One of the secrets to acquire knowledge is to read a lot. And so I try. But whenever we get close to a New Year, the Influencers that inspire me on YouTube and Instagram are cashing in on my inadequacies. They are gloating about how they read over 100 books this year + you can … Continue Reading
How do you get students to identify and write lines of reasoning? — Kendra M. Susan: I am often my own worst enemy in teaching line or reasoning because I tend to overcomplicate the concept; line of reasoning is simply an order to an argument. I love the analogy David Miller uses to explain a … Continue Reading
Chalk it up to too much pressure. It’s the weight of the world. There is all this anxiety about taking the first step. The old Head & Shoulders advertising slogan lingers in the back of my mind — you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is what I feel every … Continue Reading
A recent study revealed that only 12% of teachers are “very satisfied” with their jobs. That number has dropped 27 points in the past decade. It is staggering to think that 88% of teachers are not “very satisfied.” The symptoms of this discontent are pervasive, but the root causes go beyond the typical explanations such … Continue Reading
If you head to Merriam Webster you will find that an essay is: an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view. This definition is somewhat near sighted. I stopped at the first one. If you dig a little deeper, though, you will see that … Continue Reading
A few years ago, I saw a piece on 60 Minutes that reported on the “flipped classroom.” It had an interview with Solomon Khan, and it highlighted how teachers were assigning his videos for homework in math classes, allocating class time to provide guided practice as students worked their way through math problems and exercises. … Continue Reading
I have a hard time saying no to things. Inevitably, this means that I volunteer, throw my name in the hay, and offer myself up when I should occasionally keep my mouth shut. Consequently, I have to create systems that enable me to work efficiently and effectively. Here are the five rules I am using … Continue Reading
Wait a minute… if you hand out a study guide and ask students to find the answers in the textbook, that doesn’t count as close reading? That is what some of my high school teachers did. They had stacks of ’em. Finish one ditto and they would whip out another. Classwork and homework simply became … Continue Reading
Brian and I a starting a series of posts called “Ask Us Anything” where we promise to be honest in our answers and hopefully as encouraging as well. If you have a question you’d like for us to answer, feel free to ask! Can you model how you plan a unit? — Kathy F. Susan: … Continue Reading
My first Pearl Jam concert was on 9-11-98 at Madison Square Garden. While the concert was unforgettable, its date was… until it wasn’t. That night Eddie and the boys played 26 songs, with two encores, and brought back “Breath,” a song they had retired years ago. It all ended with “Alive,” and Eddie throwing his … Continue Reading
