This past week our school’s fifth graders began their transition to sixth grade with a field trip to the local middle school. If you’ve been reading Being Teacher a while, you may remember that this time of year is bittersweet for me. I’m happy they’re growing. But I’m sad to see them leave. We all…
3 Things You Should Know About Neurodiversity
A few weeks ago our instructional coach played a video about a concept gaining in popularity—neurodiversity. Being the nerd that I am about the brain, my ears perked up. Neurodiversity is a concept where neurological differences—such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder—are seen (and valued) as part of normal human diversity. That normal…
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What’s So Great About Teaching Anyway?
I have a confession to make—this week was rough. We had two (overlapping!) fundraisers, avoid-the-intruder drills (due to the Parkland tragedy), near-constant schedule interruptions, one field trip, and way-too-many meetings. I’m exhausted just reading that sentence, and I was exhausted before I wrote it. Next week’s schedule doesn’t look any better. And for reasons I…
Quiz: What’s Your Teacher Super Power?
Want to know what makes you shine in your classroom in 5 simple questions? The most effective teachers use their superpowers—their key talents—to guide and power their classroom instruction. Do you already know your strengths, the powers that flow naturally from your talents? By using your strength—your superpower—you’ll radiate joy and feel inspired. Now, that’s…
How to Motivate the Unmotivated Student
How do you motivate the unmotivated? Do you have unmotivated students? Do you have a student like my Mary, who I’ve got to stay on top of to keep her focused? And sometimes, even that doesn’t work. There always seems to be another squishy toy hidden somewhere to distract herself with. But if I’m being…