Part 1: Overcome Resistance With Excitement and Encouragement Suzy Winter is an 18 year veteran Middle School English teacher from Texas. She seriously loves working with students, but also loves encouraging those in the education field either through writing her posts on TER, or leading professional development courses. Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily […]
engagement
In Defense of Not Always Being Engaging: A Teacher’s Perspective
Teachers are constantly told today to “be engaging!” That incredibly vague buzzword is laced with pressure and expectations that many teachers find overwhelming. We are shown videos of the perfect teacher giving the perfect lesson – you know the type: there’s an expressive and passionate overdressed educator floating around the room, the kids are wide-eyed […]
Poker and Passion: An Education to Live For
“So, floating and bluffing are pretty much the same thing.” My ears perked up in surprise that my wife was eavesdropping on world-renown poker player, Phil Ivey. She continued, “You float to bluff and bluff to float. Isn’t he talking in circles?” Although dumbfounded that my wife was listening while I watched Phil Ivey’s MasterClass, […]
I Can’t Get Ahold of My Students: Tools for Maintaining Relationships with Students During Distance Learning
Teachers around the world are missing their students. We miss being in the classroom and getting to connect with real students in real-time. Every district has its own plan for when they will return to classes and some are even going back sooner rather than later. But what do we do during this time to […]
You’re Engaged! Now What? (Classroom Engagement)
Planning During Your Engagement Where will the venue be? The Plaza in NY? The Biltmore in NC? No, those are both too expensive and extravagant. Let’s get back on task. You’re engaged, but are your students engaged? Your budget will only allow for your classroom to host this event. Your engagement planning should look somewhat […]
Let them Be Children
Today at a meeting we discussed the inhibition of children. Little children. Children who have not started school yet. The rawness of their play and emotions. Think about watching a young child play or react or do anything. They give 110% of themselves to the event. In play that looks like imagination and sounds and […]
Classroom Engagement: Signals that Work
It’s my favorite lesson to plug into the start of the school year. Before I start I want to say that, in the tradition of great teachers and great teaching, I totally stole this and then adapted it to suit my needs. This writing will deal with the idea itself, how and why I have […]
What Will Your Students Get To DO Today?
Monday we have in-service. It is not something I look forward to, but our district has made steps over the past few years to make changes to in-service days. I remember when I began teaching 18 years ago I would sit and get in lectures and in-services devised to “provide me with information necessary to […]