Reconnecting the Dots: Getting Back into Classroom
I’m back in the classroom again, but my day has a much different start than it did before. Now, I’m spraying shoes, taking temperatures...
A Poetry Writing Task that Celebrates Identity through the Everyday: A Few Easy Steps
Look around you. Check out the pictures on the walls, the nicknacks on the shelf. Think about the things your father used to say or songs...
Make Learning Stick with Storytelling
Humans love a good story. Stories entertain us and help us make sense of the world. They are also easy to understand and memorable.
Why 'Good Effort' isn't Good Enough
General or verbose praise about effort has little meaning, and kids can see right through it. Telling a class that 'everybody put in good...
Temperature Check: A Simple Wellbeing Check for Real or Remote Classroom
Temperature Check: A Simple Wellbeing Check for Real or Remote Classroom
Classroom Connection Check-In: Making Sure All Children Are Seen
Maintaining positive relationships is more important now than ever. A few years ago while conducting a focus group, I started by asking...
Putting Dual Coding in the Hands of Students
When we pair pictures with words, we create a powerful duo for learning. Below, I’ll take you through a step-by-step strategy for students.
THE BIG REVEAL: Showing Students How Metacognition Works
THE EXPERT IN YOU When I talk to adults about metacognition, I begin with a broken vacuum cleaner (a picture of it, that is) and ask,...
The Collective Power of Relationships, Memory and Mindset—and 9 practical Ideas for Leaders
With so much research available and educationalists abound, figuring out which pedagogical approach to follow is a bit like picking the...
Get Names Right—Right from the Start. It's Worth it
When I first started teaching 20 years, I would clumsily call the register, apologising for mispronunciations and promising I’d get it...
