Educators around the US this summer find themselves at the start of an alien August. Never before has this turning of the calendar included such tumultuous inner circumstances: fear, anger, division, bitterness, confusion, anxiousness, apathy… and, of course, some good bits too as we glimpse excitement and determination and enthusiasm and reunion. But it’s the […]
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People, Not Passwords: Why You Need a Catchphrase or Two to Define Your Challenges This Fall
A quick story: last week I was speaking with a former student named Dylan. At one point, he asked me a question. “So, Mr. Stuart, will you be teaching students or usernames this fall?” What he meant with his wry smile was clear — at the time, our district hadn’t released its finalized back-to-school plan […]
A Three-Question Checklist for Building Stronger Relationships through Moments of Genuine Connection
As I’ve shared before, relationships are not the point of a teacher’s work, but they are one of teaching’s most fundamental currencies and most gratifying rewards. With more American schools than ever before launching into all-online starts, many teachers are concerned with just how to build strong relationships with students from afar. The good news […]
How to Use Mechanics Instruction that Sticks When Teaching Remotely: Thoughts from the Author, Doug Stark
As we approach the new school year, I have been thinking about how different things might be in the time of COVID-19. Will I be face-to-face with students in the classroom? If so, what will that look like? Will students have to sit six feet apart at all times? How are cooperative groups going to […]
How to Humanize Your Classroom or School When You’re Teaching from a Distance: Principles and Practices
The thing I miss most about the way school was before COVID is the human-ness of it all. Even though I’m pretty introverted, I miss the sounds of voices in the hallways, the smiles and waves and hellos and laughs and handshakes (remember those?). I miss the moments of electricity when you connect a young […]