If a student is having a hard time, taking away recess can feel like the obvious move because it’s clean, immediate, and sends a message. It also… usually doesn’t work. (And not in a “kids...
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The post “Using MagnaTiles in the Classroom” includes affiliate links. Weirdly enough, MagnaTiles are not a toy in my classroom brain. They’re a classroom tool that just happens to look like fun. Which is honestly...
Read MoreLet me guess: you absolutely love teaching, but feel oddly disconnected from it at the same time. Yep, you’re not broken. And if the idea of adding one more strategy, meeting, or initiative makes your...
Read MoreThis post contains affiliate links. I recently shared a blog post about how to teach brain science to kids, because social emotional learning sticks best when kids understand what is happening inside their brains. Once...
Read MoreIf you have ever tried to explain brain science to kids, you already know the look. The wide eyes. The slow blink. Kids are curious about why they feel big feelings or why their bodies...
Read MoreWe have all heard the quip that kids are “so resilient.” Usually this is said in a meeting right after you’ve watched a student go through something genuinely hard. And while kids are wired for...
Read MoreUnfortunately, I am certain that you know that perspective taking is a skill that does not magically appear just because a child can recite the classroom rules. Thaaaat would be too simple. Some kids are...
Read MoreHere is the honest truth about “self-regulation.” Children do not flip an internal switch and suddenly calm down because we told them to (unfortunately – ha). In early and middle childhood, regulation develops through co-regulation,...
Read MoreIf you’ve ever sat in a PD session about motivation or behavior, you’ve probably seen the pyramid. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is everywhere! The color-coded layers stacked neatly from “basic needs” at the bottom to...
Read MoreSomething powerful happens when play shows up in a classroom. The mood shifts. Students relax, start talking, and connect in ways that don’t always happen during a typical lesson. When we lead with curiosity and...
Read MoreWhen a student has a parent or family member who’s incarcerated, the emotional ripple effect can be huge. As teachers, we might not always know what’s happening at home, but we can usually feel it,...
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