TL;DR: Teachers need to feel valued and appreciated to thrive. Administrators should find ways to connect with their staff and make them feel valued. Teachers need to the opportunity to be heard and understood. This year when many educators are evaluating whether or not they want to stay in education, the bottom line is that leaders need to place more … Read More
Productive Struggle
TL;DR: What does a healthy or productive struggle look like in a classroom? Design classroom instruction with the end in mind and support students through a struggle. The opportunity to struggle through something offers so many benefits to kids! Student understanding requires productive struggle. Do students enter a risk-free classroom or do they engage in productive struggle on a regular … Read More
Engage in Appreciation
TL;DR: Everyone likes to feel appreciated for the work they do. Surprise gratitude can brighten up someone’s day. Find ways to show specific gratitude towards coworkers and students. Everyone working in schools right now is working as hard as they possibly can. Our transportation staff is up bright and early to get our students safely to and from school. The … Read More
Engage and Elevate Better this Testing Season!
TL;DR: Testing season is real! Be transparent with all stakeholders regarding what testing means for your school. Build relationships with your school team and families to get through this season united. Educators are not like everyone else. While the rest of the world acknowledges four seasons, we educators add at least one more—testing season. State testing is upon us, ahead … Read More
Do We Have A System Of Schools Or A School System?
TL;DR: School systems should all have the same end goal for students. In order to achieve this goal, schools need to be aligned on what they are teaching and how they are preparing their students. School systems are designed for multiple purposes, including but not limited to a) Opportunity to Learn, b) Student Growth, c) Develop Lifelong Learners, d) Teach … Read More