Over the past year, I’ve been reading, writing, and thinking a lot about what it takes to get great at teaching. This is partly because I’m insanely curious about it. After all, if I’m going to do something, I want to do it (or be on the way to doing it) great. It’s also because of the e-book […]
Takeaways from #NCTE14 (and why professional conferences are worth it)
Two weekends ago, I went to my first-ever national conference for teachers: the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference (NCTE14), which was held in the DC area. In this post, I’d like to do three simple things: Explain why conferences are and aren’t helpful — and how to make sure the next conference […]
We All Need Mentorship: Here’s How to Make the Most of It
Lately, I’ve been kind of obsessed with helping the Teaching the Core community think deeply about their careers. Part of that is because I love writing about this stuff; another part is because I sense that the group of educators who belong to this friendly movement of educators resonate with some of the following questions: Is […]
Here’s Why the 80/20 Rule Matters for Educators
Teaching is this hugely complex, challenging calling, and that’s why I’m glad it’s mine — I don’t foresee getting to a place where I’m like, “You know what? I’ve got this all figured out. Done. Turn on the cruise control.” To be honest, I think few of us will get there, and if we do, […]
How to Read Professional Development Books: 7 Tactics You Might Not Be Using
Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, instructional coach, central office person, or someone else, I’m guessing you’re familiar with the fact that there are a lot more edu-books out there than any of us have time to read. And their unmanageable quantity is not the only tricky thing about professional development books; they also vary in their utility. Some are immediately useful, […]