Why Literacy Matters: 6 Smart Strategies for Student Success
This summer we’re going to take an important journey together. We’ll consider why literacy matters by exploring 6 smart strategies for student success. I hope you’ll join me!
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3 Ways for Students to Use AI Ethically in the Classroom
How can students use AI to improve learning (not cheating) outcomes? Here are 3 ways for students to use AI Ethically in the classroom.
Structured Debate in The Classroom
Structured debate in the classroom transforms student discussions from chaotic opinion-sharing into powerful learning experiences.
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Latest from the Blog
AI in the Classroom: Ethical AI Use Is a Skill. Are We Teaching It?
The conversation around AI in the classroom is getting louder, and so is the concern about AI deskilling teachers and students alike. But here’s what I believe: avoiding AI doesn’t protect us from deskilling. Teaching AI literacy does. In this post, I’m sharing exactly how to use AI ethically as a teacher, why ethical AI use for teachers means being transparent with your students, and what that looks like in my actual classroom.
We Built a Nation of Scientists and Forgot to Teach Them How to Be Citizens
For decades, American schools have prioritized STEM education at the expense of civic education in schools (not to mention history and the humanities). The result? A growing civics knowledge gap that leaves students unable to name the three branches of government, understand the Constitution, or recognize the patterns of the past reverberating in the present. In this post, I’m exploring how a 1983 report called A Nation at Risk quietly reshaped our educational priorities for forty years. And what we’ve lost because of it.
Why Students Are Amazing: A Story About Kindness, Vulnerability in Teaching, and Building Relationships with Students
When I shared my dad’s leukemia diagnosis with my students, I wasn’t sure how they’d respond. But their kindness left me speechless. This experience reminded me how powerful building relationships with students can be, and how vulnerability in the classroom can create a truly positive classroom culture. If you’ve ever doubted how amazing kids are these days, this story might change your mind.
10 Total Participation Techniques That Actually Work (Even in December)
Total participation techniques sound great in theory, but what about when students apply mascara during Think-Pair-Share? Here’s what I’ve learned actually works after 25 years of teaching. These 10 student engagement strategies include real classroom examples (the successes and the spectacular failures) plus practical scaffolding that keeps students accountable even during the December slump. Whether you teach regular, collaborative, or AP courses, you’ll find active learning techniques and formative assessment strategies you can implement tomorrow.
Beyond Summary: Teaching Synthesis in the Age of AI
Discover why teaching synthesis matters more than ever in the age of AI. And get 6 practical strategies to move students beyond summary to true higher-order thinking. If your students are copying notes instead of processing information, this post will show you how to develop the critical thinking skills AI can’t replicate. Perfect for secondary teachers looking to build synthesis skills in history, ELA, and content-area classrooms.
5 Time-Saving EdTech Tools from GAETC 2025: What Actually Works in Real Classrooms
Class sizes are growing, grading piles are getting higher, and teachers need time-saving solutions that actually work. At GAETC 2025, I discovered 5 Time-Saving EdTech Tools that solve real classroom problems, including AI tutors that give every student one-on-one support and a simple tech trick you can use in the next 5 minutes. Here’s what’s actually worth your time.
Neurodivergent Educators and Micromanagement
Teaching has always required heart, flexibility, and resilience, but for neurodivergent educators, today’s culture of educational micromanagement is amplifying stress in ways you might not have considered. Whether you’re teaching with ADHD or identify as a highly sensitive person (HSP), the constant data mandates, scripted pacing guides, and rigid classroom policies can push you toward teacher burnout. This post explores how increased oversight in schools uniquely impacts teachers with ADHD and HSP traits, and offers practical, research-backed strategies for neurodivergent teachers to protect their focus, energy, and sense of purpose.
Teaching Abstract Concepts Through Simulation: A Culture Creation Activity for Social Studies
Want to help students truly understand abstract concepts like culture and cultural diffusion? This culture simulation activity transforms complex social studies vocabulary into hands-on learning. Perfect for teaching cultural diffusion in freshman social studies or any secondary classroom, this two-day simulation builds content literacy while engaging students in creating and sharing their own cultures. Get the free lesson plan and learn how to use social studies simulations safely and effectively.
Welcome! Stay a while and browse classroom-tested tips, strategies, and resources that will take your teaching to the next level!