When classroom engagement is lacking, the answer lies within. In the best of times, teachers often get frustrated attempting to engage with their students. We are not living in the best of times, and distance learning brings a whole new host of frustrations. Engaging every student is extremely important and can be extremely difficult especially […]
Category: Teachers
The Power of Backwards Design
Whether it be for lessons, units or curriculum, Backwards Design should be the chosen method. When I landed my first teaching job I was not handed a curriculum to teach from but rather I was asked to create one for my class. Having taken all the required education courses I still felt unprepared for the […]
Summer Vacation: Time to Relax and Improve
Summer is a crucial time for teachers to focus on self-improvement Summer vacation is a term that only school children and teachers get excited to hear (for others it just brings nostalgia and maybe some dread for parents). While six to eight weeks of uninterrupted vacation is a wonderful thing, it also shouldn’t be looked […]
3 Key Takeaways from Distance Learning in the Hopes of Improving It
It is important to reflect on the experience of Distance Learning so that we can improve it moving forward. As the school year winds down across the country, it is time (especially this year) to celebrate all of the accomplishments of the year and then to take a deep breath and reflect. It is no […]
George Floyd, Protests, and Teaching the Uncomfortable Topics.
It is crucial that we educate our students about all matters, especially those that impact our world. I should start off by making it clear that I am a white male. That statement is much more than just identifying my demographic information, it is also telling of what I have experienced, or, more importantly, what […]
Teacher Appreciation Day
It should be more than once a year, but let’s get it right today. Teaching is a terribly difficult job. Teaching is also a terribly rewarding job, but intrinsically so. Teachers do not receive accolades or gifts or bonuses or even respect as professionals (typically). Teachers also rarely get the one thing that is so […]
Engagement and Distance Learning
Changing our tactics in the digital classroom. You’ve spent years working on your ability to engage your students in the classroom and have hit the point in your career that you can change tactics on a fly; then the classroom part went away. Distance learning is now the norm across much of the country and […]