TL;DR: Interdisciplinary units deepen students’ learning experiences. Have teachers decide what they want to focus on for an interdisciplinary unit. Hold a planning meeting to talk about the unit and co-plan. Plan on meeting throughout the unit with other teachers to see how it’s going and tweak things. Allow teachers to teach what they’re excited about. Celebrate your successes! Interdisciplinary … Read More
Buy-In vs Collective Commitments
TL;DR: Sometimes school leadership teams wait to get buy-in before completing an action. Waiting for buy-in can cause delays in implementation. Collective commitment means putting the kids first rather than forming an adult-centric school. Waiting for Buy-In When principals or school improvement teams attempt to implement a new program or initiative, it is common to hear the phrase, “We will … Read More
The Power of a Pen
TL;DR: A pen teaches students that mistakes are learning opportunities. It gives students time to pause and think before they write. It empowers students by providing them with skills they can use throughout their lives. Every December, I gave a present to my students. Yes, I taught middle school. Yes, I had over 100 students each year. And yes, it … Read More
Are You Using All of the Free Tools With Canva?
TL;DR: Canva is a free tool for educators and students. It provides templates and other tools to make the classroom more exciting. Canva offers video courses for teachers and students. Are you using all of the FREE tools with Canva? I have to assume many teachers out there are using Canva regularly at this point. The Canva design suite for … Read More
Stay Connected This WINTER!
TL;DR: This winter, take time for yourself and stay connected with others! Celebrate and embrace the diversity and differences we have as human beings. All teachers know that as we work hard, it is so important for us to take a break from work so we come back refreshed after enjoying some downtime. Our winter break may consist of Christmas … Read More