TL;DR: Educators face growing challenges engaging a generation with abundant distractions and information. Building meaningful connections with students is essential for their success. Strategies for connecting with students include greeting them warmly, establishing classroom expectations, looking for shared interests, incorporating playfulness, communicating with parents, and attending extracurricular events. Prioritize kindness, respect, and building connections over strict curriculum adherence to foster … Read More
The Power of Home Visits
TL;DR: Home visits benefit students by improving behavior, academic performance, and test scores while fostering trust and respect. Parents benefit from home visits through reassurance, trust-building, and consistent communication about their child’s progress. Teachers experience positive changes in student attitudes, increased confidence, and personal fulfillment, leading to stronger relationships with both students and parents. At LISA Academy, we believe that … Read More
Rush Hour Reactions
TL;DR: Feeling rushed and hurried can lead to our worst versions, affecting our decisions and behavior negatively. Princeton University’s experiment shows that having more time allows for more rational and kind decisions, while rushing narrows our cognitive map. We can train our brain to notice when we’re rushed and take a 2-degree shift in thought to slow down, focus on … Read More
Meaningful Lessons: Scientific Wisdom vs. Scientific Facts
TL;DR: There is a need for more relevant science education in the 21st century. This post emphasizes the importance of teaching wisdom and context alongside facts. Teachers should engage students by making lessons meaningful and applicable. Ok, let’s hit the reset button on my podcast, Science360, for a moment. Let’s talk about why I bring the type of episodes that … Read More
5 Classroom Strategies for Social Emotional Learning Support
TL;DR: Social emotional learning is already integrated into everyday teaching, helping students develop essential life skills alongside academic knowledge. Teachers can enhance SEL by implementing intentional strategies, such as reflection for self-awareness, authentic assessments for social awareness, choice boards for responsible decision making, checklists for self-management, and promoting collaboration and cooperation for building relationship skills. These practices align with CASEL’s … Read More