“Remember, it’s not going to be easy – it’s going to be worth it.” Blogger, consultant, and educator extraordinaire Angela Watson ends every one of her “Truth for Teachers” podcasts with this Art Williams quote – one that any educator would agree we know all to well. But the content of her podcasts do make the […]
Classroom Management
Using Board Games In The Classroom
I remember when I was little I loved to play board games. Growing up as an only child though, it was difficult to find someone to play with. I drove my parents crazy with Monopoly, Hi-Ho Cherrio and Sorry, then I moved on to checkers and chess as I got older. In the age of […]
Deliberate Practice and Growth Mindset
I have been obsessively researching growth mindset over the past few weeks. And one of the many misconceptions that I have discovered is around the idea of effort. It seems that many people believe that a growth mindset means trying and trying until you get it right. The more you practice, the better you get. […]
Harnessing Competition
I have a room full of highly competitive students. Most of them are first born or only children and their natural wiring towards competition can drive a teacher crazy! Instead of trying to stifle their exemplary leadership skills, I use it for my advantage. Not to the point of pitting one against the other, but […]
Trying to Find a Balance
When you are a new teacher, there are so many small parts of teaching you have to figure out. And you get bombarded by advice on what to do. You’ve got feedback from your principal, tips from veteran teachers, and “best practices” from professional development consultants. You have to sift through it all and somehow […]
Seven Steps to a Fresh Start for your Class
You started off with the best of intentions—a clean desk, new notebooks, resolutions for the new school year—but things are already turning sour. Students aren’t working the way that you’d like them to, lessons have flopped, you are having discipline and classroom management issues. Your classes feel chaotic and out of control, and you are […]
Teaching a Superpower
“I am going to teach you a super power.” I said this to over twenty classes last week, from first through seventh grades. I am covering for an art and music teacher on leave for the next several weeks. I certainly can cover the art portion without any trouble. I can sing, so we will […]
Time to End Students’ Need for Instant Gratification
When you were in your educational psychology class a few years back, you probably learned about instant gratification. This behavior, at heart, is when we pursue what we want, when we want it. Often, that means now. The primal need couldn’t be more evident in our school children – and it’s up to us educators to redirect it. […]