Increasing personal tension to learn is part of motivation theory; there needs to be a degree of tension between expectations and achievement. Effective teachers know how to use tension, anxiety, and personal pressure to spur students to learn. Continue reading
The Tension of High Expectations
Highly Effective Teachers are Masters at Adjusting Instruction
Master teachers know that some children will not reach secure learning after initial instruction only. They readily check formative data and adjust subsequent instruction to cause all children to be successful learners. Teach, assess, adjust teaching and assess again is a necessary pedagogical sequence. Continue reading
Never Take Good Teaching For Granted
Good teaching causes children to learn. The act of teaching is complex, planned, and explicit. Appreciate good teaching when you see it. Continue reading
Don’t Sweat NAEP Scores. What Did We Expect?
Recently released NAEP scores represent what we expected as achievement indicators resulting from emergency education in 2021 and 21-22. Don’t worry backwards; get to work moving forwards. Continue reading
Feedback: Recalibrating the superlative
General feedback goes so quickly to the superlative that it loses any meaningful commentary. Be exact and actual in comparing what you say to what you expect students to know, do, and be. They want your honesty not falsity. Continue reading
Deja Camaraderie
What signs of school health will you look for this year? Look at the metrics of your camaraderie. In which direction does the needle point? Continue reading
Carpe the First Day
The first day of school is show time. How we treat day one impacts the entire school year that follows. Carpe the first diem. Continue reading
Speak Less and Listen More
Cartoonists make a living depicting a teacher talking to a classroom of dozing children. Keep yourself from appearing in the funny papers – speak less and listen more. Continue reading
Inform Yourself Globally – Act Locally
Life events change us and our institutions. The pandemic effects on school make 2022 fully unlike 2020, yet most want a return to the normal of that year that was. News tells us that is not happening. Inform yourself globally then act locally. Continue reading
Do It Differently, Smarter – Student Rounds
Teachers reinvent wheels every fall by spending instructional time getting to know new students. Students who were in your school last year are not new! Use student rounds for last year’s teachers to tell next year’s what they have learned about each student’s strengths, weaknesses and learning personality. Do it smarter. Continue reading