Classroom community is my thing. I consider it to be one of the most important goals I work on all year. This whole virtual learning and hybrid learning thing has tested my ability to continue to foster a strong classroom community, but I am determined to make it work! If you’re looking for ideas for… Read More
My school district has gone from planning for hybrid learning four days a week (with students in cohorts) to jumping right into in-person learning five days a week (with an option for families to remain in remote learning). All in the span of six days. Here’s how I’m feeling: And this: Anyone else?! We’re currently… Read More
It’s official: my school district will be opening soon in a hybrid learning model. For my school, that will mean that we teach the cohort of students who are back for in-person learning (the “roomies”) in the morning while teaching those same lessons to the remote students (the “zoomies”) in the afternoon. Hybrid learning is… Read More
February is Black History Month. But I believe that Black history is American history and thus should be taught all year long, just as we teach other topics of history. But, until that happens, I do think it’s good to have a specific time set aside to focus on Black history and the contributions of… Read More
If I had the magic secret to motivating students 100% of the time, I’d be a billionaire. We all know that nothing works ALL the time. But when everyone is tired of the routine, motivating students is even more of a challenge. Need some ideas? Here are ten ideas to try! 1 – Communicate with… Read More
Social-emotional learning, or SEL, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. With all the emphasis now on trauma-informed practices, restorative practices, and student wellness, teachers are getting the “permission” to focus on an area they have always known was important. There are lots of resources for social-emotional learning activities out there, but I’ve made a… Read More