In This Post: A common argument against retaking assessments, and why it doesn’t quite work. The benefits of allowing retakes in your classroom. “You can’t do retakes, they won’t have redos in the real world.” This is one of the most common arguments I hear about allowing for reassessment in our classrooms. And honestly, I don’t think it’s valid. At … Read More
Love Beyond the Classroom Walls: Creating Memories & Building Bonds
In This Post: 5 non-negotiables of a teacher. The value in building memories and bonds with your students. Specific examples of ways to encourage learning and build relationships. The inclusion of families. As a teacher, I have five teaching non-negotiables. Those are the five things I have pretty much kept sacred for the seventeen years I’ve been a teacher. These include: … Read More
Tech Tools to Love
In This Post: Four new tech tools to try out in your classroom. Ideas and strategies to use these new tools well. We’re not quite living in The Jetsons time period (2060s), but our technology is getting closer and closer to mimicking the 1960s cartoon. Research has shown that nearly 70 percent of all jobs are in the technology sector. … Read More
For the Love of Books
In This Post: The difference between book reports and book reviews. Eighteen new ways to engage your students with books! For the love of books! If you love to read, at some point you will want to share a book you love with others. You may already do this by talking about books with friends. If you want to share … Read More
Using Backwards Design to Create Assessments
In This Post: Aligned assessments are vital to accurately measuring student understanding. Four steps to create assessments that are aligned to your objectives. As an educator, assessment design can be a pain. Many times, we are tempted to find an assessment from available curriculum resources or grab questions from the “back of the chapter” and call it a day. However, … Read More