TL;DR: Now is the time to try something better than what you have done before. Each day, try something better, and over time, you will notice big changes. As I sat in this brilliant student’s IEP meeting, I couldn’t believe what I heard. I had to consciously control my facial expressions. I was shocked and frustrated. Not at the student … Read More
Team Building through Play
TL;DR: Incorporate team building into your classroom through the game of cup stacking. You can vary the level of difficulty by giving different challenges like having students use their non-dominant hand, stand on one leg, incorporate exercise if a cup is dropped, or use only non-verbal communication. In this time of need for mental health education, I had an urge to … Read More
Smile…and the Whole World Smiles With You
TL;DR: Being a great speaker is all in the delivery. But it’s not just how you speak, it’s about what you say. Build connections with students and earn their respect by giving a smile, being real, and valuing the time you have with them. You may not always have an influence on students right away. Sometimes they don’t come around … Read More
Student Engagement without Technology
TL;DR: Schools can keep students engaged without the use of technology by using hands-on approaches. Giving students choice and voice in their learning are two simple ways to increase engagement. Makerspaces allow students to innovate and be creative! Engagement without Technology: Foster Creativity and Student Choice During an era of YouTube, Netflix, and Google, can we capture the attention of … Read More
Power Up Thinking Routines Using Technology Tools
TL;DR: Using technology to enhance thinking routines transforms students from consumers of information to creators, as they share their thinking visually. Technology tools such as Padlet, Pear Deck, Flipgrid, and Google Slides can help students synthesize their thoughts to make their thinking visible. During the 2018-19 school year, my administration at the time introduced the staff to thinking routines. Thinking … Read More