TL;DR: Sometimes it is difficult to fully recognize where the dividing line is between work and home. Summers are meant to rejuvenate, reconnect, and reflect. When you start to dread going back, reflect on the goodness present in teaching. After finishing another long year of teaching, one of the most challenging since 2020, you may ask yourself: Is it worth … Read More
Summer Reflections: Best Practices
TL;DR: Relationships you build with your students go beyond the classroom. Research-based best practices are worth the extra effort. It is not enough to know your content, you have to know how to teach it. As I write this blog, it is mid July, and for me, that is the sweet spot during the summer. Enough time has passed to … Read More
Episode #174: Nina Parrish
Nina Parrish has over 18 years of experience in the field of education where she has worked as a special education teacher, education center director, speaker, and educational consultant. Nina is the co-founder and chief academic officer of Parrish Learning Zone in Virginia and the author of The Independent Learner: Metacognitive Exercises to Help K-12 Students Focus, Self-Regulate, and Persevere. … Read More
Episode #173: Erin Austin
Erin E.H. Austin is a National Board Certified French teacher in Colorado. She began her teaching career in Minnesota in 2002, and she holds a B.A. in both French and Art Education, a M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction, and graduate certificates in French Studies and Gifted, Creative, & Talented Education. She was a NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow in 2018 … Read More
Teach Better Ambassadors: Like Radio Shack, But Still Relevant
TL;DR: Alex Valencic shares his journey from substitute teacher to Professional Learning Coordinator. The Teach Better Ambassador program is here to help everyone be better. The Ambassadors bring a vast array of experiences to support the Teach Better community. New Role After three years as a substitute teacher and seven years as a fourth-grade teacher in East Central Illinois, I … Read More