Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Teacher Expectations Play a Big Role in the Classroom. Here’s How
Teacher Expectations Play a Big Role in the Classroom. Here’s How Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is a professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High. He has published numerous articles on teaching and learning as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook, PLC+, Visible Learning…
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Pursue School Improvement Through Persuasion, Not Vilification
Pursue School Improvement Through Persuasion, Not Vilification I’m working on my new book (tentatively titled The Great School Rethink). It’ll be out next spring from Harvard Education Press and aims to help educational leaders meet the challenges of the post-pandemic landscape. To the surprise of none of my regular readers, I suggest that doing this…
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Everyone Is Looking to Tutoring Right Now
Everyone Is Looking to Tutoring Right Now. But How Do We Make It Work? In seeking to answer the devastating effects of the pandemic, schools have turned to tutoring. The U.S. Department of Education, for instance, has launched the National Partnership for Student Success, recruiting 250,000 new tutors and mentors, and reports that 56 percent…
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Want to Become a Better Teacher? Put Your Students Before the Content
Want to Become a Better Teacher? Put Your Students Before the Content Jennifer Casa-Todd is currently a teacher-librarian, a former literacy consultant and English teacher, and the author of Social LEADia: Moving Students from Digital Citizenship to Digital Leadership. She uses technology and social media to learn and share learning, empower and celebrate others, and…
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The Pandemic May Have Eased, But There’s No Going Back for Districts
The Pandemic May Have Eased, But There’s No Going Back for Districts Diana Laufenberg is a former teacher who currently serves as the executive director of Inquiry Schools, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting schools to become more inquiry-driven and project-based. She currently lives near the family farm where she grew up in rural Wisconsin:…
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You’re a New Teacher. It Can Be Messy But Also Thrilling
You’re a New Teacher. It Can Be Messy But Also Thrilling I should have trusted my students more and given them ownership of their learning (more student-centeredness). Instead, I found choice boards to be fun; the students could develop creative tools to show their understanding of the topic (at least with 2nd grade and up).…
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Put ‘Relationships Before Curriculum,’ Veteran Educators Say
Put ‘Relationships Before Curriculum,’ Veteran Educators Say 1. “With great power comes great responsibility.” (Spider-Man) – Throughout history and starting during the French Revolution and continuing into the Spider-Man comics, this theme has appeared many times, but it definitely applies to being an educator. When I first started teaching, I didn’t realize just how much…
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Lower the Bar, Stifle the Student
Lower the Bar, Stifle the Student Courtney Rose, Ed.D., is an educational consultant, culturally relevant/responsive educator and the founder of Ivy Rose Consulting through which she offers both individual and group services that foster critical dialogue, collaborative learning activities, and the exploration/development of innovative strategies to humanize teaching and learning. She currently serves as a…
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Gratitude Practices at School That Work
Gratitude Practices at School That Work (and Why Some Don’t) A good teacher knows that establishing strong relationships with students is key not only to helping them succeed but also to supporting their own love for the job. One way to develop a rapport with students is to introduce gratitude practices at school. While research…
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The World Seems Complicated. Perhaps It’s Time to Be More Human
The World Seems Complicated. Perhaps It’s Time to Be More Human A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and leadership coach, DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. He can be found at www.petermdewitt.com. Read more from this blog. Education is a human endeavor. It is a sector and a function that…
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