TL;DR: “Start Now to Finish Better: Intentional Shifts to End the Year Strong” is a new course in the Teach Better Academy! This course will help you have a meaningful end to your school year. Stay motivated and energized while connecting with your students to end the year strong. Finish Your Year Strong The end of any school year brings … Read More
Accelerating Learning
TL;DR: This year is hard—sub shortages, dysregulated students and adults, and behaviors have made this year harder than 2020 or 2021. Growth happens when we are uncomfortable. Many are making decisions based on emotions as part of a trauma response. Teachers need to focus on how to accelerate the learning of their students. Give students ownership over their learning and … Read More
A Lasting Impact: Remembering a Great Teacher
TL;DR: There are teachers in our lives that have had a powerful influence on who we are. Take the time to reach out to them, and let them know it. You never know where their impact will end or where yours is going. For fifteen years, I have been a teacher. It is difficult to believe that much time has … Read More
3 Steps to Dive Deeper Into the Cultural Iceberg
TL;DR: Explore your cultural iceberg. What are the visible and less visible bits of your culture? What does culture mean to you and how can you address it in the classroom? Take a global perspective when teaching about cultures. “Equity and Inclusion Just Got Better” Blog Reflection Questions: What does culture mean? How is culture embedded into the curriculum we … Read More
Science Better: Using Models
TL;DR: Models are a great way to determine student understanding of content. Use exemplars to inspire students to do great things. Encourage students to let their passions fuel their creativity, and give them lots of loose parts to experiment with. Provide expectations, but let students determine how they rise to those expectations. Student Designed Models I am big on student … Read More