TL;DR: Supporting students during times of stress requires a mindful and empathetic approach. Four steps to help students through stressful situations: self-reflection and emotional awareness, understanding the student’s needs and desires, evaluating the environment, and crafting an empathetic response. By practicing these steps, educators can foster emotional well-being, resilience, and growth in students while creating a nurturing and supportive environment. … Read More
10 Ways to Wrap Up Your Lesson
TL;DR: Teachers should gather students for reflection and check understanding in the last few minutes of class to ensure everyone met the objective and address any confusion. Ten favorite ways to wrap up a lesson include exit tickets, 3-2-1 summaries, sentence-phrase-word reflections, stop and jot activities, captioning visuals, AEIOU reflections, rock-paper-scissors reflections, What’s In the Cards reflection protocol, quiz games, … Read More
Reading Engagement Tips
TL;DR: Be a reading role model: Inspire and create a reading-friendly environment at home. Keep it fun: Let them choose books, create cozy reading spaces, and make reading an enjoyable experience. Talk about what they’re reading: Encourage discussions and book-related conversations to enrich their experience. Give them a chance to read aloud: Foster their reading skills and let their passions … Read More
The Curse of Mount Rushmore
TL;DR: People in education can sometimes lose touch with what is most important. Remember who you are and why you went into the profession. Above all, stay true to your mission. Each year, new teachers, administrators, and superintendents are hired. School districts across the United States put their faith in individuals and hope they will support the students and staff … Read More
What Now?
TL;DR: Over the summer, it is common for educators to want to relax while avoiding wasting time. Inspired by author Ann Patchett, you can ask two questions: “What Now?” and “What Not Now?” to prioritize activities and commitments. Spending time with loved ones, reading, decluttering, and avoiding excessive social media use are good ways to spend your time. Reflect on … Read More