March is Music in Our Schools Month
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Image Credit: https://nafme.org/programs/miosm/
Did anyone watch the Schoolhouse Rock! 50th anniversary singalong on
The Connecting Link partners with Dominican University
The Connecting Link is pleased to announce a new partnership with Dominican University to provide graduate-level credits in continuing education for teachers.
Dominican University, located just 10 miles west of downtown Chicago in River Forest, Illinois, is a...
National Bird Feeding Month: 7 Activities for the Classroom
CategoriesThere is some fascinating research published in Scientific Reports on the mental health benefits of seeing and/or hearing birds. Improved moods, decreased symptoms associated with depression, stress relief, and increased focus for up to eight hours after bird encounters were reported by people participating in this...
Deep Breathing Exercises for the Classroom
CategoriesIncreases focus, alleviates stress, decreases symptoms of anxiety, improves the quality of sleep, and relieves pain…deep breathing exercises provide a myriad of benefits. Breathing exercises are free, relatively easy to learn, do not take much time to complete, and can be done anytime and anywhere – including the classroom.
Deep breathing is a proactive habit that student...
National Letter-Writing Day – December 7, 2022
Dear Amazing TCL Educators,
Season’s greetings! According to the results of a recent study, 89%...
Fresh Ideas for National Writing Month (November)
Image Credit: https://jenniferjulander.com/2021/03/04/write-2000-words-per-day/
If you were asked to write a 50,000-word novel in one month, would you be up for it? (That’s about 1,700 words per day.) National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an annual crea...
3 Ways to Participate in Dyslexia Awareness Month (October)
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Imagine trying to read a book with the letters and words seemingly jumping and dancing around the pages. Using this Dyslexia Simulator, you can experience what it’s like. Please take a mo...
Four Ways to Celebrate Fall in the Classroom
Cozy sweaters, hot apple cider, leaf piles…Thursday, September 22nd marks the first day of fall this year! Here are just a few ways to celebrate the new season with your students.
Yoga can be an engaging way to tell the story of the changing seasons.
SEL-Focused Back to School Activities
CategoriesAs usual, the summer seems to be going by far too quickly. Even with plenty of sand left in the hourglass of summer, I start feeling the back-to-school jitters every August.
Focusing on the social and emotional learning (SEL) needs of students – as well as my own needs – has always been a helpful and comforting way for me to transition into back-to-school mode. This articl...
Activities and Resources to Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Students
Image: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/coffee-can-ice-cream-12347977
I have fond memories of making homemade ice cream in elementary school. My...
Summer Health and Wellness
Summertime for many educators means more flexible and open schedules allowing much-needed time to relax and recover. This article includes a list of practical suggestions for making your health and wellbeing top priorities while enjoying the carefree vibes of summer.
Mental health is an essential component of a happy life.
- Positively transition from...
End of the School Year Reflection Prompts
You’re reaching the end of another unprecedented school year filled with growing demands and challenges intensified by the pandemic. Although your to-do list seems endless, setting aside time focused on self-awareness is a worthwhile investment that you deserve.
As defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (
April is World Autism Month
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Image: https://cricut.com/blog/celebrating-autism-awareness-month-making-an-invisible-disability-visible/
April is World Autism Month - a time to create awareness, understanding, and acceptance of individuals with autism. From reading a book with the goal of developing a d...
The Connecting Link Announces Partnership with Andrews University
CategoriesThe Connecting Link is pleased to announce that we have entered into a partnership agreement with Andrews University to provide graduate-level credits in continuing education for teachers.
Founded in 1874, Andrews University is a private university located in the southwest corner of Michigan, offering students more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a student...
Read Across America 2022
CategoriesHappy 118th birthday, Dr. Seuss! In honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2, people across the country will be celebrating by reading good books. National Read Across America Day was established by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998 to help promote the joy of reading for children. As it turns out however, establishing reading habits early in life can provide potential lifel...
February is American Heart Month
CategoriesWith a focus on the heart, it seems fitting that February is American Heart Month. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the first American Heart Month. In his proclamation letter he stated, “I urge the people of the United States to give heed to the nationwide pr...
January is National Mentoring Month
CategoriesJanuary has been proclaimed National Mentoring Month - a time to celebrate and honor educators, administrators, coaches, parents, community leaders, and others who support and help individuals reach their full potential.
Marian Wright Edelman, an American activist for children’s rights, noted, “It is the responsibility of every adult – especially parents, educators,...
More Teacher-Recommended SEL Activities and Resources
CategoriesLisa Xagas, District 203 Director of Student Service, said it best, “SEL is not one more thing on the plate, it is the plate.”
We understand your proverbial plate is overflowing already. We also know how much educators value social and emotional learning (SEL), so we’ve compiled another list of teacher-recommended resources and strategies t...
Celebrate grandparents
Sometime in September, according to my favorite holiday alert website, schools celebrate grandparents day. Darned if I don’t remember ever celebrating it. In fact, my mother’s mother died before I existed and her husband lived 1800 miles away and I remember seeing him twice before he passed when I was nine. My dad’s dad died before I existed and my grandmother on his side died...
Embrace Your Inner Nun
CategoriesWhen I enrolled at St. Augustine’s Parish school at 5 years old my pops told me “watch out for the nuns.” He said they could be mean, set off by the most minimal of indiscretions. Apparently they carried long rulers during his tenure and smacked pupils’ knuckles if their cursive was below grade. I’d been warned, but guess what? There weren’t any nuns teaching...
Featured Instructor - Steve Novak
CategoriesSteve teaches ten to twenty of our courses at any given time and emphasizes group discussion between all course participants. As he says "it's not a lecture series" that he is giving but a collaboration on teaching strategies. Feedback for Steve's courses is overwhelmingly complimentary and at least 50% use the exact phrase "Steve Novak is fantastic!" We understand w...
Teacher-Recommended Strategies and Resources to Support English Learners (ELs) in the Classroom
CategoriesTeachers are a collaborative bunch with some of the best suggestions for supporting and accommodating students. Below are a few of the many valuable resources and strategies recommended by the educators in our Sheltered English Immersion (SEI): Best Practices for English Lea...
Ode to Conservatories
CategoriesIt may be observed that I tend to talk and write about plants often. I don't strike up random conversations at parties or steer to the subject during a picnic or anything. I guess I think that there are so many things on this planet that don't speak words which can teach us endless life lessons, and I really like plants. I like how efficiently they work, how they are symbiotic to breath...
Featured Instructor - Jill Rockwell
Some of you may know, and some won't, that Jill is deeply integrated into so much of our program. She instructs structured and self-paced courses, she's a trusted and regular course writer, she contributes to our blog and she is always lending a hand as we explore new ways to offer insight into what we are all about. Perhaps she volunteered or maybe we nudged her, but we hope this first...
Teaching History in 2021
CategoriesHas anyone heard the term "fake news" ricocheting about recently? Of course you have, I'm being facetious. The news, fake or authentic, represents current events, or history occurring now. It's been said that "history is writ by the victors", which is another way of alerting us to the possibility of fake news. We study history in an effort to learn from the...
Extended Learning Activities for Summer
CategoriesLast fall when my son was participating in virtual learning, I hosted an in-person backyard kindergarten group for a few families in our neighborhood. I wanted to give my son and the other children an opportunity to experience some “kindergarten magic” that was inevitably missing with online learning. This article highlights some of our favorite learning activities that can be used...
Arbor Day, Earth Day & Talking Trees
In April of 2021 Earth Day falls on the 22nd and Arbor Day on the 30th. Often these observances come and go without much fanfare. Credit to those who make an effort during that week at learning about Mother Nature and environmental concerns and causes, and more so to those who take action toward those matters. I suspect, though, that anyone who puts forth energy on those days is probably perenn...
Dr. Temple Grandin: Preparing Students with Autism for the Workforce
As I drove down the interstate last week, I thought about the multitude of tasks involved in the act of driving that have become second nature for me over the past two-plus decades. From steering and maintaining a safe speed to monitoring blind spots and checking for other hazards (“Watch for deer” is a common phrase in Wisconsin for a reason), there is a lot to manage...
Featured Teacher Jenna Solberg
CategoriesGuess what? March is Music in our Schools Month, and appropriate in my opinion. If you live in the northern half of our country you always feel relief as winter fades and spring approaches. If you live in the southern half you look forward to earlier and longer sunshine. Time to get out of the stale indoor air and filter your lungs and watch the trees and plants build buds on their way to flowe...
Stop, Think, and Write: A Behavior & Mind Management Strategy
CategoriesMy 5-year-old son, Abe (who is typically a kind boy), recently started hitting his 3-year-old brother. The physical aggression seemed to stem from impulsivity, frustration, or a combination of both. When my response of a time-out, followed by a verbal apology wasn’t working, I knew I had to figure out a different approach.
I continued with the time-out (quiet time to...
Featured Teacher Lynn Nguyen
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Lynn (Henny) with Jade, Chau with Emerald
Lynn Nguyen is my aunt. Well, she’s my wife’s aunt. Ok well she’s not her hereditary aunt, but she fell in love with my wife and her two sisters when they were all babies and neighbors and she’s been an incredib...
Poetry Made Easy: Tools to Channel Your Inner Poet
When I was in graduate school, I was required to write a poem for a course focused on children’s literacy. I dreaded this task because I did not think I was much of a poet. My professor encouraged me to look for inspiration from my favorite children’s authors. I love Cynthia Rylant’s work and was encouraged by the poetic language in her book In November. I decid...
Looking at Ourselves in the Mirror
CategoriesJanuary 28, 1986
January 17, 1991
September 11, 2001
March 17, 2020
What do all these dates have in common? They’re days that left enduring impacts on my generation. Every generation experiences events that etch into their minds forever. In my case the abiding events to date are the space shuttle...
MLK: Strength to Love
CategoriesAs the youngest of six brothers it's a common theme for everyone in the family to assume I know something that I was too young to experience. "Of course you know the story about the tennis ball in the tail pipe!" But I didn't, because I hadn't been born, and the story had been told so many times before I was old enough to remember and they all assumed I remembered it....
3 Engaging Hands-on Activities and Experiments to Extend Learning at Home or in the Classroom (Teacher/Parent Approved!)
CategoriesHappy New Year! Chances are you are on the lookout for indoor-friendly ideas for your students/children. Included in this post are three fun, tested and approved activities and experiments to extend learning at home or in the classroom this winter.
1. Rube Goldberg Machines
Classroom Calendar Connections – December 2020
CategoriesAs I sat down to write this month’s article, I didn’t know where to begin, so I searched our blog archives for what I wrote in December of 2019 (when our world seemed more normal)… National Handwashing Awareness Week, National Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance, and the winter solstice...
Classroom Calendar Connections – November 2020
CategoriesThe Presidential Election, Veteran’s Day, and Thanksgiving
It has been quite a year, and November is another eventful month. November 3 is the big day – the 2020 presidential election. Chances are, talk about the election and the candidates has spilled into your classroom. Below are some resources to help provide structure and guidance with engaging your students in electi...
The Complexities of Teaching in the Information Age
CategoriesWhat is knowledge and how is it changing?
In school I perceived knowledge as a growing but finite volume. Standards had been set for each subject and a list of skills was assigned to be honed to at least a minimum competency. Literacy, history, math, science and art branched into more specialized subsets as I progressed upward through grade levels. As a college g...
Classroom Calendar Connections: October 2020 ADHD Awareness Month
CategoriesOctober is ADHD Awareness Month. Although Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, presents a spectrum of challenges, there are also numerous positive traits associated with ADHD to be aware of this month and beyond. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), millions of children in the United States have b...
Student Perspectives on Remote Education
CategoriesI get tired of having conversations about masks. I got a cool one with the Chicago Cubs emblem that fills me with pride, I wear it everywhere and I feel responsible about it. But the discussion is stale. It's as riveting as a weather review in mid-August or late February. I want to talk about something interesting. My suspicion is that all you teachers are exhausted planning and thinki...
Classroom Calendar Connections: September 2020
CategoriesResource Roundup for the Virtual Classroom
Normally I would be writing about activities and resources to incorporate into your teaching practices about Labor Day, 9/11, the first day of fall, and/or other significant events associated with September (as I did l in this blog pos...
Engaging Online Learners through Gamification
CategoriesOk folks, here we are. I haven't taken the time to verify every state and district, but for the most part you can expect to begin the 2020-2021 school year teaching partially or fully online. Let's have a round of grumbles and then get down to planning. To be fair there probably is a faction that prefers this delivery model, and there is likely another faction that's more astute tea...
Classroom Calendar Connections – August 2020
CategoriesFirst as a student, then as a teacher, and now as a parent, I have experienced some level of “August anxiety” every year as summer winds down and a new school year begins. (In this blog post from our 2018 archives, I interviewed a veteran school psychol...
What is mindfulness for you?
CategoriesCan you remember the last time we patted ourselves on the back as a country? Not something like "Hooray, an American won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest" (he ate 75 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes last Saturday, ugghh), but when was the last time media, mainstream or social, reported that most Americans are happy and collectively pleased with our status, or the same data for t...
Teacher Appreciation Year
CategoriesMy brother has four kids, they are all between nine and thirteen, and I think he's going crazy having them home every day. He loves them of course, and gratitude for all the extra time together is given often, but he and his wife both manage businesses and balance home life. Staying on top of four pre-teens and their remote learning isn't something they expected. There are six...
Classroom Calendar Connections - July 2020
CategoriesHappy 244th Birthday, America! Provided below are several resources and activities that can be shared with students throughout the month to celebrate our nation and to learn more about the significance of the Fourth of July.
Independence, Illinois; Independence, Wisconsin; Point Independence, Massachusetts; West Independence, Ohio…In the United States, there are at least 30 cit...
Facilitation of Successful Online Learning Experiences: Pointers, Tips & Tricks
CategoriesWe are all dealing with difficult times in our day-to-day teaching. We’re working harder than before to bring meaningful lessons to life and making sure students are staying engaged and progressing through this unprecedented situation. But let's face it - now that we have done this and as we enter the final weeks of the year many of us recognize the value in incorporating virtual teac...
Classroom Calendar Connections – June 2020
CategoriesThe Summer Solstice
Welcome to summer! Although there have been many disappointing cancellations in 2020, one thing is for certain - the solstice will still be held on Saturday, June 20 for everyone here on Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, we will celebrate the start of summer-and the lon...
Co-Teaching with Mother Nature
Categories“I hear a woodpecker.” “There’s another birch tree, Mommy.” “Look! I found a turkey feather, it’s soft.” These are a few examples of the many daily observations of my 5-year old son, Abe, that fill me with happiness and pride.
It’s been over two months since Abe’s beloved preschool physically closed and since then we'...
Finding your Identity through PBL
CategoriesPart three of a three part series on The Community School, a PBL High School
Part 1: The Den & the Project
Part 2: The beautiful and fulfilling task of teaching project-based curriculum
Vocational Education in America
CategoriesI left university after one year and spent the next six bartending while I figured out what direction to take in life. At one point I worked at this steakhosue in Portland and made a friend who was exceptionally artistic in a hands-on kind of way. He was working on a degree at the Oregon College of Art & Craft. Obviously a liberal college, OCAC...
Thank You, Educators!
CategoriesAlthough educators like you deserve to be honored and celebrated every single day of the year, the first week of May is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week. Here at TCL, we recognize and appreciate the many roles you play in the lives of students and want to express our gratitude.
The 2019/20 school year is one we will never forget. So much has changed in our world over the...
Social Science Research Network
CategoriesI liked Malcolm Gladwell after reading The Tipping Point and I love his podcast Revisionist History. On a long drive the other day I finished Season 4, episode 10 - The Obscure Virus Club. It was about three biologists from last century branded as pari...
Lumen High School - a Charter for Teen Parents
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Melissa Pettey is swirling in the rapids of a truly inspirational charter school project and I got to interview her about it yesterday. As usual my notes look like tornado fallout because excitement got the best of me and she could discuss it for days. I’ve said it more than once but I&rs...
Teaching and Learning During COVID-19
CategoriesAs we begin another week at home adjusting to life with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s heartening to witness the commitment, compassion, and creativity of educators across our nation.
Within my own community, meals were provided by the school district on day one of the school closures. Educators worked hard to connect with families to check-in and answer questions based on th...
How one Crisis will Change Education Forever
CategoriesHow will you take advantage?
When educators across the country started back to school in August and September having outlined classroom plans, prepared curriculum maps, planned field trips, auditioned students for plays, musicals, band, and sports they wouldn’t have imagined that in the blink of an eye they would all be out the window. I sure didn’t. ...
Notes from Captain Optimism
CategoriesI was looking out my window and watching all these neighborhood folks walking, biking, playing with dogs, shooting hoops, throwing frisbees and smiling and I began considering the benefits of stay-at-home orders.
Typically we post blog articles on Monday mornings but I was grasping for an appropriate theme and utterly flailing. We can't pretend life is business-as-u...
Optimization of Unexpected Time Off
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For some enigmatic cosmic reason I've had four lengthy paid breaks from work since 2016. Being in my late thirties I did my best to embrace the recuperative value at an age when many Americans have to grind through life barreling toward some sort of mid-life crisis.&n...
How to Embrace the 21st-Century Classroom: TRY
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A Classroom Visitor
Let’s imagine for a second you are Abraham Lincoln standing in the middle of a modern day classroom in your long coat and stovepipe hat. You look around to see rows of student desks waiting for eager young minds to fill them. Y...
Classroom Calendar Connections – March 2020
CategoriesPi Day, the Ides of March, St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness, the spring equinox…these are just a few of the many teachable events of March!
Pi Day: March 14
- If learning random digits to impress their friends is what your students are into, they’ll love learning and singing this catchy song
- Share Post:
Multiculturalism in Education
CategoriesAt fifteen I accepted an exchange program for the duration of my sophomore high school year to a city outside Osaka, Japan. It was tough going but I still feel the positive effects of such a radical perspective change. Least importantly I felt tall, which hadn’t happened before and hasn’t since. I had light skin and blonde hair in a sea of Asian pigments which gave me marginal...
Teacher Recommended: ADHD Classroom Strategies and Resources
CategoriesTeacher Recommended: ADHD Classroom Strategies and Resources
From graphic organizers for math to literacy-based yoga exercises, teachers work endlessly to determine ways to help students learn and succeed. Outlined below are valuable resources and strategies to support students with ADHD in the classroom shared by educators in our online course
Book report: Why We Sleep
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Does anyone else think it odd that squirrels sleep an average of 15.9 hours per day? I guess because they're so hoppy and acutely aware it seems they're awake all the time. It's really a bias to think that animals which are alert must be more often awake and co...
Classroom Calendar Connections – February 2020
Categories100th Day of School – The Actual Date Varies by School Calendars
Congratulations on making it to the 100th day of school (give or take a few days)! Students of all ages enjoy celebrating this special milestone. (Google “100th day of school activities” and you’ll get nearly 9 million hits!) My former elementary and middle school students seemed...
3 Ways to Prepare Students for State Standardized Testing
CategoriesIt’s almost that time of the year again… Whether your students are in Illinois taking the IRA, in Massachusetts for the MCAS, in Washington for the Smarter Balanced Assessments, or anywhere els...
PLU now offering Graduate Level Course Credit
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Faithful patrons,
We’ve just forged an auspicious partnership with Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) out of Tacoma, WA. PLU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education since 1890, and has agreed to offer graduate-level continuing education credits for...
Winter Reading Log: 19 Books Recommended by Educators
CategoriesThis article was originally posted December 2018.
Perhaps it’s the introvert me, but when I wake up 30-60 minutes before the rest of my family and have quiet time to read (while drinking a warm cup of coffee), I feel so energized and ready to conquer the rest of the day ahead. (In a
How ACEs Impact Students in School
CategoriesJulie lived in a small trailer home with her mother, her older brother, and her mother’s boyfriend. (Her father was incarcerated for repeated drug charges.) I was Julie’s special education case manager and teacher for most of her elementary school years. She and her brother often got themselves up and ready for school every day while their mother (who reportedly suffered from...
Classroom Calendar Connections – January 2020
CategoriesMartin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. graduated from high school when he was only 15 years old. He earned his Ph.D. when he was 25 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent campaign against racial discrimination at the age of 35. Although his life tragically ended at the young age of 39, his legendary service and teachings continue to influe...
Featured Teacher of the month Sheri Finklea
CategoriesThese articles are meant to spotlight excellent teachers with whom I've had the good fortune to discuss education and their unique perspectives, and yet I so often commit the sin of talking about myself. So here we go again...
On the path to career piloting many spend time as an FAA Certified Flight Instructor. To earn that certificate you have to learn to teach after having learn...
The names on our stockings - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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Hello teachers,
Despite having lived 38 years I still have some immaturities to work through. There are a handful of things that I just can't seem to get over, like reality television. In a similar vein I find it pretty odd that we send birthday and ho...
3 Ways to Prevent Regression for Students During Winter Break
CategoriesWhen I think about the upcoming winter break, the words rest, relax, and regression come to mind. Regression, in terms of education, is the loss of learned skills or knowledge during lapses of instruction (such as during school breaks). The key is to prevent regression from happening by equipping students with resources and engaging tasks to do outside of school. Outlined belo...
The beautiful and fulfilling task of teaching project-based curriculum
CategoriesPart two of a three part series on The Community School, a PBL High School
Part 1: The Den & the Project
Part 3: Finding your identity through PBL
Classroom Calendar Connections – December 2019
CategoriesDecember is filled with significant events to be incorporated into the classroom curriculum beyond the traditional holidays that one might typically think of. This article features National Handwashing Awareness Week, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and the Winter Solstice.
National Handwashing Awareness Week - December 1-7
Computer keyboa...
Holiday reminders for Title One teachers
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With the holidays coming up I thought that writing about some first-hand experiences with Title One kids and the ways they deal with the holidays should be helpful so that we can be more sensitive to their situations. Most of the time we do not know all the details...
Insights of Dr. Temple Grandin
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Last month I had the privilege of attending Dr. Temple Grandin’s sold out presentation at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Dr. Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a young child and throughout her life h...
Beginning the Journey to Creating and E-STEM School - Part 2
CategoriesIn part one of this series there was an examination of the history, core principles, and general overview of both STEM and E-STEM curricular practices.
Beginning my work at an E-STEM school was an exciting opportunity that I was ready to take on in addition to my new role...
American Education Week
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The history of American Education Week (AEW) dates back to the World War I era when it was discovered that 25% of the draftees were illiterate. Alarmed by this staggering statistic, representatives from the National Education Association (NEA) and the American...
Classroom Calendar Connections: November 2019 - Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving
Categories“In November, some birds move away, and some birds stay.
The air is full of good-byes and well-wishes.” – Cynthia Rylant
Happy November, Educators! I have a well-worn/loved copy of In November by Cynthia Rylant sitting on my bookshelf ready for its favorite month. If you don’t have your own copy, you and your students can listen and wat...
Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences - Before, During and After
CategoriesParent-teacher conferences can be a great opportunity for meaningful conversations about how students can reach their full potential in school. To help ensure meetings are positive and productive for everyone involved, below are a few tips to consider before, after, and during conferences.
Before the Conferences
When scheduling conferences, try to of...
The Den & the Project
CategoriesPart one of a three part series on The Community School, a PBL High School
Part 2: The beautiful and fulfilling task of teaching project-based curriculum
Part 3: Finding your identit...
Classroom Calendar Connections – October 2019
CategoriesNational Bullying Prevention Awareness, Fire Prevention Week, ADHD Awareness, Dyslexia Awareness, and so much more! October is a busy month, full of valuable learning opportunities for students and educators. Provided below are some note-worthy resources and activities to recognize a few of the many events this month.
National Bullying Prevention Awareness
The first Monday of e...
What is World Teachers’ Day?
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I read yesterday that there are more planets in the universe than seconds have passed since the Big Bang. It’s not even close - 20 sextillion planets (conservativ...
20 Ways Fellow Educators Manage their Stress
CategoriesThe trees are changing colors, pumpkin spice is back, sweater weather is here, and school has been in session for about a month already. How are you feeling? Hopefully you’ve hit your school mode stride, but if stress is starting to creep into your daily routine, you’re not alone.
According to a Penn State resea...
Beginning the Journey to Creating an E-STEM School
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From the first time I walked into my current school its originality was so apparent, like no other school, and after four years that authenticity endures. Approaching the main entrance, I was greeted with a sign saying &ldquo...
3 Steps Educators Can Take Toward Suicide Prevention Among Youth
CategoriesThis article was originally published on our blog 06-29-2018 and we think it's appropriate to revisit as September is Suicide Awareness month.
Suicide touches everyone, in one way or another. Perhaps you welcomed Anthony Bourdain into your living room by watching his p...
Featured Teacher Steve Schank - September 2019
CategoriesI’ve been looking for someone with whom to discuss alternative teaching methods, and Jill Rockwell introduced me to the best possible teacher to begin. I forgot to ask Steve Schank for an inclusive title for his teaching position, but he did say he teaches:
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Animal Science - Livestock
...
Classroom Calendar Connections – September 2019
CategoriesFor many educators and students, September is the first full month of the new school year. It’s a busy month as we transition from summer to fall and get acquainted with a new group of students. Provided below are some ideas to bring a few of the significant events of September into the classroom.
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Septem...
Tried and True First Day of School Activities in the Classroom
CategoriesGoogle the words ‘first day of school activities in the classroom’ and you will discover nearly two BILLION results. Thanks, but no thanks, Google - we don’t have time to weed through all that! Provided below are some tried and true activities your fellow educators have shared for all grade levels.
Play Games
Paul, a high scho...
5 Back-to-School Reminders for Educators
CategoriesAlthough August has a sneaky way of suddenly showing up, I’m sure you don’t need any reminders that it’s almost time to go back to school. However, hopefully these five friendly reminders will help you start 2019/20 on a positive note.
Reminder #1: “You can do anything, but not everything.” -David Allen
Last fall I...
Fair is not Equal: Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom
CategoriesFair is not Equal: Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom
Written by Jill Rockwell
Image Credit:
Featured Teacher Meghan Lanouette - August 2019
CategoriesIn each conversation I’m noticing a similar pattern, which is somewhat attributable to the line of questioning:
Why did you become a teacher?
I've known for a long time that I wanted to work with kids.
Why did you become the kind of teacher you are?
Well I just sort of arrived there.
How did that happen?
7 Practical Tools to Enhance Executive Functioning in the Classroom
CategoriesAs defined by Understood, executive function is “The ability to organize cognitive processes. This includes the ability to plan ahead, prioritize, stop and start activities, shift from one activity to another activity and monitor one’s own behavior.”
Time management, organization, planning, paying attention,...
Weaving Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into Your Teaching Practices
CategoriesMy grandmother, a former teacher, recently passed away (July 11, 2019) - living a full and active life of 105 years. She was my inspiration for becoming a teacher, and we had a countless number of conversations about teaching and how things have changed from then to now. (She taught in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Wisconsin in the 1930s and 194...
Journaling this Summer and Beyond
CategoriesMindfulness, emotional intelligence, achieving goals, communication, healing, creativity, the list goes on and on. There is a plethora of surprising benefits associated with journaling for people of all ages.
Perhaps you’re looking for a healthy way to manage stress associated with the demands of your job. Maybe you’d like to devote some time this summer for reflecting on...
Featured Teacher Karlee Hunt - July 2019
CategoriesKarlee Hunt has taught the third graders at Little Elementary in the Denver suburb of Arvada, CO for four years. The school is named for John R. Little, who neither of us know much about, but it’s also actually somewhat little and even shrunk a bit last year. The district opted to move sixth grade students and teachers into middle school. Change is stressful but necessary for evoluti...
Developing and Maintaining a Growth Mindset
CategoriesAlmost 2 years ago, my family and I moved from a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota to a rural part of western Wisconsin. After some training, practice, and several mistakes, I learned how to use a snowblower and a lawn tractor (allowing me to do my part of maintaining the acres of land we now owned). Before then, I never thought about learning how to operate those machines - I didn’t think I...
Featured Teacher Tammy Johnson - June 2019
CategoriesTammy originally wanted to teach history, but there were no vacancies. In preparation for the open position in Special Education, she completed two post-secondary courses and dove into an unexpected passion. She didn’t rate it out loud to me, as such, but she is so obviously into teaching, and improving at teaching, and succeeding at teaching, and candidly offering her affinity for teachi...
4 Ways to Refocus and Recharge this Summer
CategoriesCongratulations! Another school year is almost in the books! It’s a well-known fact, however, that educators’ responsibilities don’t end when the final bell rings. Whether you’re teaching summer school, participating in
Activities to Commemorate Memorial Day in the Classroom
CategoriesMemorial Day presents unique learning opportunities for students at all grade levels. Officially enacted by Congress in 1971, Memorial Day is a somber national holiday held on the last Monday of May every year. (This year Memorial Day is on May 27, 2019.) It is a holiday intended to honor and remember fallen veterans of the United States.
Below are several ways you and your students c...
Thank you, Educators – We Appreciate You!
CategoriesFor opening your classroom doors every day and unlocking students’ potential – we thank you.
For sharing your wisdom with students while they share their germs with you - we thank you.
From teaching students how to compute complex math equations to showing them that they count – we thank you.
For awakening hearts and inspiring minds – we tha...
Maintaining Student Engagement in the Spring
CategoriesThe birds are chirping as I type, the grass is turning green, the sunsets are even more spectacular than usual - spring is here! It’s a wonderful time of the year but maintaining students’ attention can be extra challenging for teachers when competing with sunny blue skies, complete with temperatures in the low 70s. We have a few ideas to help you celebrate springtime with students...
Featured Teacher Kaylee Lo - May 2019
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Kaylee recalls with certainty “I knew in first grade that I wanted to be a teacher someday,” which to me seems early. I focused on jokes, snacks and naps back then. She was so impressed with her teacher that she made efforts to...
4 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month (Even if Poetry isn’t Your Thing)
Categories
Roses are red, violets are blue,
&n...
Teaching and Gardening: Providing Conditions for Growth
CategoriesAccording to the calendar hanging on my refrigerator, spring has begun! (Although snow and ice still cover the ground here in Wisconsin, I have faith that I will be able to gather my gardening tools and start planting my favorite fruits, vegetables, and flowers soon.)
Just like teaching, gardening requires patience, problem-solving, and perseverance. Gardeners nurture their crops...
5 Creative Formative Assessments for Learning in the Classroom
CategoriesWhen the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative assessment;
&nb...
Trust, Safety, Challenge, and Joy: Fostering a Classroom Culture Ideal for Collaboration
CategoriesAs teachers we’re encouraged to work together and share expertise, energy, and inspiration with the common goal of increasing student engagement and success in our schools. Research supports benefits associated with teacher collaboration including more creative and meaningful lesson plans, shared responsibility for student achievement, improved staff morale/career satisfaction, and an inc...
Brain-Based Learning in the Classroom
CategoriesYour brain is 73% water. Even mild dehydration can affect attention, memory and other cognitive skills. (Drink plenty of water!)
The human brain doesn’t reach full maturity until around the age of 25 years. (That explains a lot.)
It is estimated that the brain’s memory capacity is one quadrillion bytes - which is about the equivalent of the storage space of the e...
March is National Women’s History Month: 5 Activities to Celebrate in the Classroom
CategoriesAmelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks - the history of the United States is comprised of inspiring and intriguing women. March is National Women’s History month. We’ve put together five activities to help you and your students honor and learn more about the notable women of our past and present.
100 Years of Incredible Women
The first female...
Social and Emotional Learning Part 5 of 5: Responsible Decision-Making
CategoriesResponsible decision-making is the fifth of the five components of social and emotional learning (SEL). (Click on the links for teaching strategies designed to support your students with the other four components of SEL including: self-awareness,
Heart Mapping: A Prewriting Activity for Valentine’s Day and Beyond
CategoriesMy trip to Southern Germany with my husband, the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls baking in the oven at my Grandma’s house, taking my dog to the beach in San Diego, my two little boys, reading good books – I love writing about the people, places, things, and memories closest to my heart. With Valentine’s Day upon us, it’s a great time to give students the opportunity to...
Social and Emotional Learning Part 4 of 5: 5 Strategies to Improve Relationship Skills in the Classroom
CategoriesMaintaining friendships, asking for help, working cooperatively, etc. - interpersonal skills are a critical component of the development of children. When students demonstrate strong relationship skills, instructional time increases while conflicts, arguing, and fighting decreases. Class cohesion increases self-confidence among students as they help one another and interact positively with adul...
Social and Emotional Learning Part 3 of 5: Social Awareness Strategies in the Classroom
CategoriesWelcome to part 3 of our social and emotional learning (SEL) series - today’s focus: social awareness! (Head over to our blog archives for parts 1 and 2 which address self-management and
Social and Emotional Learning - Part 2 of 5: Self-Awareness Strategies in the Classroom
CategoriesWelcome to part 2 of our social and emotional learning (SEL) series. Let’s begin with a brief review. SEL involves teaching five core competencies to students in grades K–12: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. In a recent b...
Social and Emotional Learning- Part 1 of 5: Self-Management Strategies in the Classroom
CategoriesHappy 2019! Are you staying on track with your New Year’s resolutions? As I type, I have a large glass of water next to my mouse, and I am resisting the strong temptation of the remaining Christmas cookies and other holiday goodies in my pantry. After all, this blog post is about self-management, so I’m trying to practice what I preach.
As defined by the Collaborative for...
2019 Winter Reading Log: 19 Books Recommended by Educators
CategoriesPerhaps it’s the introvert me, but when I wake up 30-60 minutes before the rest of my family and have quiet time to read (while drinking a warm cup of coffee), I feel so energized and ready to conquer the rest of the day ahead. (In a recent blog post, I highlight...
5 Priceless Gifts for Students
CategoriesBillions of dollars were spent by shoppers in the United States over the Thanksgiving weekend. The packages that arrived on my front porch - practically before the pumpkin pie was served - was evidence that I was one of the millions of online consumers wrapped up in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday frenzy.
Upon reflection, I soon realized all the toys and other gifts that I so badly ...
Building Lifelong Readers with Independent Reading Strategies
CategoriesHappy wintertime! What better way to spend the cold, dark days than cozied up with a book, complete with a blanket and a kitty on your lap? The warmth a good book brings to the soul is significant, and there are numerous additional benefits of reading – mental stimulation, increased concentration, stronger writing skills, improved analytical skills, knowledge, entertainment…the lis...
Making a Difference for Students Living in Poverty
CategoriesHere in the United States, 41% of children under of the age of 18 years are part of low-income or poor families. According to the 2016 federal poverty threshold statistics, a family of four (2 parents and 2 children) with a household income of $48,678 or less is considered low-income, while a family of four earning $24,339 or less is considered poor.
Childhood poverty can impact stude...
Putting Students at the Center of their Learning
CategoriesSixth grader, Tanner, runs a business with his classmates called LDInk. Inspired by patterns found on common, everyday objects such as manhole covers, they creatively design and sell t-shirts and tote bags. LDInk is complete with a budgeting department, a marketing team, and a communication department. Students work together to determine profits a...
Teacher Recommended Strategies to Support Students with ADHD
CategoriesTeachers have the best ideas for their students – and they love to share what works with fellow educators! Included below are some easy-to-implement strategies and ideas to support students with ADHD that educators have shared in our online course – ADHD: Teaching and Learning Stra...
Bullying or Conflict?
CategoriesSeveral years ago, I found myself (a special education teacher) in a meeting involving the principal, the director of special education, the school psychologist, a second-grade teacher, two concerned parents, and even the district superintendent.
A second-grade student on my special education caseload reported to his parents that he was “bullied” by another student in his...
RTI 101: Think Progress
CategoriesSo often I would groan when the topic of Response to Intervention (RTI) was mentioned - mainly because I didn’t fully understand the process. It turns out it’s not so complicated when you think of RTI as working toward and measuring the progress of students.
The RTI Action Network best ex...
Creating a Chromebook Classroom: Chromebook Expectations
CategoriesAs I begin to share my journey with you regarding the implementation of Chromebooks into my classroom, I will start with the basics because that is where we always start when it comes to introducing anything new in an elementary classroom. I set clear expectations for how my students use the Chromebooks just like I set clear expectations for my students and how they conduct themselves in my cla...
Activities, Lessons, and Resources for National Bullying Prevention Month
CategoriesOctober is National Bullying Prevention Awareness month. We’re here to get you prepared with a list of valuable activities, lessons, and resources designed to help prevent and address bullying among students in grades K–12.
Let’s begin with a feel-good video for everyone:
Inspire kindness...
1st Steps in Creating a Chromebook Classroom
CategoriesWhat teacher wouldn’t love a class set of laptops? Engaging students with online content, differentiating instruction, and saving time by not having to make copies are just a few of the things that more technology in the classroom allows a teacher. I have the great privilege of being a part of a pilot program within my school district that has...
Activities to Celebrate Fall in Your Classroom
CategoriesYour local farmer’s market is bustling, pumpkin spice is featured on every menu, mums greet us at doorsteps…fall is here, and it’s time to celebrate with students!
As an elementary teacher, I usually got the party started with picking up a few small pumpkins in mid-September for my students to hold and admire, which sparked interest and excitement for this special t...
Functional Behavior Assessment: The Plan for Positive Behavior
CategoriesSarah punched a student on the bus this morning. What’s the plan? Luke is disrupting the whole class. What’s the plan? Raul is refusing to take his algebra test. What’s the plan? As a special education teacher, it seemed every student on my caseload with behavioral concerns had a plan in place. Sometimes the plan was as simple as a phone call home. S...
Functional Behavior Assessment: The Whys of Problem Behaviors
CategoriesWhen my son became mobile, we installed a baby gate in our living room at the top of the staircase leading to the basement. Late that same night, our cat – Little Miss – woke my husband and me up with loud, persistent meowing in our faces. (Those were the blurry-eyed days of our baby still not sleeping through the night, making every minute of sleep vital.) I love Little Miss, but m...
Promoting Positive Behaviors: There’s a Children’s Book for That
CategoriesWhen working with students on kindness, empathy, friendship, and other positive behaviors, sometimes the characters from children’s stories say it best:
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” -The Lion and the Mouse
“If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew.” -Pocahontas
&ldq...
Addressing Back-to-School Anxiety: An Interview with a Veteran School Psychologist
CategoriesAs a teacher with summers “off”, August has always felt like a long Sunday. June is the excitement of a Friday with the whole weekend ahead. July is a Saturday with plenty of time to relax, reconnect with old friends, explore new places, and maybe catch up on DIY projects at home. As the calendar flips to August, however, the realization of - and the anxiety associated with - return...
Have you Read any Good Books Lately?
CategoriesSummer Reading Recommendations from Teachers
Whether on the beach or at a coffee shop, for many teachers, summer is an ideal time to catch up on reading for pleasure. There are an infinite number of great titles out there, sometimes it’s hard to choose. To narrow down all the choices, I asked my teacher friends from around the U.S. (including Wisconsin, Minnesot...
Integrating STEAM into your Curriculum
CategoriesIf you have been a teacher for any length of time, you have more than likely heard of STEM in regards to instructional methodology. Like any other new or trendy learning system or instructional method, teachers can be intimidated by the STEM acronym because they simply don’t know enough about it. The Connecting Link offers a course titled Integrating STEAM into your Curriculum. N...
3 Creative Ways for Learning Students’ Names This Fall
Categories“Sorry, I’m terrible with names,” is an apology you might often hear (or say). Since I started teaching, I’ve gotten better with remembering names by simply being more mindful when introductions are made and repeating names aloud or inside my head a couple of times. I’m still far from perfect, though.
This fall many of you will be facing a whole new...
3 Steps Educators Can Take Toward Suicide Prevention Among Youth
CategoriesSuicide touches everyone, in one way or another. Perhaps you welcomed Anthony Bourdain into your living room by watching his popular CNN show, Parts Unknown. Maybe your favorite handbag was designed by
3 Teaching Practices of the 1930s Reimagined: Using Technology in the Classroom
CategoriesMy grandma, Florence, was born in 1914 – years before the spiral notebook was invented, decades before the ballpoint pen began exploding in our pockets, and nearly a century before the Apple iPad hit store shelves. Remarkably, today-at the age of 104 years old-Grandma Florence has been using her own iPad for emailing, Facetiming, and Googling for the past four years.
Grandma Flo...
Four Methods for Rethinking Discipline
Categories“That’s incorrect, Johnny. T-h-e-i-r is a possessive pronoun; T-h-e-r-e refers to a place; and T-h-e-y-’-r-e is a contraction. This is your final warning – if you get it wrong again, you’re going to the principal’s office.”
Okay…now that I have your attention – of course we wouldn’t punish a studen...
Gold Medal Methods to Manage ADHD Symptoms
CategoriesHyper-active, never stops talking, has a ton of energy, inability to sit still, talks excessively, nudging other kids…these were words used to describe Michael Phelps’ behavior, an Olympic gold-medalist swimmer, during his preschool and elementary school years. Perhaps he was bored in school? Maybe he was just an immature boy?
At the age of nine, when his symptoms continu...
The Connecting Link Announces Partnership with Seattle Pacific University
CategoriesSeattle Pacific University’s Center for Professional Education announces today that they have entered a partnership arrangement with a nationally recognized professional development provider, The Connecting Link. Both entities share similar values and goals including a commitment to enhancing lifelong learning.
The Connecting Link was founded in 1981 with the mission of offering...
Create an Enrichment Experience in your own Classroom: Part 1
CategoriesGain a deeper understanding of forecasting the weather. Go on a trek through the Arctic Tundra. Learn about STEM careers in the United States Navy on board the USS Nimitz. All of these things are possible without even leaving the classroom through the use of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs)!
Teachers are often faced with figuring out just how to engage their students throughout the 180-day...
Preparing to Handle LGBTQ Issues in Your Classroom
CategoriesAs an educator, do I have a personal agenda in addressing the LGBTQ issues in our classrooms and lives?
Yes.
Let me share the “why” of my answer.
I have two brothers. We three siblings grew up in the same Judeo-Christian family. Today one brother lives with his wife and has raised his kids. The other brother lives with his partner and has raised his kid...
Mindfulness: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Classroom
CategoriesImagine coming to your neighborhood middle school one morning to find three dead bodies dumped in the schoolyard. This is exactly what students experienced one morning when coming to Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco.
As shocking as this might sound, the children at Visitacion were used to murder. Barry O’Driscoll, the school’s head of physical education (PE...