The Blog

Through the activities below we’ll learn how to reconnect to ourselves and how to guide organizations to do the same. Whether you are seeking connection to self or leading a team who could benefit from a unified purpose, please read on to learn how to identify our own values, how to collaboratively operationalize an organization’s values, and how these activities might empower us. As a special addition for my educators and parents out there, I’ve also included some tips for w

Language is a complex system of intricate connections between words and meanings. It is complex code used to communicate. Morphology is the foundation and framework of English spelling (Hegland, 2021) and contributes to the overall sense of a word. Morphology is the study of morphemes. Morphemes are the smallest meaningful unit of language (Hegland, 2021). Morphemes can be standalone words, like “book”, called free morphemes, or they can be parts of words like prefixes, suffi

Principals play a pivotal role in supporting their teachers during this critical time, preventing burnout, and fostering a strong sense of teamwork. In this blog, we will explore several strategies principals can employ in December to connect with their teachers and create a sense of unity.

Educational Changes Educators are transitioning from the old 2020 Indiana Academic Standards to the new 2023 Indiana Academic Standards. At the secondary level, we are transitioning from the old online/paper-pencil PSAT and SAT Assessments to the new Digital PSAT and SAT Assessments. In grades 3 through 8, there is one more year of the current ILEARN Assessment then there will be two years transitioning to the new ILEARN Assessment which include “Checkpoint” (the new benchma

One of the most critical aspects of a successful education system is ensuring that students attend school regularly. Improved student attendance leads to better academic outcomes and overall student well-being. However, in recent years, absenteeism has been on the rise, posing a significant challenge to both school leaders and teachers. This blog will delve into the causes of increased absenteeism and provide practical strategies for school leaders and teachers to address thi

Teachers and students alike often name the time set aside for reading aloud as their favorite time of the school day! There are so many reasons why a powerful read-aloud is so important in classrooms of any age group. Reading aloud to students exposes readers to authentic text representing a diverse range of authors and text types while building students’ knowledge about a topic of study. Reading aloud builds language and vocabulary, sparks curiosity, and provides opportuniti

Lesson plans can be short and easy just the essentials that are required for the lesson to be successful. The lesson plans I created when I was a new teacher were much different from the lesson plans that I created in my 20th year in the classroom. My lesson plans in my 20th year were different from the lesson plans I created in my 30th year in the classroom. Lesson plans change and evolve throughout your teaching career, yet there are always the essential “must haves” that s

Sometimes things can seem overwhelming so we avoid them. For example, my hall closet was a mess and I was desperate, so desperate I offered money to my teenagers to work on it. It’s the catch-all closet, the place where we shove stuff and then forget about it. Needless to say, that didn’t work, my teenagers wouldn’t take the bait, so eventually, after saying for several months I needed to clean it, I finally just did it. When it comes to hall closets, that’s okay, no harm, bu

What is a trauma-informed school? It is a setting where trauma is understood, recognized, and responded to in ways that empower those who are affected. The goal of trauma-informed schools is to put in place supports that help children cope. Read this article to learn more.

Over the past few years, I’ve heard the same question come up over and over – “how do we help our middle and high school students self-regulate?” It begins with understanding! Whether we reflect on our own experiences, have adolescents in our home, or work with students who are between the ages of 11 and early 20s, we understand that there are some significant shifts in behavior and functioning during this time! Students are seeking to understand themselves and how they fit i

Social emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of modern education that has gained increasing attention in recent years. Social emotional intelligence (SEI) refers to the ability to identify, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It involves developing empathy, building meaningful relationships, and effectively communicating with others.

Daily or weekly social emotional check-ins with students provide a quick way to include student voice, encourage self-awareness, and teach social awareness. Social emotional check-ins are an important part of the classroom environment, as they provide students with a safe and secure space to express their feelings and emotions while also helping teachers understand their students on a deeper level, allowing them to better meet their needs. Additionally, social emotional check

We all know that teaching is a profession that truly is a calling. Teachers who stay in the profession for a long-time care deeply about the students and the subject they are teaching. I know, I was in the classroom for over 33 years. We also know that the demands on teachers have increased greatly over recent years. Here in Indiana, this year is especially hard on teachers with a completely new set of academic standards that were adopted in June. There are new high-sta

In the realm of education, one of the greatest challenges faced by teachers, parents, and students alike is student apathy. Apathy can manifest in various ways, such as lack of interest, disengagement, or a general feeling of indifference towards academic pursuits. However, overcoming student apathy is not an insurmountable task.

Let’s face it. Recruiting, hiring, on-boarding, and training new teachers is time consuming, expensive, and exhausting. Schools with a high turnover rate struggle to maintain a healthy culture. Additionally, the inconsistency in staff leads to gaps in programming, curriculum, and common language and understanding across the building. Teacher retention should be at the top of our to-do list as educational leaders. To help you achieve this goal, we’ve put together some top tips

You probably have heard the PSAT and SAT are changing for the 2023-2024 school year. The New Digital SAT Suite of Assessments includes the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT10, and the PSAT 8/9. The changes will start early this fall with the new Digital PSAT10 and Digital PSAT/NMSQT. It will continue in the Spring of 2024 when all Indiana juniors will take the new Digital SAT. Everyone needs to know about and understand the changes that will be taking place. If they do, they can help stu

As I have visited classrooms and observed teachers teaching their classes, I am noticing a very common trend. The learning their students are doing is very passive and somewhat compliant. In a quote attributed to many different sources from Confucius to Benjamin Franklin says, “Tell Me and I Forget; Teach Me and I May Remember; Involve Me and I Learn” and it has been proven many times and, in many ways, to be true.   It used to be the standard norm in a classroom in rows all

Teacher recruitment refers to the process of attracting, selecting, and appointing qualified individuals to work as teachers in educational institutions. It is an essential aspect of maintaining a strong and competent teaching workforce. Teacher recruitment involves various strategies and activities aimed at identifying potential candidates, assessing their qualifications and suitability for teaching positions, and ultimately hiring them to fill vacant teaching positions.

Are you looking for books that help your students WANT to read? Are you trying to match reluctant readers with books they fall in love with? Books that make them keep coming back for me? Here’s my list of 5 types of books that kids just might love, even if they profess to “Hate Reading”. I’ve added some of my favorite titles to each category for you to check out.

Writing skills refer to the ability to express thoughts, ideas, and information effectively through written language. This includes the ability to organize ideas, use proper grammar and punctuation, and tailor writing to a specific audience or purpose. Read this article to learn more on how to improve students’ writing skills.