Blog
How a Growth Mindset Can Help Students Flourish This Spring
Spring is a season of renewal, a chance for growth; the weather grows warmer, the days grow longer, and the flowers grow faster. This time of year also marks an opportunity for teachers and students alike to refresh their mindsets, a chance for a Spring renewal within the classroom. Image by pch.vector on Freepik To…
Why Every Class Needs Read Alouds: The Importance of Reading to Students of All Ages and Stages
“Reading aloud is important from infancy through the high school years. Families and teachers can create and continue a tradition, introduce and reinforce the pleasures of reading, and, as children get older, set the stage for meaningful conversations about numerous topics” -Derry Koralek March was Read Aloud month and this month’s blog will celebrate and…
Spring Into Engagement: Trying Something New to Impact Student Learning
The early winter months of a school year tend to zap the energy out of teachers and students alike. Many school calendars have fewer breaks in the weeks between the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and Spring Break. It is during this time that we find ourselves settled into a steady routine of planning, instruction,…
Classroom Conversations: ‘If we invest in our people, they’ll stay;’ Statewide program helping keep new teachers in the profession
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…
Overcoming the Winter Blues: Keeping Students Engaged
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…
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…But What If It Snows?: Planning for Asynchronous or Synchronous Instruction
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…
Let’s Talk Parent-Teacher Conferences
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.…
Communicating with Families: Planning for Meaningful Partnerships
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…
Care Before Curriculum: Advice from Xavier Adams, 2022 North Carolina Beginning Teacher of the Year
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…
May Spotlight: Recipe for Reflection
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…