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 […]
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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 […]