I think that there are hundreds of thousands of teachers, coaches, and administrators who are dying to be told, “If you and your students are working on this handful of things, repeatedly and with increasing skill, throughout the school year as you move through your curriculum, you’re okay.” Those last words, especially, are important: “You’re […]
Cures for First Day of School Overwhelm
Every August, I feel it: the pressure to make this school year perfect, and, therefore, the pressure to make the first day of school perfect. Because, as we all know, that first day determines the whole year. Right?
Let’s think through that.
Simple Questions on the First Day of School that Teach Purpose
By the end of the first day of school, I need index cards with each of my students’ names on them. I’ll use these to randomly call on students throughout the year during Think-Pair-Shares, doing everything in my power to ensure that every student speaks, every day, and I’ll use them as a quick seating chart […]
A First Day of School Activity That Teaches Argument, Which Teaches Thinking (Updated)
On the first day of school, I tell my students that one of the central threads of academia, and clear thinking in general, is argument. Now: guess what pops into their heads when they hear that word? Let’s just put it this way — it’s not exactly the image I want them leaving my class with on […]
Get Ready for the School Year with this 5 Minute “Defining Everest” Activity
Before your first staff meeting comes and starts the school year stress, take five minutes to shoot from the gut and get your head and heart straightened out with this simple exercise. You won’t get any copies made or a class blog set up or a curriculum mapped or whatever other urgent tasks assail you while you’re […]