Welcoming Staff Back to the Building

Dana GoodierBlog, Leadership, Student Engagement, Teach Happier

TL;DR: Be mindful as you plan for return to school team-building activities. Consider your staff’s comfort level. You can survey staff prior to the start of the school year. In this post, you will learn some suggestions on how to build school culture at the beginning of the year. As I write this blog post, many districts where I live … Read More

Curriculum Series #6—Who Tells Your Story?

Lindsay LyonsBlog

In the final installment of the Curriculum Series, Laura Cruz and I go over student memoirs and why each student has a story worth telling. She decided to try this project because she wanted her students who came from different backgrounds and races to have opportunities that white wealthy students traditionally had. This type of writing allows us to process … Read More

Play and Science Can Fuel a Love of Learning

BreAnn FennellBlog, Classroom Management, Innovation, Lesson Planning, Student Engagement

TL;DR: When planning your schedule, be intentional to include science so students can learn to ask questions to spark thinking, be wrong, and make mistakes. You can find time to teach the standards AND incorporate science. Try new ideas and explore with students. Have a space in your classroom, such as a wonder wall, to place student questions. Model questioning … Read More

Educate Like Ants – Be Relentless

Livia ChanBlog, Classroom Management, Differentiation, Innovation, Lesson Planning, Reflect Better, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Ants appear to roam anywhere and everywhere outside but when they come inside your home, their purpose becomes more evident. Ants are strong and tenacious. Educators can learn by studying them and being more like them. They know their WHY. Do you? If you haven’t thought about your WHY in a while, it’s time to revisit and rediscover. It … Read More