Simple formative assessment activities to improve the classroom and student learning.
Less is More: Simple Formative Assessment Strategies in the Classroom
11 Life Lessons to End the Term
*The following letter was written to one of my AP Government classes a few years ago. A few edits have been made to remove any comments specific to the class. Feel free to pass this along to anyone you see fit. Hey guys/gals, You are awesome and I want you to know that. You are… Continue Reading →
Defeating Bias in the Classroom: Lessons Learned from the Army
We all fight biases. Some are learned through interactions with peers and family; others are more intuitive and somewhat unknowingly cloud our judgement. At a minimum, biases have the ability to negatively affect our perception of others’ disposition and lead to false beliefs and judgement. Biases also shape the classroom. Expectations of teachers and… Continue Reading →
Psychology in the Classoom
Teaching psychology has taught me things about humans and learning and the classroom that I wouldn’t have experienced had it not been for the psychology curriculum. I think it important to pass some of these lessons along to teachers so as to improve their own instruction. Some of these lessons introduce particular theories of learning,… Continue Reading →
Putting the Cart Before the Horse
I fear we’re doing it wrong…education, that is. We live at a time when 21st century skills and edtech are all the rage. Creativity, coding, and active learning have become mainstays of teacher professional development. Heck, even the current US Secretary of Education incorrectly believes that we are preparing most students for jobs that haven’t… Continue Reading →
I Just Want to Have a Conversation
*This is basically a glorified footnote of my post earlier today — On Being Wrong…you may want to read it first…or maybe not. Whatever. Setting the scene: You’ve worked hard at university for four, five, or maybe six years to earn your teaching degree. There was a semester of student teaching, where you were essentially… Continue Reading →
