FRAME is thus a protocol that clarifies learning expectations and provides a consistent structure of support. It eliminates wasted time and helps the teacher stay true to the lesson while students move systematically through the learning. Utilized within the first ten minutes of class, FRAME offers a comprehensible opener to ensure that all students make connections throughout the lesson
A Framework for Lesson Planning
As an instructional coach, I collaborate with nearly 65 teachers at an urban high school. My goal is to support teachers of many subjects in embedding literacy in their lessons without disrupting their classroom objectives.
Instagram as a Means to Create and Implement Chemistry Class Portfolios
KQED March 20, 2018
But Instagram seemed more well-intentioned according to many teachers. When I mentioned the possibility of using Instagram as a way to digitally maintain a student portfolio, the teachers were interested in learning more about it and how it could be used in the classroom.
Read: Instagram as a Means to Create and Implement Chemistry Class Portfolios
What Does Your Literacy Philosophy Say About You?
WHAT DOES YOUR LITERACY PHILOSOPHY SAY ABOUT YOU?
Take a few minutes and re-read your reading philosophy. Do you still agree with it? Do you need to revise it? If you've never written one, perhaps now is the time.
Avoiding the Biggest Classroom Mistakes
While I might have considered the cooperating teacher to be "rigid, extremely professional, and focused," those qualities are necessary when creating a classroom community. She had structures and routines in place that worked for her students and expectations that were transparent and attainable.
Avoiding the Biggest Classroom Management Mistakes
Classroom management is a perennial challenge for teachers. What are the biggest mistakes we often make and how do we avoid them?
Cult of Pedagogy: Power Lesson: Note-taking Stations
In this power lesson shared by instructional coach Peg Grafwallner, students rotate between four stations to practice different note-taking styles.
Listen: Note Taking Stations
Article: Note Taking Stations
Rigor of Vigor
Instead of creating lessons of rigor, why not create lessons of vigor? Lessons of vigor encompass three distinct thinking components: Thinking Critically, Thinking Creatively, and Thinking Flexibly thereby creating classrooms that are stimulating, engaging and supportive.
Read: Rigor of Vigor
Fueling Your Growth Mindset: Recommended Reading Lists
In this episode, we search for useful and insightful articles that can impact our practice with Larry Ferlazzo with Kathleen Neagle Sokolowski, Jessica Torres, Robert Ward
Listen: Fueling Your Growth Mindset: Recommended Reading List
Cell Phones in the Classroom: Yes, It Can Work
What might happen if we decide to empower students to utilize self-management – to actually allow students to use their phone for discretionary purposes, but under a watchful eye and within a structured time?
Learning to Teach
As a student teacher, I was so consumed by wanting to do a good job that while my heart might have been in the right place, I was overlooking the pedagogy behind the teaching.
Read: Learning to Teach
On Being an Instructional Coach
Being an Instructional Coach means that I am available for teachers, accessible to change and open to feedback. For those who are new to the coaching role or who have moved from teaching to coaching, or those veteran coaches who might feel your practice needs a tweak, here are some suggestions,
Four Note-Taking Strategies for Film
I recently read Robert Ward’s exceptional article for KQED’s In the Classroom blog “Teaching Film as Literature” and was immediately struck with the simplicity of the implementation. While there is undoubtedly a great deal of background work that goes into designing, implementing, and assessing a lesson such as this one, this strategy can be differentiated for students of all abilities.
Accept Every Student as They Are
Building a relationship with a student takes time and patience, allow it to happen organically. If you force it, you’ll have to start all over and the relationship may or may not bloom
Getting Comfortable with Saying No
Turning down a new responsibility at work can be tough, here's some advice for how to do it and not feel guilty!
Teacher Writer
The opportunity to share my writing experiences with students takes the mystery out of the process. Writing, for the most part, is not innate. It is hard work that starts with a purpose, moves toward a plan, and proceeds to a process. It is seldom, if ever done, but, is reclaimed, re-purposed, and recycled.
Read: TEACHER WRITER
Snapchat Worthy Science Lesson: Connect and Engage an Entire Class
Teachers are creating deeper connections between students and complex subject matter through creative uses of technology — often ones that are already popular with students and readily available on their smartphones.
Read: Snapchat Worthy Science Lessons Connect and Engage an Entire Class
Same As It Ever Was
Student choice, access to lots of different kinds of materials, engagement in vibrant communities of readers, these are the things that work and many teachers know this, but it’s hard to find the resources, the agency, and the support to bring them to life.
Read: Same As It Ever Was
Effective PD Within the School Day
Six tips for ensuring that professional development delivered during school hours is genuinely useful to teachers.
Encoding Literacy in Computer Science
An instructional coach shares how she and a fellow teacher embedded literacy lessons in his computer science class.