TL;DR: Learn the difference between finite games and infinite games (Sinek, 2019). The goal of school should be an infinite game where students get to keep playing. See a list of skills developed in K-12 schools. Career Readiness involves three major skill areas: (1) core academic skills (2) employability skills (3) technical, job-specific skills. The moral imperative for our nation … Read More
Active & Engaging Lesson Hooks
TL;DR: The first rule to lesson planning is to start with a hook. These should be engaging to motivate all learners. There are 3 ways to hook your students: (1) Legos and Play-Doh to showcase thinking and ideas. (2) Gallery walks to record thoughts and ideas to share with others. (3) Four Corner Debate to organize students into groups based … Read More
Kids Do Better When They Are Excited to Learn
TL;DR: Creating a culture of excitement leads to a positive learning environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Excitement is contagious. Learn 7 ways to create an enthusiastic environment and 7 ways to create an enthusiastic lesson. Spend time laughing with your students; it is essential to creating a warm and positive classroom culture where students feel comfortable and … Read More
Show 115: Increasing Rigor and Engagement in Chemistry
Ty White is the 2023 Arizona Teacher of the Year and was an amazing guest. He teaches Chemistry 1 and Chemistry 2 to high school students. The class is focused on experiences, phenomena, and observing the world around them. He backs those experiences up with the math second. His approach is increasing retention and enrollment in Chemistry 2. The perspective … Read More
Move Out of Your Comfort Zone by Focusing on What You Can Control
TL;DR: Moving out of your comfort zone, growth, and change is a process. This blog focuses on how different frameworks connect to help us understand our controllables and the process of change and growth. The goal of this blog is to simplify the framework of moving out of your comfort zone by connecting to other frameworks that can enhance focus … Read More