Sometimes the way we try to figure out some of the root causes of the challenges we face at school reminds me of the old street hustle you may have experienced in person in a big city or have seen in the movies. You know the one I am talking about with the nutshells and […]
Stop Playing the Guessing Game: Fix Tier 1 Read More »
Remember that scene in Walk the Line, when Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash walked into the recording studio to play for the first time for Sam Phillips. The first attempt did not go so well, and Sam’s reply to Mr. Cash helped bring a little perspective to the situation. “All right, let’s bring it home.
Success Criteria on the Daily, the ONE Thing. Read More »
Recently, a post of mine on Twitter got some attention. It was related to clarity in learning and the vast majority of opposing viewpoints centered around the use of Learning Targets. Many were concerned with primarily two things in relation to Learning Targets in the classroom: 1. It’s mandated use by administration. 2. The value
Let’s Talk about Learning Targets Read More »
When it comes to what we do in the classroom, we have to stop and think about the true purpose of why we are there. I know when I first started out as a high school English teacher, I thought the job was to go into class, do my best Mr. Keating, and inspire, lead,
Are We Seeing Evidence of Learning? Are We Doing Things to Look for It? Read More »
The reason for this week’s post stems from something I heard an adult say recently. It is something I’ve heard many times before. And it only makes me wonder this, when will I ever stop hearing it? I am sure if you have spent any time in a school anywhere that you have heard this
My Trigger Words, “These Kids Can’t […]” Read More »
Recently, I had a tweet get some attention. The post above seemed to resonate with many out there in the Twitterverse. What that says is this: We all know why it’s important. We all know it is what we ought to be doing in our schools. My question is then, what’s stopping us? I can
How Do We Make Tier 1 the Priority? Read More »
Home makeover shows are everywhere. They’ve been around for a good while now. I can still remember some Saturdays growing up flipping between cartoons and finding Bob Vila renovating another home on This Old House. What I have noticed about some of our newer shows in this genre is that many times, the minute walls
Education Needs a Home Makeover Read More »
If you were like me, I left student teaching having graduated from college with my teaching degree and entered a classroom ready to be the next Mr. Keating. I was ready to stand on desks, to inspire my students, to provide the most engaging lessons, and to suck out all the marrow of the teaching
What Should be the STAR Every Classroom? Evidence of Learning Read More »
First of all, Happy New Year to all of you reading this. A new year is such an exciting time. We all hit the internal reset button, having reflected on the past year and making goals for the next. Looking back at my last post of 2022, you will find that the first step in
The Next Step in the New Year to Fix Tier 1 Read More »
Tier 1 instruction… Remember that poem by William Carlos Williams, “The Red Wheelbarrow?” It’s the one you read and immediately said, “If this is poetry, I can be a poet.” If you don’t recall seeing it coming up through school, all you really need to know is the first line for this topic. It reads,
Want to fix Tier 1? The First Step is to Design for Learners, Not Students. Read More »
