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

#73: Student Well-Being: Praise and Performance

-
Image
This is PART 5 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. 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 teaching and learning , culturally proficient SEL , the use of praise, the psychology of learning, equity in grading, and universal design of learning. For the past three decades, researchers have been studying non-cognitive factors affecting student motivation. During this time, Carol Dweck's groundbreaking studies regarding student mindset have rocked the world of education. Her research began with the following question: Why do some students shy away from challenges and give up while others seek out challenges and become more invested in the face of failure? Over the course of six studies, Carol Dweck ...
Post a Comment
Read more

#72. Student Well-Being: Culturally Proficient SEL

-
Image
This is PART 4 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. 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 teaching and learning , culturally proficient SEL, the use of praise, the psychology of learning, equity in grading, and universal design of learning. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou In my last post, I took a closer look at what Culturally Responsive Teaching & Learning is (and isn't!) within the context of the "Ready for Rigor" framework. The "Ready for Rigor" framework was designed to create the social, emotional, and cognitive conditions necessary for...
Post a Comment
Read more

#71: Student Well-Being: Culturally Responsive Teaching & Learning

-
Image
This is PART 3 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. 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, the use of praise, equity in grading, and universal design of learning. "It's important to meet people where they are, not where you would like them to be." - Arlette Watwood Culturally Responsive Teaching Culturally responsive teaching is a framework designed to accelerate the learning of all learners by connecting students’ cultures, languages, and life experiences with what they learn in school. These connections help students access rigorous curriculum and develop higher-level academic skills. Culturally responsive teaching is...
Post a Comment
Read more

#70. Student Well-Being: Youth Mental Health First Aid

-
Image
This is PART 2 in a series on student well-being. Throughout this series, I will explore what recent research reveals 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. I...
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