TL;DR: Reduce the teacher evaluation pressure by investing in more conversations and more time in classrooms. See tips for how to make a pre-conference more meaningful. Praise heaping, rating justification, and point proving are three conference styles. The best solution is to give 2-3 key goals for improvement. If anything, last year seemed to be EVERYTHING. I like to say … Read More
5 Tips for Better Grading
TL;DR: Grade better by aligning all of your assessments and creating clear feedback measures. Eliminate unnecessary assignments and involve students in the process. Use tech tools and verbal feedback whenever possible. Coming back to school means many things: students in our rooms, interacting and building relationships in person, learning to instruct in person and online simultaneously. But it also means … Read More
4 Changes to Adjust Your Mindset
TL;DR: You can change your mindset if you choose to change it. Choose to be the main character in your story by taking control of the choices you make. Find time for yourself. Plan to begin and end your day for yourself. You are the blending of the top 5 people you surround yourself with. Get the right support through … Read More
3 Ways to Reach Students on a Deeper Level
TL;DR: There are 3 ways teachers can reach students on a deeper level. Establish rapport and build trust with students by asking more questions about them. Have office hours to provide students with a safe place to be honest and ask questions. Provide opportunities like emotional check-ins where students can share their feelings. Teachers are already going above and beyond … Read More
3 Ways Leaders Can Succeed on the “SAME TEAM”
TL;DR: In basketball, sometimes athletes end up fighting for the same ball inadvertently. This can happen in leadership too. To be an effective leader, open your eyes to see that you are playing on the same team. When two leaders continue to struggle for the same ball, consider using the “Cloud Technique” with wants and needs. For success, leaders need … Read More