A CLASS SIMULATION ACTIVITY DOESN’T NEED THREE WEEKS OF PREP FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE
Good class activities (like mock trials and simulations) don't need three weeks of prep. Here's the 4-part framework I use to create great activities every time.
TRADITIONAL READING QUIZZES SUCK. YOU SHOULD TRY THIS INSTEAD.
Traditional reading quizzes don’t measure anything except who complied with last night’s homework and who didn’t. Let’s get a bit more creative, shall we?
CLASSROOM GAMES TO GET YOU THROUGH THE LAST STRETCH OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
May hits and we all know what it means. Students are antsy, you're running on fumes, and the activities that worked in October are now getting you nowhere. Here's some activities to get you through the last stretch.
A HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER’S G0-to movie list
Movie days get a bad rep in the education world but I think a well-chosen movie can take a unit to the next level. Here’s a curated list of some of my favorites.
I REBUILT MY CLASS DISCUSSION FORMAT BECAUSE SOCRATIC SEMINARS WEREn’T WORKING
A three-role discussion format with Speaker, Moderator, and Commentator. This gives every student a specific job so even the quietest kid stays engaged the whole period.
HOW I STOPPED DROWNING IN GRADING (WITH A TRICK THAT YOU CAN USE IN ONE CLASS PERIOD)
Every teacher I know has a stack of papers that followed them home at some point this week. Here's the system that got my grading done during class time - with students doing most of the organizational work themselves.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A UNIT QUESTION AND AN ESSENTIAL QUESTION
There's a difference between a question that checks comprehension and a question that drives inquiry. Two books helped me finally get it right.
WHAT THE CREDENTIAL PROGRAM DIDN'T TEACH YOU (OR ANY OF US)
My credential program told me to "build relationships" and "have clear procedures” and “rigor for all” and “make learning accessible".” But after 2 years, I still didn’t have a system to make all of that work together. So I built it myself.
THE PROBLEM WITH MOST REVIEW GAMES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
The review game that finally got my quietest students locked in - and why Jeopardy just wasn't cutting it anymore.
WHY I STARTED DEEPLY HUMAN TEACHING
The story behind Deeply Human Teaching — and why I almost shut the whole thing down before it ever really started.