TL;DR: Giving others choices can be a great tool, but it can also become overwhelming. It isn’t enough to just tell students to do something; we need to show them how. Using a structured method to guide decision-making can bridge the gap between what students want to do and what they can do. Menus and Tidying Up I have a … Read More
Tapestry of Formative Assessment
TL;DR: Formative assessment is vital for effective teaching, offering real-time insights into student progress. Tom Schimmer advocates for diverse approaches, including thoughtful questioning, Socratic seminars, and one-on-one conferencing. Peer reviews, interactive technology, and strategies like think-pair-share enrich formative assessments, promoting collaboration and critical thinking. Tapestry of Formative Assessment Formative assessment is a tapestry and the heartbeat of effective teaching, offering … Read More
Why Start Podcasting?
TL;DR: Plan your podcast’s length, guest criteria, and distribution channels to increase chances of success beyond 10 episodes. Consider your social media presence and marketing strategy to effectively reach and engage with your target audience. Decide on the episode release format (seasonal or continuous) and allocate time wisely, considering potential collaboration and outsourcing options. You may wonder if you should … Read More
Teaching Students to Tackle Problem-Solving
TL;DR: Teach problem-solving through engaging challenges in middle school career technical education. Daily prompts require students to restate problems in their own words before attempting solutions. Shift from large projects to 1 to 2-day mini-challenges, enhancing student engagement and managing activities more effectively. One of the skills I’ve noticed that many students struggle with is problem-solving. Often, when you give … Read More
Mastering The Grid Method in 7 Steps
TL;DR: Master Grid Method basics for teaching success. Plan, engage, set expectations, and differentiate. Use assessments, reflect, and refine for classroom mastery. Can you feel the excitement in the air as we dive into the new year? This is the perfect time to shake things up in your classroom. And what better way to do it than with Mastery Learning … Read More