Pre K – 12 Teachers

Pre K - 12 Teachers October 1, 2018

Filling the Mental Health Training Gap Educators Face

In the December 2017/January 2018 edition of Educational Leadership, Sandy Merz highlighted the mental health training gap educators face. Sandy’s key argument is that “To support students, today’s teachers need better training in mental health issues”. I couldn’t agree more with this statement! With the high percentages of students struggling with a mental health issues, educators will sooner or later be faced with a student in distress and the ripple effect it can have in the classroom.

Pre K - 12 Teachers September 3, 2018

Changing School Culture by Working to Change Existing Beliefs About Schooling

On the first day of school, my sister walks into her child’s second grade classroom to find that there are no desks. There’s one table with four chairs off to the side. A high-top table with a couple of chairs is near the front of the room, and on the other side is a table with no chairs, perfect for standing and doing projects. The rest of the room is dominated by a comfortable couch, an ottoman that can seat four kids, and padded chairs arranged facing different directions. It feels like an activity room, not a classroom, and the students are thrilled with the arrangement.

Pre K - 12 Teachers August 20, 2018

The Truth about Teacher Burnout: It’s Work Induced Depression

In the past couple of months I’ve come across many articles as well as entire magazines dedicated to educator burnout, and rightfully so. Burnout, extreme work-related stress categorized by emotional, psychological, and physical exhaustion, is a modern-day epidemic in the teaching profession (as well as other professions). According to the American Federation of Teachers’ 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey, 61 percent of teachers indicated that their jobs were always or often stressful. Just as alarming, if not more so, 58 percent of respondents cited poor mental health as a result of that stress. Although articles on educator burnout vary in their approach, they tend to focus on the causes of burnout, how to assess the signs of burnout, strategies to prevent burnout, and/or next steps for administrators and teachers. The one key element most, if not all, articles have missed is the true nature of what it means to be burned-out.

Pre K - 12 Teachers August 6, 2018

Technology Tools for Psychology Teachers: How to Take Back your Time

Target is rolling out those giant red bins of school supplies, which can only mean one thing…school is coming! I’ll be honest, as much as I love summer vacation, and cling to every last minute of relaxation and freedom, once August hits I start to get excited for the fantastic potential of the new school year.

As I’m heading into my 11th year in the classroom, I’m grateful for the techniques, routines, and rituals that I’ve managed to acquire over the years.  From classroom set-up, to opening day activities, I’ve honed down what works best for me and for my students–and figured out ways to do them in a timelier fashion.  Saving time is a big deal–teaching is a demanding enough job as it is, any tool or routine you implement should help to reduce or even remove some of those responsibilities.  I’m excited to share some of the technology tools that help me to take back some of my time.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers July 16, 2018

Motivating the Unmotivated Student

Kevin sits at his desk doodling while the other students are eagerly writing their biographical essays.  Time has almost run out and it is clear he will have nothing to hand in.  You want to light a fire under him and get him motivated, but how?

Two funny handsome kid boys and young father playing together checkers game. Sons, siblings children and dad spending leisure together. Family having fun in summer garden outside.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers July 9, 2018

How “unschooling” can help our children avoid summer learning loss

In the early 1900s, 85% of American families were involved in the agricultural industry. Consequently, as the summer months rolled around, children were needed to pitch in on the farm. Our current school calendars reflect this history. Children start school in late Summer, and finish in late Spring. This allowed our children to come home and work on the farm with us. Now, you may be thinking, “But I don’t work on a farm!” Yes, times have changed and most of us have very little to do with agriculture. Yet the school calendars persist.

Pre K - 12 Teachers June 25, 2018

Audience Members, Collaborators, and Competitors: Technology Tools to Connect

At its best, teaching is about making connections. Through a shared joke in class or a quick conversation about a concert t-shirt before class, we connect with our students. We also connect with other teachers, at first out of desperate necessity to stay afloat, but eventually – hopefully – as united families do. By taking them on a journey where their efforts are rewarded with mastery, we try our best to connect our students to the curriculum.