The bracketed tournament isn’t just for college basketball. Set up a tournament to determine best president, state, element, or literary character and challenge your students to make interesting judgements.
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Why “Challenging” Isn’t Quite The Right Goal
“I want to challenge my students” is just about the most common goal out there. Unfortunately, I think it’s not quite the right word…
Choice Menus: Quality or Mere Quantity?
I used to create extension menus, thinking they were an essential tool for differentiation. Overtime, I’ve changed my thinking. Here’s why.
How many students are already ready (already) for next year?
In a climate where we focus on who’s below-level, how many students are already ready for next year (and beyond)? Research from Johns Hopkins sheds light on the (truly) shocking number of above-level kids out there.
How To Pique Curiosity
In part one of this curiosity series, we explore the connection between curiosity, anticipation, and dopamine and discover why we remember things better when we are allowed to wonder.
Narcissistic Teaching (and how to change it)
I’ve been reading my friends’ dissertations and writing up my discoveries. In this episode, I encounter the term “narcissistic pedagogy” and it rocks my world.
Encourage Interests, Don’t Expect Passions
“Passion” is kind of a ridiculous expectation when you think about it.
Smart Kids and the Curse of the Kidney Table
What happens when a student never gets called over to work with the teacher?
Teaching Students To Explain Their Thinking
It’s a weird trap: because a child is “so smart”, everyone thinks any gaps in their skills are a result of laziness or defiance. But sometimes the brightest kid needs small group instruction for a skill the rest of the class already gets.
Calvin: I Thought You Were Smart
A great strip from Calvin and Hobbes for opening up a discussion about hard work, being “smart,” and mindsets in the classroom.