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 […]