Meeting Students Where They Are--Emotionally
Educators need to not just meet kids where they are academically, but emotionally too. Read Full Post >
Recently in Non-Academic Skills Category
November 23, 2012
June 11, 2012
The Other Test Prep: Final Exam Review
Many people, including me, decry test prep for standardized tests. But what about other tests? I bring this up now because test prep is as common this time of year as it is in the weeks leading up to standardized tests. No enrichment or extension activities, and no new material. Just sneak previews ... Read Full Post >
May 30, 2012
Memorization Through Application
Last post I introduced Concept Cards, a note-taking system that helps students store, retrieve, and use information more efficiently than traditional note-taking methods. Now, here are a few tips for maximizing the benefits of Concept Cards: Alphabetical Rather Than Chronological. One problem wit... Read Full Post >
May 11, 2012
Graduating or Dropping Out: What's the Difference?
The dropout rate at Chicago's Manley High School was over 60% when I taught there, and even higher for males. Yet Rodney Wilson (not his real name) made it to graduation, and his family and friends roared as he received his diploma. No one was louder or prouder than Rodney's girlfriend, Nicole (not ... Read Full Post >
April 08, 2012
Independence First, Interdependence Second
"Stop the madness for constant group work." said author Susan Cain in her recent TED Talk, The Power of Introverts. "We need to be teaching kids to work together, for sure. But we also need to be teaching them how to work on their own because that is where deep thought comes from." (Check out Cain's... Read Full Post >
October 22, 2011
Encourage Getting Help Rather Than Giving It
I've been in many classrooms where students were sitting in groups but weren't functioning as groups. And I've seen many teachers address this by asking students who've successfully completed a task to help those who are stuck. Recently, for example, I heard a teacher praise a student for solving a ... Read Full Post >
March 18, 2011
When Helping Students Hurts Students
We educators are giving, helpful people. That's what drew many of us to teaching in the first place: a genuine desire to help children. And yet it's our helpfulness, I've found, that often hurts kids more than it helps them. The problem is that sooner or later success for students will require sel... Read Full Post >
February 26, 2011
Student Success Prerequisite: Hope
A self-doubting student's turnaround illustrates the power and importance of teachers instilling hope in students. Read Full Post >
February 19, 2011
Success Comes From the HEART
Success often has as much or more to do with people's thoughts and actions as it does their abilities. I noticed this in academics, business, and sports before becoming a teacher, and tried to convince students of this after becoming a teacher. One way I did this was by telling them that success co... Read Full Post >
February 13, 2011
Education Reform Key: Stop Enabling Students' Self-Defeating Behavior
David Ginsburg says meaningful education reform requires every adult in every school to stop enabling students' self-defeating behavior. Read Full Post >
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