Posts

101. The Transformative Power of AI

-
Image
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...
Post a Comment
Read more

#69. Student Well-Being: Leveraging Mastery Experiences to Build Student Self-Efficacy

-
Image
This is PART 1 in a series on student well-being. Throughout this series, I will explore what recent research has revealed about ways to create an environment in which all students can thrive. One of the reasons that I really value writing this blog is because it forces me to examine the "why" behind what I do professionally.  As educators, we rarely have the time (or energy) to stop and think about why we do what we do. We are overwhelmed by the everyday demands of teaching; lesson planning, instruction, remediation, grading, etc to really take the time to dive into educational research. I have piles of books and articles and a queue of podcasts that got sidelined while life happened. For this series, I will be diving into my file of half-written articles and dust-covered books to learn more about  topics like mastery learning, youth mental health, culturally responsive education, culturally proficient SEL, the psychology of learning, equity, and universal design of learning...
Post a Comment
Read more

#68: Part III: Finding Love IN Work (Performance Reviews - Chuck 'Em or Change 'Em)

-
Image
This is PART III 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 Part II of this series, I asked you to look for opportunities to use your strengths on a daily basis. Individuals who have the opportunity to use their strengths at work every single day are happier and more productive. As we approach Spring Break and the school year begins to wind down, it is time to start reflecting on what we have accomplished and how we have grown. For many educators, this also means that it is time for end of year conferences or performance reviews. So far, I have yet to meet a teacher who is excited about these meetings. Therefore, for my last post in this series, I would like to address the performance review process and identify concrete ways to change this process to one that is more growth-oriented. Let's take a look a...
Post a Comment
Read more

#67: Part II: Finding Love IN Work: (What's Love Got to Do with It?)

-
Image
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...
1 comment
Read more

#66. Special Edition: APA Positive Psychology TOPSS Module

-
Image
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...
Post a Comment
Read more

#65: Part I: Finding Love IN Work (Love It or Loathe It?)

-
Image
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...
Post a Comment
Read more

#64: Diving Into Developmental Psych: Going Low-Tech

-
Image
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...
Post a Comment
Read more

#63: Teacher Talk: What Does a Blended Classroom REALLY Look Like?

-
Image
"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...
Post a Comment
Read more