TL;DR: Educators and school staff don’t typically have summers off. They use this time for professional development and administrative tasks. To balance work and personal life during the summer, educators should create new boundaries, communicate their availability, and prioritize tasks effectively. Embracing technology, flexibility, and learning to say no can help educators manage their workload and enjoy summer while fulfilling … Read More
5 Bridges That Support the Whole Child
TL;DR: Education is about building bridges, with teachers as bridge builders guiding students through their K-12 journey. Bridges need to be built between misunderstanding and understanding, dependence and self-regulation, learning for grades and lifelong learning, illiteracy and civic literacy, and one right answer to adaptability. A whole child education includes academic skills and additional aspects that prepare students for the … Read More
Driving Home Conservation Matters with Gamification
TL;DR: Gamification can increase student engagement in learning by incorporating game mechanics into educational activities. By aligning key content with the core drives of gamification, educators can create meaningful lessons that connect to difficult topics such as conservation. A practical example is using a game to teach students about the impact of habitat loss on orangutans and biodiversity, where students … Read More
The Curse of Mount Rushmore
TL;DR: People in education can sometimes lose touch with what is most important. Remember who you are and why you went into the profession. Above all, stay true to your mission. Each year, new teachers, administrators, and superintendents are hired. School districts across the United States put their faith in individuals and hope they will support the students and staff … Read More
Ways to Keep Learning Over the Summer
TL;DR: Summer is a great time for professional development. There are so many different ways to continue learning. Find what works best for you. Every summer gives you the opportunity to rest, relax, and recharge. However, you may be like me and use several weeks of your summer for professional learning opportunities. This blog post will give you some ideas … Read More