We talk a lot about how to increase student achievement and improve learning in our classrooms. A lot of these conversations are centered around what needs to be added or changed in a classroom, NOT what should be removed. Many of the practices that still exist in classrooms across the country are not only outdated, but they are making progress … Read More
5 Mistakes Districts Make When Rolling Out a New Initiative
How did your last district initiative implementation go? If we’re being honest, probably not as well as you had hoped, right? It’s okay…it’s not you. The truth is, most new initiatives don’t go all that well. We see it all the time, working with districts across the country. A new idea comes along, it seems to be the perfect tool … Read More
Why Your Staff Hates Meetings (video)
Why Your Staff Hates Meetings Full transcript below video. Video Transcript Hey guys! Today I’m going to talk about something that we all think about, and that is why you or your staff might hate staff meetings. I’m going to give you four reasons that you can think about, make adjustments for, hopefully make your next staff meeting a little … Read More
Embracing Student-Generated Questions in the Classroom
Guest post by: Dr. Molly Ness Make Way for Questions: Embracing Student-Generated Questions in the Classroom “If there is a Big Dipper and a Little Dipper, why isn’t there a Middle Dipper?” This question – from my six-year old niece – came as we looked into the night sky. Her question was impressive – not only in its insightfulness, but also … Read More
MODERN METACOGNITION: Tools to Help Your Students Think About Thinking and Learn About Learning
Reflecting on your thinking and being aware of your own thinking process is what metacognition is all about. What’cha thinking about? How did your thoughts end up there? As educators, teaching our students to think about how they think and how they learn is a game-changer. It’s not a Common Core standard per say, but if metacognition is mastered, the … Read More