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Classroom Conversations: ‘If we invest in our people, they’ll stay;’ Statewide program helping keep new teachers in the profession

January 17, 2023
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SNOW HILL, N.C. (WNCT) – Across the country, highly qualified teachers are leaving the classroom. Many of them leave after only a couple years of teaching. “It’s not just here, it’s everywhere, everyone, people, teachers are like ‘ehh, it’s just too hard,’ and yes, it is a hard job, but our babies need us,” said…

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Overcoming the Winter Blues: Keeping Students Engaged

January 15, 2023
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Overcoming the Winter Blues:  Keeping Students Engaged Reflect – Appreciate the Good and Revise What Needs Fixing At approximately the midpoint of the school year, find time to reflect on your current reality.  You care about your students and their academic success.  Your patience may have been tested during the 1st half of the school…

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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…But What If It Snows?: Planning for Asynchronous or Synchronous Instruction

November 28, 2022
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We have reached that magical time of the year filled with holidays that allow us educators to find some extra time to relax and recharge; and while it is a wonderful time, there is still work to be done each school day. Many of us find ourselves reviewing and preparing students for EOCs or mid-year…

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Photo credit: Old Main STREAM Academy Charter School, Pembroke, NC

Let’s Talk Parent-Teacher Conferences

October 19, 2022
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Let’s talk about parent-teacher conferences as a tool to build relationships with students and their families. The research is clear: humans are literally “hard-wired” with the desire and need to connect. We are social beings who thrive on healthy relationships. Therefore, the importance of positive relationships in our roles as educators should never be overlooked.…

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Communicating with Families: Planning for Meaningful Partnerships

September 18, 2022
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Now that the school year has commenced, you may be thinking of ways to improve communication with families in an efficient and proactive way! When and How? Knowing when to communicate with families is key to a strong home/school partnership. In general, it is important to start the school year or semester off with strong…

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Care Before Curriculum: Advice from Xavier Adams, 2022 North Carolina Beginning Teacher of the Year

August 23, 2022
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 Photo:  Terri Clark Photography As an instructional coach, I have never worked with someone that has a harder time accepting a compliment than Xavier Adams.  From my first visit to his class (via zoom during August 2020), he pushed me to give him more constructive feedback – it was clear he did not want to…

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May Spotlight: Recipe for Reflection

May 16, 2022
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2 parts teaching                                                                                     3 parts layers of support 1 part students 1 part instruction 1 part data A dash of creativity, hard work, and determination Blend together. Marinate for 180 days.  Enjoy! Like a recipe, school years can be complicated, challenging, and a little different each time you put the ingredients together. At Zeb-Vance Elementary…

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An Off-ramp to the End of the Year: Support for Before, During and After Testing

May 2, 2022
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The final weeks of school are upon us. You will be waving goodbye to your students for the final time this school year before you know it. As you exit into summer, keep in mind all the ways that you can ensure high engagement for the final weeks of instruction.  Preparing for final exams, tests…

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Mind Over Matter:  Modeling and Managing a Growth Mindset for Success

April 13, 2022
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Do you find yourself looking for ways to keep your head above water?  Are you striving to maintain a positive attitude as you work to end the school year on a high note?  As you navigate these challenging times, a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset may be just what you need.  A growth mindset…

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What’s In Your Control?

March 4, 2022
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Bestselling author Stephen Covey (1989) wrote, “Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about…Reactive people, on the other hand, focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern. They focus on the weakness of other people, the problems in the environment, and circumstances over…

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