TL;DR: Play fosters creativity, social development, physical growth, language skills, and independent thinking, crucial in early education. Play supports creative thinking, social interaction, and decision-making, offering opportunities to enhance skills that aid in academic and personal life. Educators play a vital role in promoting play-based learning, focusing on creativity, problem-solving, physical development, language skills, and independence in young children. Play … Read More
Gratitude: It’s a Super Power!
TL;DR: Gratitude boosts emotional well-being, mental health, and fosters better relationships. Academically, gratitude enhances performance, resilience, and problem-solving skills. Practical methods like journals, kindness acts, role modeling, and discussions can instill gratitude effectively. In a fast-paced, technology-driven world, it can be easy for students to overlook the significance of gratitude. However, teaching students to be grateful is more than just … Read More
Lost and Found: Honor and Remember Your Loved Ones
TL;DR: November 1st marks a special day for various groups to honor their loved ones who have passed away. Suzanne shares her personal experience with grief and how she’s found ways to honor and remember her loved ones. The key message is to bring the qualities you loved about the people you’ve lost back into the world through your actions … Read More
Cognitive Student Engagement in 2023
TL;DR: Explore the evolution of student engagement in the post-COVID-19 educational landscape. Do this with a focus on aligning education with student needs and passions. Gain insights from John Dewey’s philosophy and John Hattie’s research on empowering students in their learning. Learn strategies to enhance student engagement, including building personal connections, setting high expectations, differentiating grading, and giving students control … Read More
The Heart of Education: Taking Risks
TL;DR: Taking risks makes teaching more exciting and fulfilling. Start small with change to accomplish more in the long run. Risk-taking is easier for students when we build them a safety net. Failure is natural. Show students it’s okay to fail as long as we try again. Growing up, we’re taught to be careful: to wear helmets and knee pads … Read More