Kids Do Better When They Are Engaged

Bobbie FrenchBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: Everyone wants to be engaged. What are some hooks you use in lessons to capture kids’ attention? Use the ATLAS strategy to think about engagement—attention, transition, lesson, activity, and summation. Engagement Engagement! We can’t get away from it. This is only the 3rd post of my new series—Kids Do Better When…and I’m already talking about engagement again. Do you … Read More

How Do You Differentiate Up?

Todd StanleyBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lesson Plan Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: When you differentiate, what are you doing for students who need more of a challenge? You must differentiate up as well. When we hear the term differentiate, we often think this means differentiating to support kids who are struggling. It might mean taking a complex task and chunking it into more easy-to-digest pieces. It could be scaffolding a lesson … Read More

Equity & Inclusion: Diving Deep Into Understanding Classism

Nilmini Ratwatte-HenstridgeBlog, Differentiate Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: Create opportunities to “level the playing field” for your students. Address classism; it benefits everyone by us doing so. Educators hold the key to making a difference when it comes to addressing classism. Deep Diving Into Understanding Classism: Equity & Inclusion Out of all the blogs I have ever yet written, this topic holds the closest spot to my … Read More

See the Ability Behind a Disability

Nilmini Ratwatte-HenstridgeBlog, Differentiate Better

TL;DR: Understanding differing abilities help us define the obstacles and the bias about ableism. Lesson plan ideas on talking about abilities and special needs by putting the person first. Explore a growth mindset while learning about biased perspectives. Equity and Inclusion Reflection Questions: Why does the society we live in consider able-bodied individuals as having more value? Think of a … Read More

Making the First Day Last

Jennifer WaldvogelBlog, Connect Better, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lead Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Leverage first week get to know yous for long-term relationships. Mini challenges are a great way to observe group dynamics. Create seating charts and small groups based on collective strength. Bring transparency and group sharing to PLCs and admin teams. As teachers, we learn so much about our students in the first six weeks of the school year. We … Read More