TL;DR: It can be challenging not to compare yourself to other educators, but remember that you are already enough. You are already enough because you work hard on relationships with students, work to become a better version of yourself each day, and strive to create engaging lessons. Educational rock stars. We all know them. They have Pinterest-perfect classrooms. You can … Read More
Talking to Young Kids About Racial & Social Justice with April Brown
If you’ve been paying attention this past year, you’ve noticed that it wasn’t until multiple tragedies in the Black community that a large amount of white individuals actually started to acknowledge these systems of racism and oppression. But what if they were taught to be aware of these issues much sooner in life? In this episode, trauma-informed specialist, writer, curricular … Read More
Pause.
TL;DR: Traditions were broken all around the world due to the global pandemic. Next year, we can repair the traditions that 2020 took from us, or we can recreate new ones for our families. BreAnn presses pause on her Play Better series this month to share a poem reflecting on the importance of tradition. Pause. My husband’s grandma passed away. When I … Read More
Highlights of 2020: In Case You Missed It
TL;DR: This post shares highlights of Teach Better blog posts in 2020. Categories for posts include pandemic teaching, self-care, instructional strategies, conversations, growth mindset, communication, and leadership. Pandemic Teaching 3 Ways to Support Students Virtually by Chelsea Nicolino 5 Ways to Support Students and Teachers Virtually and Maintaining Rigor through Distance Learning by Chad Ostrowski Key Considerations for Educators During … Read More
It’s Time to Try Something Better
TL;DR: Now is the time to try something better than what you have done before. Each day, try something better, and over time, you will notice big changes. As I sat in this brilliant student’s IEP meeting, I couldn’t believe what I heard. I had to consciously control my facial expressions. I was shocked and frustrated. Not at the student … Read More
