TL;DR: Grading needs to evolve from compliance-driven to growth-focused. Feedback should be targeted, manageable, and meaningful for student growth. Not every assignment needs to be graded; assess only what matters most. Educators, it’s 2024, and wow, the last few years have been a wild ride for all of us. We’ve navigated a global pandemic, unprecedented shifts in our profession, and … Read More
Building Strong Co-Teacher Relationships
TL;DR: A meeting at Starbucks led to a successful two-year co-teaching partnership. Building a strong co-teaching relationship involves getting to know each other, honest communication, and respecting boundaries. Key tips include spending time together, maintaining open communication, setting boundaries, enjoying laughter, and reflecting on practice. We decided to meet at Starbucks on that warm summer day. We were still unsure … Read More
Preparing for the School Year: 7 Essential Tips for Teachers
TL;DR: Introduce yourself to parents and students, considering home visits for a positive start. Prepare temporary seating charts and freezer meals to manage the busy first weeks. Establish routines, build relationships, and plan for self-care to ensure a smooth transition. As the summer winds down and the new school year approaches, teachers everywhere begin to prepare for the busy weeks … Read More
Nurturing Co-Teaching Relationships
TL;DR: Successful co-teaching requires trust and shared expectations, developed over time through relationship building and communication. Regular co-planning sessions are essential for creating cohesive lessons and addressing student needs, ensuring both teachers are aligned and prepared. Implementing various co-teaching techniques, such as station teaching and parallel teaching, allows teachers to leverage their unique strengths and provide targeted support to students. … Read More
Best Practices of Successful Co-Teaching
TL;DR: Establishing consistent and honest communication methods, such as daily debriefs or shared documents, is crucial for co-teachers to ensure student growth and classroom cohesion. Co-teachers should plan together regularly, share responsibilities, be flexible, and present a united front to students and parents to foster a supportive learning environment. Adopting appropriate co-teaching strategies like parallel teaching, station teaching, and team … Read More