TL;DR: Here are four ways to establish positive traditions and communication to cultivate culture. (1) Decorate your room and school with school colors so students identify as being a part of the community. (2) Explicitly teach school traditions like learning the Alma Mater words. (3) Celebrate students by creating a “Wall of Fame,” which is a collection of student pictures … Read More
Going Gradeless: A Book Study Reflection
TL;DR: This post includes reflections on a book study of Going Gradeless: Shifting the Focus to Student Learning by Elise Burns and David Frangiosa. This book provided insights about how you can shift the focus from grades to student learning! Each member of the book study shares their biggest takeaways from the book. This past month I had the pleasure … Read More
Let’s Talk Friendships
TL;DR: Celebrate cherished friendships. Friends teach us as we grow to be the person we are, and they enrich our lives. Consider the 5 love languages as you look to build and strengthen your friendships. The friendships we make matter. There is a whole day dedicated to friends which I think is pretty awesome. A day dedicated to friendships is … Read More
Building Relationships in the First Weeks of School
TL;DR Strong relationships in the classroom are the foundation for a successful school year. Be intentional with the activities you choose and be willing to be vulnerable with your students. It is important to scaffold relationship building with students. I believe that I am an outstanding teacher because I work hard every day to build relationships with my students to … Read More