I recently read an article by Dr. Devon Price titled Laziness Does Not Exist But Unseen Barriers Do and it resonated with me, both as an educator and a parent. Dr. Price suggests we ask ourselves the following questions: What…
The L Word
Author: Kris VanDuyne
The perfect lesson
“The imperative for continuing learning by teachers is not because their teaching is deficient; rather, it is that teaching is so hard that it is never perfect and can always be improved.” ~ Charlotte Danielson As I wrap up my…
Today’s Social Studies classroom
The American poet Robert Penn Warren stated: “History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity so that we can better face the future.” Social…
Mix things up! Celebrity guests in the classroom
Time. It is arguably the #1 constraint of secondary classroom teachers. The pressure of Regents Exams (NYS) and graduation goals are internal pressure points and what is typically (thanks to APPR) used to gauge success. Research clearly shows more learning occurs…
Sliding Door Moments and Vulnerability
I am reading @BreneBrown’s Dare to Lead and was intrigued by a concept called Sliding Door Moments: “It turns out that trust is in fact earned in the smallest of moments. It is earned not through heroic deeds, or even…
Lessons for 2019
A year ago last week my Grandmother died. She was 96 years old and healthy up to a few weeks before her passing. It was a complete shock to me at the time. I know, it shouldn’t have been. I…
Different vs More
I came across a terrific blog post from @Rosalindphys discussing the importance of quality teaching for all students (link). In helping students who struggle in class, many times the answer is additional instructional time, such as Reading/Writing Lab, Math Lab, etc. It…
Compassion, Passion and Knowledge
To start off Summer vacation, I am reading @casas_jimmy‘s book, Culturize, and came across a story from @NicholasFerroni: “Teachers can’t replace parents, but so many students are saved by teachers who assume the role when there is a vacancy. I…
What I learned this year
Today is my least favorite day of the school year – when I have to say goodbye to my kids. We will still be in the same building next year to chat and say hello in the hallway, but it…
Facing Tough Feedback
I have been in the position of both giving and receiving difficult feedback over the years, including very recently. In our journey to be the best we possibly can, we try to stay on top of educational pedogogy, maintain connections…