Educational researcher, John Hattie, found that the tipping point of a .4 effect size was the point at which student performance surpasses the expectation of one year’s growth in one year’s time. He says that the vast majority of what…
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One of the best things I ever taught my students was that it’s okay to struggle. Struggling develops grit and perseverance and leads to success. The way I taught this to my students was by introducing the “Learning Pit.” I…
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“Success criteria” is not just another buzzword that is flying around education right now. Success criteria are essential in helping your students reach high levels of achievement, and you might be already doing it! So, let’s get into exactly what…
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A Bloom Ball is a 3-dimensional project that requires students to complete activities moving them through the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. A Bloom Ball project offers students at all levels the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of not only novels…
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Education is full of buzzwords and ever-changing, evolving ideas. One buzzword you might be hearing lately is “teacher clarity. ” But, what does it even mean?! Basically, teacher clarity is really just the communication between teachers and students, in both…
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The school days are long but the school year is short, or so they say! Those last few days of school can feel like they’re never-ending. One way to keep your students busy and engaged is by giving them journal…
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We know how hard it is to keep our students’ attention at the end of the year. It’s basically like herding cats. As an elementary school teacher, I was always trying to think of engaging end-of-the-year activities that also kept…
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The testing season has become so stressful for students and teachers. I’ve had experiences where my administrators have lowered that stress, but I’ve also had some administrators make it beyond stressful. Something that I’ve found to be helpful in lowering…
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As we all know, teachers are leaving the classroom in droves. They’re losing their teaching spark, which is heartbreaking considering that teaching is a calling, passion, and impactful work. A lot of recent articles are blaming the pandemic for this…
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If you’ve subscribed to Tales from a Very Busy Teacher, then you’ve been receiving my monthly kindness calendars. Every month, a new calendar is sent straight to your inbox in hopes that you challenge your students to participate in an…
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