Toxic Positivity at School

Teach Better TeamBlog, Connect Better, Lead Better

TL;DR: Toxic positivity does more harm than good. Having a purely positive mindset is a privilege, and does not reflect everyone’s realities. It is important to be realistic about the situations and emotions that are present. Telling students to see the glass as half full will not wash away their anxieties. Welcome to Teach Beyond! A few weeks ago, I … Read More

5 Tech Tools to Start Using Today

Teach Better TeamBlog, Connect Better, Differentiate Better, Tech Better

TL;DR: Calendly, a Bitmoji classroom, the Notes app, Google Voice, and Math Learning Center are tech tools to start using today! This post shares a link to each tech tool and an explanation of how it can be used in your classroom. As many teachers head back to school in new ways, technology is more important than ever. Here are … Read More

Building Classroom Community in a Virtual World

Teach Better TeamBlog, Connect Better

TL;DR: Strategies for building classroom community in a virtual world include using a user-friendly online platform, teaching expectations, utilizing breakout groups, assigning roles, creating goals, having a plan for students to seek assistance, providing opportunities for communication, and celebrating successes. Learning environments are crucial for providing students with opportunities to exercise their strengths and to overcome their weaknesses. A school … Read More

4 Ways To Rebuild Your Students’ Emotional Health

Teach Better TeamBlog, Connect Better, Self Care Better

TL;DR: Rebuild your students’ emotional health by modeling behaviors, understanding emotions, addressing social skills, and sharing strategies for emotional regulation. Checking in with students and incorporating passion projects, mindful moments, and dialogue journals into your classroom are just some of the other strategies shared to address your students’ emotional health. We are experiencing the hardest year of teaching in modern … Read More