In the late 1990s, one of renowned English teacher Jim Burke’s students basically called him weird. This is what they said: It’s so weird. Mr. Burke talks about reading and all this stuff like it actually matters.” This specific kind of weird, I’ll argue, is exactly what we need 1,000,000% more of in American education. […]
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Let’s Make Teaching Better.
Dave Stuart Jr. is a husband, father, and high school teacher who writes about education. He reads extensively across the disciplines so that he can create uniquely satisfying professional development experiences for his colleagues around the world. His mission is to encourage and equip educators on the journey to long-term flourishing and professional excellence.
Professional development. (The good kind.)
If we’re going to make teaching better, we’ve got to improve professional development. I’m not the guru, but I have spent thousands of hours practicing and researching the art and science of educator-centered, high-impact PD. My hope with all of these is that they help.
And oh yeah: I’m still a teacher. I’ve never left the classroom. With 120 students on my roster each year, it’s impossible for me to detach theory from practice.
Online PD
My schedule-friendly, all-online professional development courses are designed with busy educators in mind. Whole staff or district applications are available — email support@davestuartjr.com with your needs.
In-Person PD
I speak and lead education workshops for a limited number of schools and organizations around the world each year.
Books + Blog
My best-selling book, These 6 Things, has been read and cherished by secondary teachers around the world. My blog is read by over 35,000 educators each month.
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The Latest from the Blog
Observe Average Teachers, Too
The other day, I came across some advice* from writer Alan Moore in which he argues that writers ought to read not only great books but also terrible ones. Here’s what he said: As a prospective writer, I would urge you to not only read good books. Read terrible books as well, because they can […]
Unpacking a Student Letter
Several years ago, I received a letter from a student whom we’ll call Finn. It was one of those treats we get as teachers — an earnest note of appreciation. All that I would like to do in today’s article is unpack how the note describes changes in Finn’s Five Key Beliefs. I’ll share the […]
Thankful for You, Colleague
Dear colleague, Because I publish blog posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’ve had the privilege of writing you this note a time or two before. I love Thanksgiving because I love the reminder to be thankful for things in life. I’ve spent some Thanksgivings surrounded by family, and I’ve spent more than one pretty much […]
Dear Workaholic Colleague
Dear colleague, As those of us in the United States approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to use today’s post to remind you of some of the practical and professional arguments for resting seriously and earnestly. Human beings can only take so much pressure before their performance declines. Psychologists Yerkes and Dodson codified this idea […]
What Bill Watterson Teaches Teachers
Dear colleague, Today’s article is a bonus for you as we enter the holiday season. If you’re not sure of a good gift for someone you treasure, I hope it helps. But more than that, I hope you’ll be inspired by the wisdom of Bill Watterson. — DSJ The single best gift I’ve ever bought […]
The Familiarity Trap
A few weeks ago, I was speaking with a student about her math class. This is what she said that stood out to me: “When he’s going over the problems in class it makes so much sense. But then when I go to do it myself, I can’t figure it out.” This is called the […]
Feedback is 🔥 (But LOTS of Teachers Misunderstand and Overcomplicate It)
Dear colleague, In my upcoming Principles of Learning Course (registration opens tomorrow; details are in the P.S. to this blog post), we’re going to look at the following 10 principles of learning: In two of these principles — “tests” and “practice” — there’s an element I touch upon that bears some consideration in our blog […]
Test Stress and Anxiety are Not Inevitable
Dear colleague, There are a few reasons each of us should pay attention to test stress and anxiety. (Not seeing a video? Click here.) But does test-induced stress really affect that many students? In my experience, it does. The other day in class, I asked my students to raise their hand if they feel at […]
The Most Important Technology in My Classroom
There’s no question about the most useful technological marvel that my students and I use to grow in mastery of my discipline: the spiral notebook. These little 70-page beauties can be had for $1.50 at our local grocery store, and during back-to-school season, I’ve bought cases of them for as little as a dime a […]
Two Simple Questions to Help Students Improve Performance in Your Current Unit
Is it possible to help your students significantly deepen their understanding of your current unit, regardless of content area? Yes. And it need only take 5-10 minutes of class time. First, identify a handful of concepts that are especially important for the unit your students are working on. Then, tomorrow at the start of class, […]
DSJR’s Biggest Announcement in Five Years 🥳
Dear colleague, If I learned any cognitive psychology in my school of ed days, I sure don’t remember it today. I recall an EdPsych class, sure. I can picture the textbook still. But the thing is, none of it seemed especially relevant to the problems I had to start solving as a student teacher. Problems […]
The Problem with Temporal Distance
Earlier in my teaching career, I would try to help my students value the work of learning by showing how educational attainment related to long-term earnings. In These 6 Things, I’ve even got a picture of the chart that used to hang on my wall before they renovated my classroom and tore the wall down. […]
How to Help Motivate A Student Who Only Wants to Draw
Some time ago, I asked colleagues to tell me about a student who seemed especially demotivated. Here’s what Stephanie shared: I have an eighth grade student that I’ve been encouraging to participate more in his own education. He argues with me that I should just let him draw. He tells me that all his other […]
What Does It Mean to be an English Teacher?
Dear colleague, Of all the subjects, I don’t know of one more difficult to define than English Language Arts. That’s why, next Wednesday, Jim Burke and I will be chatting about what exactly it means to be an English teacher. If you’re not familiar with Jim’s work, here are some highlights: So, two quick things […]
Should You Quit Your Teaching Job? (Or: It’s October Again)
Dear colleague, It’s that time of year when folks like you and me can begin to feel disheartened. Some common scenarios include: If you do this job long enough, eventually seasons like this can lead you to wonder: should I start looking for another job? If you’re in this kind of circumstance right now, I […]