Trust me, I get it. I’ve been there. Changing your instruction, or implementing something new into your classroom, is not easy. It takes time. But if it is valuable enough and is going to increase the impact on your students learning journey, don’t tell me there’s not enough time. Put the time in now, because the payoff you’ll get later … Read More
What Motivates Students?
There is a question that I’m getting more and more at workshops and trainings and that is “how do I motivate my students to work?” I hate to break it to you, but there is no “magic bullet” solution to this. Every student is going to have their own solution to getting motivated. However, there are some things you can ask … Read More
21 Ways to Use Social Media in Your Classroom
Let’s be honest here, if you’re not using social media in your classroom, there’s a good chance you’re missing an opportunity to connect, engage, or inform. Working with schools and districts all over the country, we’ve noticed that no two schools think about social media the same way. Some embrace it and make it a part of their daily routines, … Read More
Building a Positive Assessment Culture.
Assessment is a great tool. Assessment, whether summative or formative, is the single best way to measure student understanding. In the world of “state tests” assessment has gotten a pretty bad rap, and this is dangerous, because building formative assessment in to your instruction more often can transform your classroom. By constantly assessing students we can measure their understanding, misconceptions, … Read More
The Power of Teachers Leaping Before They Look
Don’t let fear stop you from doing what’s best for your students. When my sister was in high school, she struggled with some pretty crippling anxiety. I vividly remember, however, when she decided that she was not going to let that anxiety rule her life. She made a decision that in order to conquer this fear she would do something … Read More