Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! This past Christmas, my family decided to organize our own version of the Great British Baking Show (or GBBS). We each had to make our own Signature dessert for the approval of three judges, my in-laws, and my oldest daughter. The […]
lesson planning
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Out with Lesson Plans…In with Lesson Design!
Surprise! Lesson design is not a new phrase or concept. However, in the midst of ever-changing educational demands, lesson design has taken a back seat to “lesson plans.” From 5 E to Madeline Hunter, there is a myriad of ways to plan for students. One commonality between these various lesson templates is the idea that […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
10 Thoughts During a Failed Lesson
Thought 1: “I like this lesson” It might not be my best, but I’m satisfied with it. It’s educational. It’s collaborative. There’s some entertainment value. It certainly is important to their lives and what we’ve been previously talking about. It’ll be successful. Thought 2: “What the h*#%! is going on here?!” It doesn’t seem like […]
Posted inFormative Assessments
Formative Assessment: A New Lesson Plan
Formative assessment is using purposeful observations and information about students to move their learning forward. It enables teachers and students to understand their learning and have meaningful dialogue. This has been applied in classrooms through Kahoot! quizzes, exit tickets and quick thumbs up thumbs down activities. Formative assessment, however, has more power when it is […]
Posted inProfessional Development
Travel for the Teacher: Better than Professional Development
As I write this, my family and I are preparing for a long voyage overseas. A few months ago, I learned that I had been accepted to the Disquiet International Literary Program in Lisbon, Portugal. This series of workshops with famous writers is held in one of Europe’s most historic and beautiful cities. Perhaps even […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum
Demistifying the Great Lesson
Cross Posted from Chalkbeat, TN, April 21st, 2014 You walk into a classroom. You see students are excitedly conversing with each other, taking notes on their papers and drawing models. The teacher rotates around, speaking very little, but when he does, he typically leans down, examines a student’s paper and then asks a simple question. […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Opinion
10 Ways to Fix Education: #1 – Increase Planning Time
I look at the clock, and it’s the last period. The students are ready to bustle out the door, but there’s so much for me to do. It’s Friday after school, and I’m going to be in school at least another two hours. Maybe 3. I planned on accomplishing a list of things today, but […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Guided Reading–Pick Any (Fiction) Book
Guided reading is a teaching strategy that has gained attention and popularity over the past ten years for good reason. This method of teaching reading (to elementary students) groups them according to their instructional text reading level. It incorporates skills, comprehension strategies, writing, and text decoding. There are many companies with canned programs and resources […]