TL;DR: Stepping into a leadership position is more than just completing tasks. Good leaders listen to others. Leaders stay calm and slow down during stressful moments. Good leaders remember they are working with people. Better Leadership: Setting Up Camp I have taken some time off from this blog. I didn’t want to become redundant or waste readers’ time. Owen recently … Read More
Enjoy the View: Embrace the Journey
TL;DR: As teachers, we focus a lot on end results. Take the time to notice the small wins. Remember to enjoy the journey along the way. Do you sometimes spend your time focused on the end result of a particular task rather than the process to get there? I think it is part of human nature to focus on the end … Read More
The Secret of Building Resilient Kids: Growth Mindset
TL;DR: Learn to teach kids that failure is a process and never a final state. Mistakes are opportunities to learn, to fail forward, and keep growing. Use picture books to teach resilience and grit. Growth Mindset: No More Giving Up! So often, kids say, “I can’t” or “It’s too hard.” So how do we instill the notion that failure is … Read More
Sub Better: Giving Grace Through New Starts
TL;DR As we start a new school year, it’s time to give grace. Give your students grace. Give the teachers grace. And give yourself grace! Getting Back Into It It has been three months since you last accepted a guest teaching assignment. You have enjoyed the long break but you’re ready to get back into the swing of things and … Read More
One Simple Strategy to Teach Better: Ask for Feedback
TL;DR: Teenagers are not bored, disengaged, and unhappy by nature. Teachers can improve rapidly if we ask students to give us feedback. It can be scary to ask; we need to train ourselves to depersonalize the feedback. A healthy feedback loop produces happier students AND a happier teacher. One Simple Strategy to Teach Better: Ask for Feedback One of our … Read More