TL;DR: How podcasting can benefit student engagement AND meet content standards. Basic tips for starting a podcast with your students. Why Podcast with Students According to George Washington University, “Students who said they aren’t that motivated at the beginning of class score higher on tests when they listen to podcasts featuring content.” Besides being a fun and engaging way for … Read More
Shame’s Role in Education
TL;DR: The role of shame in education, as told through a specific student case study. A journey through finding what works for kids. Steps to challenge the role of shame in education. “Shame is the intensely painful feeling that we are unworthy of love and belonging.” -Brene Brown This was a tough week for me. One of my students, we’ll … Read More
The Power of Place Based Education
TL;DR: Helping children to truly learn about their community and to engage in their own learning. Leveraging partnerships within the community to create these learning experiences can transform learning and can yield higher levels of learning for students. How do you create authentic learning experiences in schools? There are several ways to help students experience learning beyond the classroom. At … Read More
Retakes Promote Mastery
TL;DR: Debunking a common argument against retaking assessments. Reasons why retakes promote mastery of content. Seriously, You should Allow Retakes. I know as you read this title you may have rolled your eyes a bit. Maybe you had some thought of “In the real world they don’t allow retakes…“. I’d love to take that thought to it’s natural conclusion actually. … Read More
Management with the Grid: How to Keep Kids Motivated
TL;DR: The Grid method can seem like a huge change, but there are some consistencies with a traditional approach. A teacher shares some strategies for management and engagement with the Grid. “How do you keep kids motivated?!” This question pops up over and over again for educators. It does not matter whether you teach elementary or high school, or if … Read More