Take a look at the above picture of my daughter. It’s awesome, isn’t it? The expression on her face. The green ‘hair’ in the form of grass. It sits in our kitchen. And I smile every time I see it. […]
In Order to Keep Learning, Keep Curiosity
Embrace the Messiness of Character Education…
…for there will be hiccups When I was in ninth grade, I had a Math teacher, Mr. Phillips, who used to drive me nuts. After lunch some days, he’d be hanging out near the restroom where I always went. And […]
No, Students Shouldn’t Have To ‘Beat The Odds.’ There Should Be No Odds.
Georgia’s current school metric underscores how our education system is stacked against certain students. You can guess which students. In my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, our Cincinnati Bengals beat the odds. The Bengals, one of the worst teams in the […]
If you want all voices included, engage the ‘Outer Rim’
Toward the end of Damon Centola’s book Change: How To Make Big Things Happen, he shares the following anecdote about former president Barack Obama. Then-president Obama, facing a particularly difficult policy decision, wanted to make sure all voices were heard, […]
No, students shouldn’t leave their baggage at the door
Recently, I was speaking with a teacher about what we can do to help some of our higher-risk students succeed. We’d had struggles in the classroom with cell phones and outbursts. What was clear was that our students had difficulty […]
Write Kindness. Save Kindness.
Teaching is hard. It’s never been harder. Which is saying something. Because teaching’s always been hard. A couple years ago, I was talking with a friend of mine who’s a financial advisor. He was telling me that his day had […]
Want to prepare students for future success? Set aside the curriculum. Start with SEL.
My son is pretty bright. I don’t say this as some jaded father who thinks his kids are perfect (as you’ll soon see). But he’s always been pretty smart. He could string together full sentences before his second birthday. He […]
To Make a Difference, Choose to Restore Dignity
In 2010, Panera launched an experiment that would define our society. Panera Cares, an initiative to help those who struggled to pay for meals, opened in several cities across the US. The aim, in essence, was for people to pay […]
If you tell a student one thing this year, tell them ‘I’m Proud Of You’
Last year, I received a note from a student. It was a student I knew was struggling with some home issues, and it had leaked over into her school work. The usual, joyful student who showed up every day and […]
The Keys To A Great Learning Culture? Safety and Accountability
Sociologist Adam Grant, in his book Think Again, lays out some great ideas to shift learning cultures in US schools Changing culture is tough. Have you tried it? Probably not. But if you have, good on you. You know. Shifting […]
Even In A Chaotic Year, Resist The Urge To Hurry
I love running. My wife thinks I run too much, and this is probably true. But that doesn’t deter me. I find it a great way to collect my thoughts, process through the day and relieve some stress. Most of […]
Dear sir, I am.
There’s an old fable that I love that takes place about a hundred years ago. At the time, the world was in disrepair. Racial and social inequities plagued society. Most of the West was on the brink of war. Diseases […]
25 Year Ago, A Teacher Took A Risk. I Still Benefit Today.
How one teacher’s chance on me kept me writing 25 years later As I look back on the greatest risk anyone took on me 25 years later, it still blows my mind. I teach 7th graders. I love teaching 7th […]
Student Voice is always important. With online learning, it’s essential.
We all know the story. Mermaid princess sees a man she loves, but can’t be with him because, well, he’s a man, and she’s a mermaid. So mermaid princess does the unthinkable. She strikes a deal with an octopus witch […]
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man
Growth is uncomfortable. I’m not sure it’s in the definition. But it’s hard for me to imagine growing while remaining unchallenged. Or taking any kind of risk. And I want to keep growing. It’s outside of our comfort zones that […]
I Took My Kids To Their First Social Justice Rally
Here’s What I Experienced This past weekend, my two kids (aged 7 and 5) and I attended our first racial justice rally. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. And even more difficult, I struggled to put into words exactly […]
As Educators, We’re On The Front Lines Of Social Justice Reform
Yes, we, as teachers and school leaders, have not just an opportunity, but a responsibility, to educate on social and racial justice First of all, I write this with a bit of hesitancy. Not because I feel these thoughts are […]
After A Tough Spring, The Time To Reflect Is Now
If you’re like me (and you probably are if you’re reading this), you hit the Remote Learning track running, going hard with new ideas, lessons and ways to connect and engage in unprecedented times. If you’re like me (maybe you […]
Five Conclusions from Range that could Change Education
Author David Epstein uses tons of research to challenge our conceptions on everything, education included Range isn’t a book on education. Yet I’m certain it’s one of the best book for educators to read right now. Author David Epstein challenges […]
With Remote Learning, Offer Students Choice
I’ve seen a lot of schedules floating around. They may look something like this: First of all, this is awesome. It provides structure for parents who may need as much help as possible setting a schedule for their kids. After […]
School’s Out? 10 Things You Can Do With Your Children To Help Them Connect And Grow
Schools out. Only, you didn’t plan for this. You’re hoping schools will send enough work home to busy your child. I promise you, they won’t. But the time doesn’t have to be purposeless, nor stressful. Here are some suggestions (most […]
To Get the Best out of Students, Start with Relationships
Two months ago, I started the semester with a whole new batch of students. It was Day 3, and I was doing one of my critical-thinking activities where I have students use information from a previous exercise to have them […]
When Planning Any Lesson, Start with These Three Questions
A few years back, I was tasked with rewriting an entire semester’s worth of curriculum for three different courses. No textbooks. No workbooks. The only thing I had to work with were the foreign language national standards and the Internet. […]
Connect. Grow. Change the World.
I want my students to change the world. I don’t necessarily mean when they grow up. There’s tons of evidence that kids of any age can make a profound difference in this world. But whether it’s now or later, wanting […]
Deliberate Play is Back in the Classroom!
A few years back, I was at a technology conference about 1-to-1 computers in schools. At the end of the conference, there was a student panel. One particular student response has stuck with me ever since. I’d been in schools […]
You’re Tying Your Shoes Wrong
And How It Relates to Education You’re tying your shoes incorrectly. I can’t say that for sure. But I’d be willing to be bet. A few years ago someone shared this short video with me: After watching that video, I […]
Nine Moments with Joe Sanfelippo
I recently had the pleasure of hearing Joe Sanfelippo speak to a group of educators. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard someone speak for more than two hours and keep my attention the entire time, yet he somehow managed. I […]
The Key to Making Meaningful Connections
Recently, I had one of those days I hate. It was a Monday, and I felt like I was behind all day. I had emails to respond to, an event to plan, grading to do, copies to make. You know […]
Every Word Must Have Value
I had to learn this one the hard way. About this time last year, I had one of those moments that made my heart sink. I made a sarcastic comment in a class that landed the wrong way. It didn’t […]
Don’t just educate. Empower
As part of our school’s professional development, I attended a seminar on Universal Design for Learning. The lesson was awesome, and helped me see instruction very differently (more on that in a later post). But what struck me most about […]
If nothing else, I can be my best
I’d never consider myself a great teacher. There are plenty of things that many other teachers do much better than I, whether it’s differentiation, classroom management or use of technology. I work on all those things a lot. And that […]
This New Year, Consider Values, Not Resolutions
As we head into Covid’s Junior Year, the idea of a New Year’s Resolution probably seems as absurd as ever. After all, if there’s one thing we’ve learned the past two years, it’s that we know nothing. Nothing of what […]
For Those Of Us Who Like To Dream… Or Want To
I like to start every year with the same comic. It’s a classic Calvin and Hobbes cartoon that sums up perfectly the life of so many people. Every year I revisit this comic, and I feel like I see something […]