Science by Slim

    Tag: School

    • Change is hard!

      Especially in a school! Know this: Any deviation from “the Norm” will be judged! Change can be challenging in a school setting, as any deviation from the norm will be judged by external stakeholders. Our responses to changes in our students, changing school policies, new teaching methodologies, and new technology it is impossible to avoid…

    • All Teachers should be Coaches

      All Teachers should be Coaches

      Teachers of every grade level and subject should look to coach first and teach second.  This is the mindset of those who promote things like teaching children; not subjects and student-centered classrooms. This is valuing learning over the content.  As a traditional teacher (1990s up to 2010) I was singularly focused on getting my students…

    • Building Relationships With Students

      Building Relationships With Students

      TeachThought put out a great article titled, “How Can You Build Better Relationships With Students?”. Their article is a “must-read”. I have copied their 12 main points here and added my own comments in italics.  1. Know their story Talk to your students like they are actual people (pro tip: they ARE, actually, real people!)…

    • Discovery Lessons

      Discovery lessons are hard for traditional teachers because we don’t know what path the lesson will take. When students’ thoughts lead them in a direction that teachers feel is not super productive we tend to interject and put them on the “right track”. This is decidedly NOT what creates the best and most long-lasting lessons/learning.…

    • Student-Centered

      I once observed a classroom where the students were on the same math problem for 25 minutes. Sitting at their desks with one piece of paper and a pencil, students spent the vast majority of this time waiting. Waiting for more explicit instructions. Waiting for help with the thinking needed. Waiting for the group to catch…

    • Thinking about Thinking

      How much of the thinking that happens in your classes is done by you, and how much is done by the students? I won’t do anything for my students that they can do for themselves!

    • Thoughts of & on Marcus Aurelius

      In a time when many are beyond anxious amid a global pandemic, I hope you find peace. I recently read an article on the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. He was a follower of the stoic branch of philosophy and was considered to be Plato’s ideal of the philosopher-king. Each night he would write his thoughts…

    • PBL 2018

      When students are all grown up and out in the world adulting like crazy every day, they will need to be able to problem-solve. No one will ask them about their score on the test in October of their 10th grade year.

    • Ready or Not …

      Monday: Made a big mess in my classroom. Took hundreds of pounds of books off my back bookshelf. Old sample textbooks, rescued books the librarian was about to throw out (4-5 years ago), etc. Still have a mess in the back of my room. I also rearranged my student tables & moved my desk. Tuesday:…