Every school, district, and teacher has their own version of the lesson plan. Some are quite formal while others may be a loose listing of bullet points. The usual stuff like standards, do-nows, and exit tickets are great, but here are some other ideas for what to include in a lesson plan to maximize student… Read More

When principals retire or move on to different opportunities, a school can feel a bit unanchored navigating the transition and on-boarding new leadership. Perhaps a new leader has some bold ideas to completely change the culture or a radically differing philosophy than your own. Here’s a look at how to successfully navigate a leadership change,… Read More

One of the beautiful things about being a dedicated teacher is the magic you see when understanding dawns or as a true learning experience takes place. However, it’s no state secret that teachers need supplies to help students achieve that magic. Unfortunately, teachers often begin their educational journey scrambling for materials, hoarding items packed deep… Read More

Before my first day of teaching, I imagined what it would be like countless times. I pictured what I would say to my classroom full of new students, how I would interact with my learners, and how planned activities could play out. That visualization wasn’t an exercise in rigid planning, but rather a mental run-through… Read More

Great teachers are amazing people — constantly adapting, motivating, and inspiring young minds. Even to the best of teachers, though, it can seem difficult to take the time to cultivate what really matters when test time looms on the horizon. But studies show that instilling a sense of wonder and curiosity is far more important… Read More

Teachers do so much more than just planning lessons and teaching. In fact, it’s typical to get swallowed up during the school year with endless projects, responsibilities, and calls for your time. The problem is, we simply cannot do it all — and trying to do it all makes us less effective and exhausted. This… Read More

Ask any teacher “why do you teach?” and you’re likely to get a philosophical answer that calls upon their personal history, their love for students or the content, and their ultimate hopes for their students. But ask most teachers about their teaching mission and you just might find them stumped. With everything teachers do and… Read More

Every teacher, every year, has at least one student who utters those heartbreaking words: “I just don’t like school.” These words are uttered by the student who says they “just want to be left alone,” and who is resigned to get through their education with as little effort and bother as possible. But what are… Read More

As part of Concordia’s Thought Leadership Graduate Education Info Session on April 8, 2019, Dr. Juliana Smith shared her top 13 myths about English language learners (ELLs). Myth #1: English is the second language of students. A lot of the students we see in the U.S. actually speak several languages already. English may be their… Read More

A Heart-Centered Approach Teachers are true workaholics. We work a lot — during the day, after school, on weekends, during breaks, and over summer vacation. In doing the myriad tasks we tackle each week, we can become seriously overwhelmed, stressed, and constantly trying to catch up. Host of the Hurry Slowly podcast and author of… Read More

Grading is one of the most challenging and emotionally charged conversations in today’s schools. Teachers are protective of their right to grade, but inconsistent grading practices and the ways they can inadvertently perpetuate achievement and opportunity gaps among our students make grading an issue of equity. There are grading practices that are more bias-resistant and… Read More

Everyone’s heard a fellow educator say, “My students are so lazy!” It’s definitely frustrating when students moan and groan or fail to hand in assignments. Some say that teachers should never work harder than the students, and that school must be rigorous and demanding in order to prepare students for the real world. And of… Read More

The middle of the school year is the perfect time to check in and see how you, your students, and your colleagues are doing so far. Reflection isn’t just about surfacing the things that need course correcting. It’s also about identifying and celebrating the good and figuring out how to grow upon those areas of… Read More

Social-emotional and trauma-informed learning and teaching are at the forefront of education research and study today. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) reports that nearly 50 percent of the children in the U.S. have experienced “at least one or more types of serious childhood trauma.” Therefore, ignoring emotions in the classroom can absolutely pose… Read More