that yielded some powerful
Dear Kennari-
Greetings once again from Sweet Meadow Acres for Retired Teachers. I only have a few minutes to write today, so let’s get right to it, shall we?
In your last letter, you mentioned that you’re overwhelmed with everything
You have just finished teaching a lesson, and as you direct students to get started on their work, a familiar chorus echoes across the room, causing your heart to sink.
What do we get for doing this?
Do we have
Every now and then, I come across a letter from Uncle Curmudgeon, an old retired teacher, to his niece, Kennari, an aspiring new one. I’m happy to pass another along!
Dear Kennari-
So! You’ve signed up for your first committee!
Every now and then, I come across a letter from Uncle Curmudgeon, an old retired teacher, to his niece, Kennari, an aspiring new one. I’m happy to pass another along!
Dear Kennari-
It was another interesting week here at Sweet
The first weeks of school are long past, and your class has likely settled into a rhythm. This is a great time of year to reflect on how things are going. Are routines running as smoothly as you’d like? Are
For a long time, when I wanted to give students positive feedback about their work or behavior, I began with some version of, “I like the way you…”
“Jeremy, I like the way you’re working so hard on that