As I was watching my favorite hockey team the other day, I noticed something that struck me during one of the brawls that (for whatever reason) still occur in the almost every game. I was amazed as the guy wearing the black and white striped shirt held two huge athletes at bay and got them to stop fighting without even … Read More
How to Create a Positive Classroom Culture (Video)
A positive classroom culture can be the difference between your students succeeding or falling behind. Establishing this culture early on in the school year is incredibly important, but no matter when you make the changes, always strive to improve the learning environment in your room. Here are three ways you can create a positive classroom culture. Consider Safety So the … Read More
3 Keys to Parent Communication: Keeping Parents Informed, Included, and Out of Your Hair
Are your students’ parents allies or road blocks? Education should be student focused. However, it’s often challenging to focus on students’ needs while parent comments, questions, or concerns take up the majority of your valuable time. So, how can we prepare our classrooms to be student focused and change parents into allies rather then road blocks? The Key? Be Proactive not … Read More
A Story of Extremes- the 5th and 95th Percentiles
As a gifted education specialist in Ohio, much of my career is dictated by the words “95th Percentile.” You see, in some states, a student can only be identified as gifted in academic subjects or cognitive abilities, and therefore receive services, if they score at or above the 95th percentile on a standardized, state approved test. That is the official, … Read More
Self-Paced Learning IS NOT Self-Taught
Self-paced learning can be a great tool. If you’ve ever tried to implement mastery or self-paced learning in your classroom, or attempted a long-term project that is student-centered, you’ve probably tried it (or are still doing it) because, frankly…these things work. Anytime you can make your classroom more student-centered and meet the needs of more students, you’re going to increase … Read More