Ralph Waldo Emerson suggests a hero is no braver than any ordinary man or woman, it's just that they are brave for “five minutes longer. Who is your hero? Maybe it’s your parent, a teacher, spouse, child, or someone you know who overcame insurmountable odds. The
What do all learners want and need to perform well? Maslow (1943) affirms that next to one’s basic psychological needs, learners require physical and mental security. Furthermore, as Hattie mentioned in a recent keynote, people crave a sense of belonging and love, especially when schools, rightfully
“We have ghosts among us that are in plain sight!”- High School English Teacher In The Sixth Sense, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, a troubled and isolated 9-year-old boy is able to see and talk to dead people. Throughout the movie he endures chilling
I am a 5th grade teacher in Baltimore, Maryland. I grew up in Baltimore, Baltimore County to be exact, and I attended the elementary school where I now teach. I love my school. I love my community. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Growing up
How do we create schools that better serve all students? It’s a question on the minds of many school leaders. The challenge is that while educators may dedicate years of hard work to equity efforts, they often see little change. Why? Too often schools look
Engagement typically implies that students are active participants in the learning process, but it falls short in empowering students in their learning. When we empower students, they have the power and leadership to guide, direct, and leverage their own learning. For students to truly be empowered
When you take a look at your calendar, I bet you’re hard pressed to not find at least one meeting scheduled within the next week. More likely, you’re struggling to find a break between events in your back-to-back unrelenting schedule. I’d also bet, there is
A school’s culture is the result of how teachers, students, parents, and the local community embrace a school’s environment and support the school’s mandate to successfully nurture the students’ learning. When evaluating a school’s culture, one must consider the needs of the community and how
I am a huge fan of Rocky and I’ve watched the movie a dozen times. Do you know what the 72 steps Rocky ran up were made of? They were made of mindset (and stone too). The character of Rocky Balboa possesses growth mindset in
Having a healthy school culture is what everyone in a school desires. I can sense the state of the culture very shortly after entering a school. Seeing students who love to learn, teachers who love to teach, parents who are happy with their children’s learning