TL;DR: Gifted students are often under-challenged. Under-challenged students are not given the same opportunities to learn and grow. There are ways to serve our gifted population that are beyond differentiation. Todd’s Gifted Rants: The Frustration of Being Underchallenged You know how to speak English very fluently. It comes very naturally to you, and you find it quite easy to speak. … Read More
Reflect to #TechBetter
TL;DR: Students need to know the expectations and deserve feedback to help them improve and grow. #TechBetter with an “edurubricon,” which involves numbering the skills and including icons to create an easy visual for students to follow along. Happy New Year! I hope as we begin 2022, all of you will use the ways that we have discussed to #techbetter. … Read More
Expect the Unexpected
TL;DR: Substitute teachers need access to materials and detailed plans. Every teacher should have emergency plans prepared. Administrators can best help by being visible throughout the day. On February 3, 2011, I experienced a substitute teacher’s worst nightmare. I had accepted a two-day assignment at a new-to-me school. At first, things seemed to go well. I was greeted by the … Read More
Feedback? “I tried that. It didn’t work.”
TL;DR: Providing student feedback is a valuable tool that doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Evaluate when individual feedback is needed and when it can be taught to the whole class. Focus feedback on certain skills. Create a framework for feedback that allows students to self-reflect and utilize peer reflections. Make feedback meaningful by using descriptive feedback rather than evaluative feedback. … Read More
4 Tips for Classroom Management
TL;DR: Routines and structures are key to strong classroom management. Consider your first 5 minutes of class and intentionally decide how you will spend that time. What works one day might not work the next; what works for one class may not work for another. Classroom management will always be a work in progress; not every single day will go … Read More