TL;DR: You don’t have to be an expert to provide feedback. We can take feedback from a variety of people. Good instruction is good instruction. Cooking Competitions and Classroom Observations I love watching cooking competition shows! Cutthroat Kitchen, MasterChef Junior, MasterChef, Kitchen Nightmares, Hell’s Kitchen, Next Level Chef, 24 Hours to Hell and Back, Chopped, Is It Cake?, Beat Bobby … Read More
Club Sandwiches and Expectations
TL;DR: Replace classroom rules with classroom expectations for more clarity. The value of expectations over rigid rules draws parallels with the experience of enjoying club sandwiches with slight variations at different places. The post encourages educators to have clear expectations collaboratively set with students rather than an exhaustive list of rules. This allows for flexibility and creativity. Club Sandwiches and … Read More
Sub Better: Network Better
TL;DR: Network, network, network! Networking is crucial for substitute teachers to secure opportunities and build a positive professional reputation. Building relationships with teachers, leaving contact information, volunteering for repeat assignments, and utilizing social media are effective networking strategies. Teachers and administrators should value and support reliable substitutes, communicate preferences, and provide feedback to ensure a smooth substitute teaching experience. It … Read More
Sub Better: The Substitute’s Report
TL;DR: Teachers need to leave detailed lesson plans. Substitutes need to follow the lesson plans and leave a report. Administrators need to check in on classes to look for evidence of learning. I had been gone for the day for a planned absence. I left detailed plans with all of the materials for the day, accounting for every minute of … Read More
A New Perspective: A Collaborative Blog Post
TL;DR: This is a collaboratively written post. Check out the different stories by 7 educational leaders on new perspectives. What causes us to change our perspective? What perspectives do students walk into class with and how do we change their perspective? What’s your why? Has it changed? Keep reminding yourself of your why. Help prepare each student. Make school a … Read More