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101. The Transformative Power of AI

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Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
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#67: Part II: Finding Love IN Work: (What's Love Got to Do with It?)

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This is PART II in a series on finding meaning, purpose, and love in work. The research is based on the principles of Positive Organizational Psychology (POP) which explores how positive organizations can foster growth and excellence. In my last post in this series , I asked you to write down different aspects of your job that you loved or  loathed. What we learned was that we don't need to love our jobs 100% of the time. We do, however, need to love aspects of our work at least some of the time. Those aspects of our work that we LOVE tend to energize us because they enable us to use our strengths. In this post, we will explore the relationship between using our strengths and finding love in our work. Strength-Based Approach Simply put, a strength is something that you are good at and that you enjoy doing (Buckingham & Goodall, 2019, p. 17-18). When you are using your strengths, you (1) Look forward to an activity (2) Experience flow during the activity (3) Experience fulfillme...
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#66. Special Edition: APA Positive Psychology TOPSS Module

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A few years ago I made a small change that has radically altered the direction of my life. I decided to start saying "YES" to opportunities at work that, quite frankly, terrified me. I piloted a class, started a blog, submitted proposals to and presented at national conferences, and even appeared on a podcast. As a closet introvert with imposter syndrome, the idea of sharing my ideas, activities and passions with the whole world required a whole new level of vulnerability on my part. It was hard, stressful, and very scary but it led to one the most energizing, purposeful, and meaningful periods of my professional life. In this post, I would like to share with you something that I am really proud of - which is a result of me taking a chance and saying "YES." TOPPS The Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPPS) is a division of the American Psychological Association (APA). It's mission is to"promote excellence in the teaching of psychological scienc...
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#65: Part I: Finding Love IN Work (Love It or Loathe It?)

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This is PART I of a series on finding meaning, purpose, and love in work. The research is based on the principles of Positive Organizational Psychology (POP) which explores how positive organizations can foster growth and excellence. I have a confession. I love to hide out in my bedroom, fold laundry, and watch HGTV. One of my favorite shows is called "Love It or List It." If you haven't seen the show, it teams a designer and realtor with a family whose home is no longer meeting their needs. Over the course of the episode, the designer (Hillary) renovates their current home and the realtor (David) tries to help them find their ideal new home. More often than not, the owners usually choose to remain in their renovated home. It turns out they didn't need to move or build, they just needed to rediscover their love for what they already had. In this post, I will share a specific intervention that will hopefully help you fall in love with your work again - "Love It o...
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#64: Diving Into Developmental Psych: Going Low-Tech

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One of the most common misconceptions that I hear about blended learning is that it is the same thing as virtual or online learning. In reality, there are many days in which my students don't even crack their Chromebooks! Instead, I try to include a variety of learning activities that include both online and offline learning. One of the things that I love about the blended learning model is the flexibility it gives me to differentiate my lessons based on the individual needs of my students-or even based on the needs of a certain class. As we all know, what works for one group of students one year (or even one section of students in the same year) might not work for all of our students. In this post, I'd like to share two lessons with you that can be no-tech or low-tech based on the needs of your students and the resources that you have available to you! There has been a great deal of research regarding the use of too much technology in the classroom. A 2014 research study by Pa...
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#63: Teacher Talk: What Does a Blended Classroom REALLY Look Like?

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"The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other." -Robert John Meehan When you get great teachers together, great things can happen 1 . I have always found teacher workshops focused on collaboration to be the most valuable professional development. I love hearing what other teachers are doing in their classrooms, and why they are doing it. Personally, this was one of my greatest "roses" of the 2020 school year. We were all 1st year teachers again teaching in a totally new and different way. This led to an extraordinary amount of teacher collaboration - both within and between divisions. I loved seeing teachers going for "walk and talks" and sharing their challenges and triumphs. Now that we are back to "normal" these opportunities have become less frequent. I was reminded how special these conversations are the day before winter break. In this post, I would like to share with you what I learned. Some Context… In 2018, I was on...
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#62: Bounce Forward: The Power of Adaptability

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I will teach you in a room, I will teach you on zoom, I will teach you in a house, I will teach you with my mouse, I will teach you here or there, I will teach you because I care. -Author unknown We made it!! First Semester? ✔ Winter Break? Bring it on! I am ready to disconnect, spend some time with my family, rest and recharge. I really thought that this school year would be a piece of cake after last year. Last year we became the masters of pivoting. New schedule? Teaching two groups of students in different locations at the same time? Sanitizing desks between classes? Done, done, and done. This year my school returned to full-time in-person learning and I am thrilled to have my students back. However, my new normal is not the normal that I am used to. I think it is time for me to make peace with the realization that education will be forever changed as a result of the pandemic - and that can be a really good thing. COVID-19 laid bare many of the inequalities evident in education. It...
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#61: Connections Count: How Social Connections Protect Us

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The holiday season is upon us! For many of us, the holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. For others of us, the holidays might be a little more bittersweet. Our joy might be brighter, but our losses are also more poignant. This past week I suffered the loss of a longtime friend. The sense of grief accompanying this loss is tremendous and, at times, paralyzing. As I sifted through old photos looking for images to share with this family, I was gifted with a sense of peace and thanksgiving for the friendships that I have been blessed with throughout all of these years. For that, I am grateful. This post is meant to be one of encouragement for those of you who might be struggling or know someone who is. It is about the power of social connections and relationships during times of challenge. Our relationships and social connections can provide us with a physiological and psychological buffer against stress. In the TED talk, How to Make Stress Your Friend, Kelly McGonigal shares w...
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