by Monte Syrie | 5.16.19
I wanted a daily way to check in with kids, so I started a practice called ‘smiles and frowns.’ I started off this year telling kids, ‘There’s nothing more important than the humans in the room, so we start with the humans in the room.’
by Christina Torres | 5.10.19
As teachers, we all get really busy. It can be hard to make time to plan a new and innovative curriculum, and instead we end up reaching for something we’ve done before without questioning it. I’ve definitely found myself in that boat.
by Christie Nold | 5.8.19
I’m lucky enough to work with a colleague who always pushes me to grow, and I want to celebrate him this Teacher Appreciation Week.
by Edwin Minguela | 5.6.19
I’ve wanted to be a teacher ever since I was in elementary school. When I was in third grade, my dad bought a full-sized chalkboard, so our basement became my classroom. I would get home from school and tell my mom, ‘Okay, mom, I’m going down to my classroom.’
by Jill Fletcher | 4.9.19
Students often love to share their ideas aloud. There was a time when I didn’t value this enthusiasm for engaging. I saw it as a trait to tamper – something that stood in the way of getting information to them. Then I realized their willingness to speak was one of their greatest assets. And in order to reach them, I needed to build upon their passion for discussion.
by MeMe Ratliff | 4.9.19
Now, my professional learning network is immense, and I keep up with a lot of the folks I’ve met through the convenings. We meet virtually. We go to other edu-events and invite one another. We meet up socially. We even have a playlist of songs we listen to when we get back together. It’s a family.
by Wendy Turner | 4.4.19
I am known as a warrior of social-emotional learning. I always say my teaching puts SEL first – and empathy is a critical component. People ask me all the time how I build empathy in the classroom. The answer is one day at a time, one experience at a time, with great intention, focus and practice.
by Beth Lakin | 3.29.19
I used to be a teacher who didn’t fully understand when students told me about their stress levels. Students would say, “I’m so stressed out about ____,” (fill in the blank with just about anything!) and I’d respond, “Well, just make sure you study!” or “Make sure you take care of yourself.” I didn’t perceive anything worrisome – I just thought, “A little stress is normal, and they’ll get over it.”
by Emily House | 3.28.19
I grew up going to rural Iowa schools, and diversity wasn’t a big part of my educational background. As a teacher, I’ve realized how many different experiences exist even within a single classroom – and how few of those experiences are like mine. It’s been a humbling wake-up call.
by Julie Arsenault | 3.19.19
This year, I changed my assessments by adding a piece of paper at the end, asking, “What else do you know about the topic, that I didn’t ask you about?”
