Question: How do you know what you want your students to do from one moment to the next? Yes, you have a curriculum. You have a schedule. You have learning strategies. But how do you know what it’s all supposed to look like? How … Read more
I had the opportunity this week to observe a truly gifted teacher. She was teaching a lesson to kindergarten students, many of whom she had never met. And they were mesmerized. They were engaged and eager to follow her every direction. But what made … Read more
Allow me to let you in on a secret: There is a shocking difference between classrooms run by teachers with excellent classroom management and everyone else. Of course there is a difference, you knew that. But the sheer scale is what is so surprising. … Read more
Your students are wilting like gardenias in a downpour. They yawn and fidget. They daydream and sigh. They struggle to follow along amid a thousand and one distractions clawing for their attention. Television blaring in the other room. Siblings sitting just inches away. The … Read more
In David Epstein’s recent book Range, he makes the case that most breakthroughs in science, art, technology, medicine, music, and sports come from those with a wide range of interests and abilities. For example, Nobel laureates in science are 22 times more likely than … Read more
When I was a new teacher, I got wind of a “stellar” teacher who taught at a nearby school. He and I were at the same grade level, so one afternoon I swung by to check out his classroom. His room was immaculate and … Read more
Every school talks about high expectations. Only a small few actually live it. The truth is, for the most part, it’s a sham. Expectations for student behavior in this day and age are knee-high to a five year old. And getting lower by the … Read more
I may ruffle some feathers with this week’s article. But it’s a critical topic, and thus worth taking the heat. Last week, I detailed how to not quit teaching. If you haven’t yet read the article, I recommend doing so before continuing. In that … Read more