We often hear about the need for students to learn how to program in order to be ready for STEM fields and the Information Economy. It’s what we’ve been hearing for over a decade. However, there’s a fascinating piece from the Washington Post that explores how the so-called “soft-skills” might be even more vital than… Continue reading 10 Things That Happen When Students Engage in Project-Based Learning
Category: Learning and Teaching
The core of school success is learning and teaching. These are at the heart of our mission as educators. What are current best practices? How do we elevate the teaching profession? Why do some innovations work to increase learning?
iRobot acquires Root Robotics, Bringing Coding Education to Classrooms Worldwide
news.harvard.edu – Today, iRobot Corp. announced its acquisition of Root Robotics, Inc., whose educational Root coding robot got its start as a summer research project at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering
Marzano Research | An Educator’s Guide to Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
marzanoresearch.com – Implement Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (SWPBIS). Build a schoolwide tiered model that teaches students prosocial skills, improves school climate and culture, and lays the foundation for academic excellence. Resources for Positive Behavior Support Systems Social and Emotional Learning
Teach Your Heart Out! The Emotional Labor of Teaching
The Emotional Labor of Teaching >> In this post, you’ll hear the heart wrenching story of a 2nd-grader who lost his dad and brought that sorrow to school.
A Closer Look at Open Educational Resources
Listen to my interview with Karen Vaites (transcript): For as long as the internet has been around, teachers have been able to find free resources online. But while it’s great to not have to pay for things, free instructional materials don’t exactly come without problems. One major concern is quality. When a resource is free,… Continue reading A Closer Look at Open Educational Resources
Too Many Irons in the Fire – Teacher Burnout
Teacher burnout is real. It’s frequent. It’s harmful. It’s not shameful, but it does need to be addressed. This post is a book review of The Burn Book, chapter 8 “Too Many Irons in the Fire.” The Burn Book offers 8 strategies to recognize and extinguish teacher burnout by author Colleen Schmit. In this book… Continue reading Too Many Irons in the Fire – Teacher Burnout
Will Restorative Justice Improve Your School?
Desmond Tutu says, “Restorative justice says “No, the offense affected a relationship” and what you are seeking for is to restore the relationship, to heal the relationship.” What is Restorative Justice? It’s a system of criminal justice which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. Main principles… Continue reading Will Restorative Justice Improve Your School?
The Art of Exceptional Teaching
Attracting Teachers to the Profession
This post appeared first at nassp.org. Just about every principal has faced challenges finding strong, well-qualified teachers. Experienced and skilled teachers continue to leave the profession at a rapid clip, and fewer and fewer young people are entering the teaching profession. In some states—and in areas such as math, science, and special education—the gap between… Continue reading Attracting Teachers to the Profession
Using Data to Make Meaning
As school leaders, the narratives we provide not only make meaning out of the data, they create the basis for our next actions, influence organizational culture, and recommit our teams to the high expectations we have for ourselves and our students.