The Blog

I was working with a school and the teachers started talking about the NCAA Basketball tournament. I quickly zoned out as with my basketball prowess I have no interest in basketball at all. The entire discussion became background noise to me. I could not tell you a single thing that was discussed during that entire conversation. If the topic would have been about the current NHL standings and the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs my ears would have tuned in immediately and I woul

STEM professional teaching organizations are among the best opportunities teachers have to grow and improve. Administrators and teachers alike should be researching, understanding, and promoting all the benefits STEM professional teaching organizations provide to help promote and improve teaching and learning.

The ability to read, write, understand, and use language properly to edit and correct passages are the important aspects of the Writing and Language Test in the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT Assessment. The Writing and Language Test is one of two parts of the SAT Assessment’s Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section. The other part is the Reading Test. 

Let’s face it, most people hate meetings and that is because most meetings are a waste of time. No matter how much a leader may want a meeting to be productive, most meetings fall short. In this blog, I will outline how you can design and facilitate effective meetings that your team actually looks forward to!

The ability to read for understanding, information, comprehension, and context are the important aspects of the Reading Test in the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT Assessment. The SAT Assessment’s Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section is divided into two tests. The Reading Test and the Writing and Language Test.

  They say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I agree with that and would extend that saying for schools to say; “It takes all the subjects working together to fully educate a student.” Believing this and implementing this is the key. Administrators, teachers, and counselors must step outside their small, very busy spheres of educational influence. They must connect with other teachers in other subjects and collaborate to benefit BOTH their subjects and the students.

Once in a great while, I hear someone say, “I Love Math!” or “I enjoyed my math classes,” and it gives me a warm, comforting feeling inside. Sadly, what I often hear people say is, “I hate Math!” or “I could never do Math!” or “I was never any good at Math.” I attribute much of the disdain for mathematics to the way that math is being taught.

Another year of collective and personal loss, another year of quick changes, and increasingly stressed brain states of many of the adults and children we serve have left us all exhausted. While I still believe deeply and strongly that your wellness must remain a top priority, today I want to talk about the kids. They, too, have been on this wild ride of unpredictability, change, and loss.   Emotions are contagious and while our stress levels undoubtedly impact our students,

By William Reed The ability to use estimation is the most important math skill anyone can use and master. Using estimation can alleviate so many silly mistakes and erroneous calculations. Estimation helps us confirm reasonable solutions, stay within our budget or spending limits, and yes, even arrive at our destination on time.    We all have that friend who is ALWAYS late! You know exactly who I am talking about, don’t you? Estimation can keep you from being that habitually

Back in 2011, Indiana Public Law 73-2011 altered state and local textbook adoption procedures. Under this law, Indiana no longer follows a strict six-year cycle for math materials adoption. Textbook adoptions are now under the control of the local superintendent and school board. Adoption of new math materials is optional, and districts have the discretion to continue to use current materials beyond the six-year cycle without needing a waiver from the state.

Stress is a part of life and it can even be helpful! We perform better under some level of stress, it can motivate us to reach our goals and even plays a part in our development into happy, healthy adults. In fact, some of the most joyful events in our lives come with some level of stress – new jobs, new relationships, planning weddings, having babies, buying a new home, and even vacations!

My guess is if I ask teachers who have taught for more than one year, they can name a student they know who will come to class without any materials like a pen, pencil, paper, or book. Teachers can name a student they know who will ask to go to their locker or use the restroom during class. I’m also willing to bet teachers can name a student who will stay silent when they are asked to answer any questions in class. Knowing teachers can name students who do these actions, I as

As most of us learned in the past year, we can’t predict what will happen next and when we feel out of control or faced with a lot of new, potentially frightening, things all at once it is easy to get overwhelmed, burnt out, and disconnected. Perhaps, if we spend time looking inward rather than out for answers, we might find ourselves better equipped to grow through the tough times without losing ourselves. I believe this might be true for individuals, organizations, and ev

Educators, do you want to be in the know?  Here are some great Indiana education resources and very brief Indiana political resources that you can subscribe to and get the latest information to keep you in the know in under 15 minutes!

Differentiation is a term that all teachers know. We read about it in books, hear about it in training, and see it on our evaluation rubrics. Teachers know they have to differentiate to meet the needs of their students. They try to do so with the knowledge and tools that they have. Many teachers do this with high levels of success.

School turnaround is an intervention directed toward a low-performing school that delivers considerable gains in achievement, and readies that school for the process of transformation into a high-performing institution. It refers to the efforts being made by districts and states to improve student outcomes, build capacity, and sustain reforms. Professional development for teachers can help in this regard.

Professional development for teachers – why is it important? Education is a never-ending process, not only for students, but for teachers as well. It can’t be stressed enough how vital teachers are in shaping the future of the next generation when it comes to knowledge, philosophies, and values. If you’re a teacher, keep in mind that your students are the next breed of leaders, inventors, doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists, and entrepreneurs.

What is rigor? In education, rigor refers to instruction, schoolwork, and learning experiences that are academically and intellectually stimulating. It applies to lessons that encourage students to think deeply, rather than to lessons that just demand memorization or information recall. For example, a fill-in-the-blank worksheet wouldn’t be considered rigorous by most teachers.

A lesson plan is a teacher’s guide for running a specific lesson. It includes the goal (what students are supposed to learn), the method how the goal will be reached, and measuring how well the goal was achieved (exit ticket, test, homework, etc.).   Lesson planning is a vital component of the teaching process. It keeps teachers organized and on track, allowing them to teach more effectively. As a result, students reach objectives more easily

What is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports? Also known as PBIS, it is a program that schools use to improve student behavior. It integrates classroom management, school-wide discipline strategies, and effective academic instruction to create a positive school environment for students. PBIS is one of the areas covered by professional development in education.