We’ve all been there. That moment when you’re completely absorbed in the experience. You’re in active learning- the zone. You’re somehow calm, focused, and intense all at the same time. You’re like Scrooge at the end of A Christmas Carol, “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I […]
Elementary School
An elementary school is a primary school for children between the ages of 5-11 and between the grades prekindergarten and secondary education.
Posted inSocial Justice
Understanding Ramadan: A Classroom Teacher’s Guide
This year in mid-March, approximately 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide will be observing the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, which begins the morning after sighting the last sliver of a crescent moon before a new moon and lasts for 30 days. The observance of Ramadan is deeply […]
Posted inElementary School
Review: Abbott Elementary season 3 episode 3: Gregory’s Garden Goofball
Who’s the coolest teacher you’ve ever had? Okay, you thought about it and probably smiled. For me, it was my AP Language teacher, Mrs. Padilla. She was maybe 4’5 and ruled her class like she was six feet tall. At Abbott Elementary, depending on the day, everyone’s favorite teacher may change, and this week it […]
Posted inElementary School
Abbott Elementary S3E1/2: Jeanine and the crew are back
In the season 3 opener of Abbott Elementary, we enter on career day and our regular characters doing what they usually do- operating school during chaos. However, this isn’t like any other regular episode of the blockbuster show stopped at the end of season 3 in April 2023. In the show timeline, five months have […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Teach with humility; Achieve the impossible in teaching expectations
It seems to me that being a modern-day teacher is more challenging than ever before. On average, 15% of students nationwide receive IDEA services for individualized education plans (NCES, 2023). In addition, national movements to improve outcomes for struggling learners (eg. multi-tiered systems of support) have vastly shifted the roles and responsibilities of the traditional […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Using the Depth and Complexity Framework to deepen student learning in primary grades
Using the Depth and Complexity Icons to design more meaningful learning experiences.
Posted inBack to School
5 Important Things To Tell Your Entire Class From Day One
“Just don’t smile until Christmas,” a more veteran colleague once advised me at the start of the school year. It never struck me as particularly wise when teaching a class of students. Having had 23 classes of students since then, I’ve learned a lot about what to do and what not to do long before […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
From STEM, Let’s Pivot to the BRANCHES of the Humanities
There is no doubt that the neglect of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – better known as STEM in educational circles – has come at our own peril. Our students’ achievement in mathematics is surely not where other Americans expect it to be, and the comfort of anyone saying “I hate math” is embarrassing. As […]