TL;DR: School teams work together and set goals for improvement. A school’s moral imperative should be discussed and clarified as a part of school improvement. School teams often discuss test data, learning targets, standards, lesson plans, and school culture. When was the last time your school team discussed its moral imperative or purpose? In the fall of 2021, the total … Read More
Heart of Education: Classroom Families
TL;DR: Children may have a hard time recognizing their talents and skills. Educators can build students’ conflict resolution toolkit with stress reduction tools and empathy practice. Open each class with an activity that grounds students into the present moment. There’s a reason educators call students their “kids.” If schools are microcosms of society, then the classroom is a representation of … Read More
Teaching Gratitude as We Celebrate Thanksgiving
TL;DR: This post is about the importance of showing gratitude to the people, experiences, and rewards that we accumulate through life’s journey. Celebrate your students’ cultural celebrations. Find out the “why” of the traditions behind the celebration. Teaching Gratitude It’s Thanksgiving season. I love hosting Thanksgiving meals with family. I have learned over the years that gratitude is one of … Read More
What Do High-Performing School Teams Embrace?
TL;DR: High-performing schools use the talents, strengths, and knowledge of their staff to continue to improve and grow. Progress should be monitored with various scoreboards to see if the efforts for improvement are effective. High-performing schools embrace a mindset that focuses on what could or should be different, rather than hoping for improved outcomes. There are two types of schools. School … Read More
Gifted Strategies Are Just Better Teaching
TL;DR: Using strategies that support gifted students can support all students in your classroom. While at the Teach Better conference, I attended several sessions that would work well for gifted students, including using Depth of Knowledge and the Grid Method as well as finding ways for students to look at math creatively. Gifted Strategies Are Just Good Teaching These are … Read More