A group of teachers  and I went to a workshop and watched a video of a grade 6 literature circle.  We had a chance to discuss it in our...

The Individual Education Plan (IEP)  is our promise to the parents and the student that we will teach them something that is probably...

At a workshop last week, the speaker reminded us that “student engagement” is not the same thing as “having fun”.  Student engagement is...

I was talking to a parent on the phone the other day who wanted to take her child on a holiday during school time and wanted us to send...

We know that in any given learning situation students arrive at different places.  When I first started my teaching career at the...

Assessment is the hardest thing you do.  You need to think about myriad of things all at the same time: What do I assess? Content? ...

Collaboration sounds like a good idea.  You are keen.  You have watched the video.  Your desks are in groups.  And…it isn’t going as well...

Collaboration is the new buzz word.  Sometimes it is hard to keep track of them all.  Why do we want our students to collaborate and work...

It being September, I had quite a few good conversations about diagnostic assessments this week.  Quite a few years ago, the practice...

Every year our board produces a video.    I got to watch it (twice) this week.    It is very good. One of the messages is about how our...

Do you create in your classroom a culture of “done” or do you create a culture of learning and improving?  A culture of “done” implies...

Just maybe, over the summer, sitting on the patio, paddling in a canoe, relaxing in a deck chair, watching the sunset, running, or...

As the year winds down, mostly you are thinking about July.  But, should September creep into your thoughts at all, certain environmental...

Inquiry is the new “buzz” word in education.  I don’t go to a single meeting where it isn’t mentioned.  And I hear a lot of schools say,...

As we move into writing June report cards and are beginning to think about assigning grades, it is helpful to differentiate between when...

The latest buzz words in education: grit, perseverance, resilience, growth mindset.  And, of course, descriptive formative feedback isn’t...

May is a nice time of year in teaching.  You know your students.  You have the classroom management down.  While you will collect more...

When thinking about effective feedback you want to think about two types: the feedback that you as the teacher gets which informs how you...

This week I went to an engaging literacy workshop. I had a wonderful time discussing strategies and meeting with colleagues. I came...

Traditionally curriculum is designed in units: persuasive writing, short stories, fractions, cell theory etc. In order to make the...