5 Tips for Cultivating Atomic Love & Joy

Livia ChanBlog, Connect Better, Engage Better, Lead Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better, Self Care Better, Teach Happier

TL;DR: We can experience and cultivate atomic love and joy throughout our day and every day using the 5 tips suggested. Invest in getting to know yourself better. This helps when dealing with adversity. Know what brings you joy and cultivate it! Share love and appreciation. Don’t be afraid to say, “I love you.” Teach Better together. Lean on each … Read More

Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom

Melissa PelochinoBlog, Connect Better, Reflect Better, Self Care Better

TL;DR: Students everywhere are struggling with mental health. Their behaviors are often a result of a specific need. There are tools to help students reflect on what is in their control, identify their need and then ask for it. Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom The statistics are sobering. Month after month and week after week, organizations and agencies are … Read More

Curriculum Design: Are We Creating a Draft or a Masterpiece?

Steven WeberBlog, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Effective curriculum design teams don’t view their work as a masterpiece but as a draft. Having a draft allows room for reflection, feedback, and modifications to improve the curriculum. Curriculum design teams are often torn between creating a draft document or a masterpiece.  Teacher leaders are typically perfectionists, and they strive to create a masterpiece before sharing the curriculum … Read More

Why Gradeless? Breaking Free From Grades

Mike SzczepanikBlog, Engage Better, Grade Better, Innovate Better, Mastery Done Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Our grading habits can be inconsistent and have limited value in the learning process. The extrinsic motivation of grades often limits our students’ drive for deeper learning. Going gradeless is not a simple process, but a worthy one to help students reflect, listen to feedback, and grow. In traditional education systems, grades have long been the primary measure of … Read More

Lessons Learned From Learning Walks

Steven WeberBlog, Connect Better, Lead Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: A learning walk can be a fly-by, informal observation, look for and ask about, peer observation, or video observation. You can even do learning walks in other schools. Problems with learning walks can include the purpose, timing, data collection, feedback, and closure. Steven shares 5 planning questions and next steps for learning walks. Lessons Learned from Learning Walks Yogi … Read More