In This Post: As a Student Learning Coach, providing meaningful professional development for my teachers is so important. There are 5 out of the box ways to engage teachers in PD. What better way to guide discussions than by leading with the students? Inviting students in and having teachers watch drives engagement. Google Classroom isn’t limited to your class, it … Read More
Visiting Other Teachers’ Classrooms: Seeing Life on the Other Side
In this post: Often, teachers become experts at their respective age levels, with little to no experience at others. This leads to an unintended consequence of our profession. Stepping out of their daily work environments and seeing what teaching and learning looks like at another grade level can help change perceptions. Some teachers think of themselves as elementary, while others … Read More
28 Ways to Instantly Help a Colleague Feel Better
Our work is hard, and it is harder some days than others. It is harder some years than others. The best schools I have ever been to are comprised of staff who lift each other up, who make our hard work a joy (most days), and who are there for each other always. Have you ever approached a colleague feeling … Read More
4 Strategies to Help Anxious Students Prepare for a Summer without Routine
In This Post: For our most anxious students summer break doesn’t come with the degree of excitement educators might expect. Summer break can be a time of uncertainty, fear, and less regimented time; all triggers of anxiety. Encouraging journaling, offering manipulatives, introducing students to volunteerism, and allowing them to move, are just a few ways we can help our students … Read More
Breaking Down Why District Initiatives Break Down
In This Post: The sad truth is, most district initiatives fail. There are common mistakes that are typically to blame for district initiatives failing, and they can be avoided. Start small, plan long-term, involve all stakeholders, provide follow-up, and choose the right provider, and you’ll be off to a better start, with your initiative much more likely to succeed. We’ve … Read More