Revel in the Small Wins – Strategies for Self-Care

Jillian DuBoisBlog, Reflect Better, Self-Care

TL;DR: Keep the little notes students write you in a file for when you need a smile. Focus on the small sparks of joy you get throughout each day. Write down the great things that happen to you! Keeper File Over the holidays, I received a handwritten card in the mail from one of my 2nd-grade students, Abby. It was … Read More

Kintsugi: Embrace Imperfections

Raymond PortenBlog, Reflect Better, Self-Care, Teach Happier

TL;DR: Instead of a New Year’s resolution, think of selecting a word for the year. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, silver, or platinum to create beauty in imperfections. How can we apply kintsugi as we learn and grow in 2022? Embrace imperfections, flaws,  and mistakes this year. You are spectacular as you are! One … Read More

Challenging the Status Quo When It Comes to Power!

Teach Better TeamBlog, Differentiation, Reflect Better

 TL;DR: Be brave and serve as an advocate for equity and inclusion. Be a lifelong learner. Hold positive intentions as we learn together Blog Reflection Questions: Who holds power in education? Why does this matter? How do we change the system with positive intention and navigate spaces? Happy New Year! It’s been a year since I started this educational journey. … Read More

A Unity of Diversity

Tim StephensonBlog, Reflect Better

TL;DR: #sundaySPARKS is a Twitter space where educators talk about what’s sparking them that week. Spread a tone of unity, support, understanding, and care. Wouldn’t it be amazing if educators from diverse backgrounds could find a beautiful unity in both working together while also celebrating the experiences each comes to the table with? #sundaySPARKS I was involved in #sundaySPARKS, hosted … Read More

The Frustration of Being Underchallenged

Teach Better TeamBlog, Differentiation, Lesson Planning, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Gifted students are often under-challenged. Under-challenged students are not given the same opportunities to learn and grow. There are ways to serve our gifted population that are beyond differentiation. Todd’s Gifted Rants: The Frustration of Being Underchallenged You know how to speak English very fluently. It comes very naturally to you, and you find it quite easy to speak. … Read More