THE BIG FOUR plus a COUPLE MOREEssential Questions to Reflect Upon When PLANNING As the teacher, your goal is to ensure the students are engaged in learning the state standards and grade level content by providing them with a learning environment designed to meet their individual needs, engage and motivate, and empower each to achieve …
Nurturing Growth: 6 Essential Strategies for Implementing Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom Emotional Well-being: The pandemic has taken a toll on the emotional well-being of students. They have experienced heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and isolation. SEL provides a framework to address these emotional challenges, helping students develop coping mechanisms, resilience, and self-awareness. Prioritizing SEL …
As a principal, I had the fantastic opportunity to observe teaching and learning daily. Truly the best experience is to watch educators Grow Minds, Open Doors, and help Create the Future. In this role, I was also allowed to support and coach teachers as they worked to find the “next right answers” to ensure they …
This quote says it ALL! The Pandemic opened our eyes to what wasn’t working in Education. It also put us to the test of showing what we are capable of as educators when allowed to “think outside the box” and do whatever is necessary to educate kids! Sure, nobody wanted to go through the Pandemic. …
WHY SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS KEY! SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING The Center for Responsive Schools, CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning)) and the State Department of Education to name a few, believe that teaching social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies is as important as teaching academic competencies. Actually, based upon what we now know about how …
Emotions Steer Thinking: Emotion + Thinking = Cognitive Development Read More »
When teaching there are 4 BIG Questions we must always ask and address to ensure students’ individual learning needs are addressed and progress is being made to their highest potential. These Big 4 Questions are as follows: WHAT do we want the students to know and be able to do? How will we know that …
A KEY TO A BETTER ME! During my 38 years as an educator and the last 1 ½ volunteering, I have learned a few things I would like to share. Interestingly enough, whether employed as an educator or volunteering more recently in various settings, what I want to share still seems to revolve around …
This is the perfect year for celebrating Halloween, a full moon (Blue moon) and a Saturday but is it really? Well if you are like me, I believe where there is a will there is a way or the glass is 1/2 full or win-win. Just because we are facing a challenging time, which means …
As the school doors opened this August we all knew there would be changes due to the impact of COVID 19. Given that schools closed abruptly in the Spring of 2020 educators like parents weren’t ready for the massive change that hit us overnight. Educators just like students and parents wish they could return to …
“If it doesn’t Challenge You, It doesn’t Change You.” Fred DeVito Read More »
Have you read. “The Crayon Box that Talked,” by Shane Derolf and Michael Letzig? In this story, the crayons come to life, and are overheard quarreling regarding color. But they learn to appreciate each other when they discover the power and beauty that happens when they draw TOGETHER. This simple story with a powerful message …