“You know what the happiest animal in the world is?” asks Coach Ted Lasso, star of the eponymous comedy on Apple TV+ to one of his players down in the dumps. “It’s a goldfish. It’s got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.” This is just one of the many wit and wisdom combos served to viewers in […]
Jake Miller
Mr. Jake Miller is the 2016 National History Day Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, a 2017 NEA Global Fellow to China, and a former candidate for county-wide office. Miller has written more than 500 articles, most of which have appeared on The Educator's Room. He's the opening contributor to TER's book When the Fire Is Gone. Learn more about Jake at www.MrJakeMiller.com
Posted inClassroom Management
8 Tips So Your Substitute Plans Don’t Suck
“I find your lack of substitutes disturbing.” Read that in a Darth Vader voice the next time you have to take off, and you’ll feel exactly the type of difficulty that I mean. It’s been 6 years since I wrote my story about how “Lack of Subs Is the Canary in the Coal Mine,” and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
10 Ways to Teach Like Ted Lasso: Part I
“You know what the happiest animal in the world is?” asks Coach Ted Lasso, star of the eponymous comedy on Apple TV+ to one of his players down in the dumps. “It’s a goldfish. It’s got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.” This is just one of the many wit and wisdom combos served to […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers: Habit 3 – First Things First
My friend and former student-teacher called me the other week: “I need to vent to you for 10 minutes.” “We were supposed to get the vaccine once our meetings finished today. I received a text at 12:50p telling me the window for the vaccine was 1p-4p. As I was heading out the door, I received […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Sign the Petition to Suspend/Waive Standardized Tests in 2021!
I cannot believe I’m saying this, but teachers have begun proctoring standardized tests, and many more will do so in the coming months. This Presidents’ Day, I am sending this petition to President Joe Biden and other government leaders of education. Please support by signing and sharing with others. American K-12 students should be granted a waiver […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers: Habit 2 – Begin with the End in Mind
When I studied for my M.Ed. in Leadership, the lasting lesson that I pulled from my coursework was from a program called Understanding By Design (now called “Backward Design”). It essentially advocates effective teaching is to lesson plan by beginning with the outcome – whether for the year, unit, week, or lesson. Why? The most […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers: Habit 1 – Be Proactive
In the children’s book Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, author Judith Viorst’s protagonist Alexander continually falls victim to an awful 24-hour period, saying things like: “I fell asleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair,” “All the other kids had cupcakes, Hershey bars, and other desserts, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
America’s Reckoning: How Will Teachers Go Into Their Classrooms Tomorrow?
“How do we teach kids about this tomorrow?” This seems to be the question every American social studies teacher is asking themselves this evening, clutching the notion of the American republic in their hands like a broken teacup. As America continues to be ripped in two from its seams to its soul, we have, over […]