As I was sitting here at my desk, in the midst of the Holiday Break, I started to reflect on this year and all that I’ve experienced. This isn’t a unique thing. I think we all do this around the New Year. We often think about the amazing things that happened this year, the challenges we faced, and what our … Read More
Getting Students to the “Ok Maybe” Zone So They are Ready to Learn
Getting learners to the “Ok Maybe” Zone. The “Ok Maybe” Zone is the moment learners (whether students or adults) become open-minded. In order to reach this zone, you need to learn their story, understand their background knowledge, and paint the picture of success. Painting the picture of success requires 4 steps: Start With the Why, Stay Student Focused, Incorporate Models of Persuasion: Ethos, … Read More
Getting Started on Social Media – 6 To-Dos For Your School District
If your school is not already on social media, it should be. There’s no denying the fact that social media is now simply a part of our lives. Studies show that 74% of all online American adults use social media daily. When we look at students, that number jumps to 81% (of all teens 12-17). As an administrator, you understand … Read More
Still Not Sure How to Roll Out That New District Initiative?
Working on a new district initiative? One of the most common things we come across when talking with district administrators is the story of that last initiative that fell flat or blew up in their face. The truth is, rolling out a new district-wide initiative is not easy. It is complicated, stressful, and always presents the potential for push-back, frustration, … Read More
Let Spoken Word Transform Your Poetry Unit!
Don’t Fear the Poetry Unit. I don’t know about you, but the loudest collective groan to ricochet off the four walls of my classroom occurs the moment I announce the start of our poetry unit. Without fail, students go into panic mode. They offer to do double the homework for a month if we could just read another novel. I … Read More