TL;DR: Strategies to express your gratitude. Expressing thanks regularly can help this mindset become a habit. During the recent global pandemic and subsequent quarantine, I found myself feeling more gratitude for the smaller, truly important things in life. A gorgeous sunset, for example. A cup of hot, black coffee. Sandra Bullock’s Instagram feed. But I digress. Remembering to feel the … Read More
How Creative Are You? Can You Create Better?
TL;DR: A reflection from Adobe Creative Educator Day. Lessons on improving creativity for yourself AND your students. At the end of February, I got the opportunity to attend the Adobe Creative Educator Day. I thought I understood creativity before that day, but it turned out that I only understood a small aspect of it. This was an entire day dedicated to … Read More
Get Moving! Maintaining a Healthy Body for a Healthy Mind
TL;DR: Staying active is important, during a shelter in place order, and always! Tips to get (and stay) active. One of the most important things for educators is to maintain their mental health. With so many states issuing stay at home orders during the pandemic, it may have been a struggle for you to stay healthy mentally. One thing that … Read More
Powerful Podcasting at the Hands of Students
TL;DR: How podcasting can benefit student engagement AND meet content standards. Basic tips for starting a podcast with your students. Why Podcast with Students According to George Washington University, “Students who said they aren’t that motivated at the beginning of class score higher on tests when they listen to podcasts featuring content.” Besides being a fun and engaging way for … Read More
Grading SAMR Model
TL;DR: Grading is undergoing changes, and many schools or districts need guidance. A comprehensive overview of the grading SAMR model, created by Erik Youngman. Grading should be fair, accurate, meaningful, and clearly communicated. I created the “Grading SAMR Model” to provide a framework for defining indicators within four distinct dimensions. They can be compared, separately or simultaneously, to guide grading … Read More