TL;DR: Traditions were broken all around the world due to the global pandemic. Next year, we can repair the traditions that 2020 took from us, or we can recreate new ones for our families. BreAnn presses pause on her Play Better series this month to share a poem reflecting on the importance of tradition. Pause. My husband’s grandma passed away. When I … Read More
Highlights of 2020: In Case You Missed It
TL;DR: This post shares highlights of Teach Better blog posts in 2020. Categories for posts include pandemic teaching, self-care, instructional strategies, conversations, growth mindset, communication, and leadership. Pandemic Teaching 3 Ways to Support Students Virtually by Chelsea Nicolino 5 Ways to Support Students and Teachers Virtually and Maintaining Rigor through Distance Learning by Chad Ostrowski Key Considerations for Educators During … Read More
Small Conversations, Big Impact
TL;DR: Listen closely to small conversations you have with others. Open yourself up to listen to learn. What may appear to be insignificant conversations can turn out to be golden nuggets of information. As stated in previous blogs, I teach astronomy. Now, what was one of my first teaching moments related to space? Back in the 90s, I was teaching … Read More
Reflecting in Times of Uncertainty
TL;DR: As we reach the end of the year, it is time to reflect together, problem-solve together, and try something that makes us uncomfortable. Some questions to facilitate discussion among colleagues include reflecting on professional learning and collaboration, learning targets/instruction, assessment, and social/emotional support. All over social media and throughout schools, we hear phrases right now such as, “Be compassionate,” … Read More
Growth Mindset Mantra, Model, Motivation, and Matrix
TL;DR: Use a growth mindset to reflectively persevere. Consider the A.R.E.A. (Attitude, Effort, Reflection, Action) Growth Mindset Model when you make a mistake, encounter an obstacle, or haven’t experienced success yet. Model how to enhance autonomy, agency, ownership, and self-direction. Evaluate continuous learning with a growth mindset matrix. Modeling and empowering a growth mindset while learning in school is just … Read More