TL;DR: Surveying students and the 2×10 strategy are two ways to strengthen relationships with your students. Initiating meaningful conversations with others to foster classroom community. When I first interviewed for teaching positions, I was never asked a single question about how I build classroom community. I was asked about my philosophy around classroom management (firm, consistent, and fair), and how … Read More
Addressing Creativity and Wellness with Your Students
TL;DR: Kahoot teaches and reinforces understandings. Vector graphics give students an outlet to share how their daily lives are going, and lead to open discussions with individuals and/or classes. Educators can examine data from surveys in Google Data Studio to track wellness over time. Last school year was one like no other before. We spent our summer uncertain as to … Read More
Strengthening Students’ Reading and Writing Stamina
TL;DR: Giving students time to read and write independently is a classroom routine that encourages students to become readers and writers. A book review script that students can use to share video book recommendations with peers is included. When students share their writing with an authentic audience, it empowers them and builds classroom community. Having students set their own reading … Read More
Counseling: An Innovative Approach to Listening
TL;DR: Counselors can continue to support school communities by digitally providing resources, ideas, and learning opportunities. CASEL’s SEL Roadmap for Reopening Schools helps guide counselors’ efforts to connect with students. There is value in all educators delivering SEL content to students. Resources from American School Counselor Association (ASCA) are shared. “We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen … Read More
Virtual Restorative Circles
TL;DR: Restorative circles are personal class discussions. Some benefits of restorative circles for your students include building community and creating a sense of acceptance. Restorative circles can provide a safe environment for students both in-person and virtually. I learned of restorative circles at the December 2019 AIMS Network Conference. The session I attended described how these circles transformed classroom culture … Read More