TL;DR: Twenty years ago, teachers had each other’s backs. Their PLN were teachers down the hall. Now, PLNs look different. When you attend national conferences, you have the opportunity to connect with other educators across the U.S. You can learn and grow from others by asking questions. Five benefits of a PLN: learning, sharing, celebrating, reflecting, and growing. A PLN … Read More
Climb Higher: It’s Not All Low-Hanging Fruit
TL;DR: There are benefits to reaching for the low-hanging fruit: small wins, buy-in, momentum, easier to check off the list, requires fewer meetings and communication, and there is less risk involved. We cannot afford to pick low-hanging fruit for a prolonged time. It’s the second semester and summer break will be here before we know it. Teacher teams and school … Read More
Engage Until the End: Reflecting on the End of the Year
TL;DR: Reflect by creating a visual timeline, class memory book, or slideshow. Culminating projects to show what students learned during the year include a book sales pitch with their favorite books showcased, summer or year-end BINGO cards, or a game of Family Feud. Proper closure to the year is important. Some ideas include writing a letter to their next year’s … Read More
5 Scandals in Education
TL;DR: Scandals exist in schools. Teachers and administrators must analyze their schools to see if they exist or have the potential to develop. There are 5 scandals in education: low expectations, lack of instructional leadership, culture does not emphasize formative assessment, curriculum alignment is left to chance, and students are not required to think. Throughout history, scandals have been documented. … Read More
Get Out Of Your Lane
TL;DR: Sometimes we find ourselves in too many lanes. While there is value in that, there is also great value in getting out of our lanes. If we want to use our gifts and find our purpose with happiness, we’ve got to get out of our lane and move around to lean into curiosity and broaden our perspective. This time … Read More