TL;DR: Learn classroom tips to be more efficient at work. Don’t grade everything. Avoid recreating the wheel. Differentiate classroom instruction. Allow students to learn together using technology. Create an inviting classroom. As educators, we know that we do not work a 9 to 5. The reality of it is that we work 12 months in only a nine month period. … Read More
Grades, Feedback, and Assessments
TL;DR: The focus in school is frequently on the grades received rather than the skills obtained. Feedback and the improvement of skills should be valued more. We all need to work together to create this change. In 2015, I attended the “What Great Educators Do Differently” conference with my colleague in education and best friend. I attended a session by … Read More
Teachers Need the SEL Approach Too
TL;DR: Struggling through depression made me feel lost and alone. Remote learning started to help me heal and become myself again. SEL is important for adults, too. I have been meaning to find a way to settle down to write this blog. It has taken me some time to overcome my own anxiety issues, both personal and professional. After my … Read More
Student Relationships: Let Them Connect with You
TL;DR: Forming connections with students can be difficult but is valuable. Be patient. Not all students, especially at the high school level, open up easily. Share a little bit about yourself throughout the year to form those connections. Take interest in your students’ lives. Ever hear of the saying, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”? George Bernard Shaw’s … Read More
New Teachers: Never Give Up on Your Passion
TL;DR: Never give up. This post shares a story of what can happen when you believe in yourself. There are days that we laugh and days that we cry. There are days that we challenge ourselves and days that we let it all slip away. This is the point where failure begins to take over. Once we choose to let … Read More