Sub Better: Know the Content

Alex T. ValencicBlog, Classroom Management, Lesson Planning

TL;DR Knowing the content of what you are teaching will help you be more confident as a substitute. Know where to look for help; it’s ok that you don’t know everything. Use the resources available to support student learning. Stretching Outside of Your Comfort Zone I received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in May 2008 and began working that … Read More

Sailing Your Own Ship

Sandra WeirBlog, Classroom Management

TL;DR: Shutting down a student’s behaviour in the moment can be effective short term but damaging in the long run. Knowing my students and what they need to be their best selves is part of my mission. Addressing students’ behaviors privately and maintaining a trusting safe environment are essential in my classroom. Sailing My Own Ship: Am I doing it … Read More

Expect Better

Alex T. ValencicBlog, Classroom Management

TL;DR: Students won’t know what you expect of them if you don’t tell them. Including students in the work of establishing expectations will lead to better outcomes. Teachers, administrators, and substitutes need to work together to establish clear expectations. So. Many. Teachers. Imagine a student who attends the same EC-12 district for their entire public education career. This student will … Read More

Engagement and Equitability with Easy-to-Use Canvas Quizzes (VIDEO)

Teach Better TeamBlog, Classroom Management, Differentiation, Lesson Planning, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Canvas has an auto-grading feature to use for quizzes. These quizzes can be used at the end of lectures and encourage students to take good notes. If you offer enough quizzes, this can improve equity by allowing students to fail or miss quizzes and still be successful in class. The quiz auto-grading feature of Canvas can be used to … Read More