Category Archive for Back to School

Why My Morning Check-Ins Matter So Much to My Students

by | 9.15.22

As a longtime middle school teacher, I’m a big fan of daily check-in activities. My students have shown me that when they walk through my door, the most powerful thing I can do to promote a day of growth is create opportunities for them to reconnect with me, their peers and our community.

My Mini-Lesson to Inspire Positive Math Identities

by | 7.22.22

One day, a teacher I was working closely with commented on students’ lack of willingness to engage: “How do you get kids to engage? It’s not realistic to constantly prompt them. How do I help my students feel like they’re capable of learning math? Some don’t engage and some get discouraged easily. How do I empower them to keep trying?”

Building a culture of curiosity that lasts all year

by | 10.15.21

I used to start the year with a massive slideshow about myself. But over time, I realized: Of course my students want to know who I am, but they want to learn about me through the way I interact with them, and through our authentic conversations. 

Shifting the Focus From Grades to Growth

by | 9.16.21

Last school year, I had a student who told me near the end of the semester, “I think I have a C.” I could see in her work that she was earning a high B or even an A. I asked why she thought she had a C, and she said, “Well, I’m just a C student in English. That’s what I always get.”

More