Posted inBryan
Valuing the Bad Work
In education, in classrooms, in conversations with teachers, I see and hear a lot of thoughts about what good work is and how to help students get their work…
Posted inCzyz
Your Routines
You work to build routines and implement easy to follow procedures for students at the beginning of the year. Consistent routines can be a great help for students who…
Posted inBryan
Valuable Work
The thing about doing valuable work is that in the beginning it doesn’t look valuable. Often it doesn’t really look like anything. It may be rough, unpolished, foggy, messy,…
Posted inCzyz
I’m Sorry.
Sometimes the simplest answer is I’m Sorry. When we try to avoid saying these two words and instead dance around them, we may negate the authenticity in our apology.…
Posted inCzyz
2nd Day & Beyond
The first day of school receives all the fanfare and glory but it’s not where the real work is done. The excitement of new clothes and new faces gives…
Posted inCzyz
(10 Days of) Kindness
If every individual practiced one act of kindness every single day, then our world would be a much better place. So, as we begin our school year, let's begin…
Posted inBryan
Rewards & Consequences
For the last several years, I haven’t posted rewards or consequences in my classroom. To be honest, I never even really gave them much thought. However, after attending the NJPAECET2 conference several…
Posted inCzyz
The Lucky One
This morning, I will take part in my sixteenth opening day. While my role has changed slightly since that first opening day, I am still the lucky one. Getting…
Posted inCzyz
Meaning & Relevance
Are you planning activities every day for students in order to complete your lesson plans? Or are you creating learning experiences for your students? Ask yourself these two simple…
Posted inBryan
Finding My Voice
As I’ve learned to help my students explore and share their voices, what I’ve really done is found my own. This is one of the great gifts that teaching…