When you think of that one teacher who made the biggest impact on your life, I'm sure you are thinking about someone who took precious teaching time to build a relationship with you. Someone who made you feel special. Someone who saw you. My most influential teacher was my fifth grade teacher, Mr. Tom Frazier. … Continue reading The Power of Relationships
"Why are you here?" This simple, yet powerfully direct question was posed by 2010 National Teacher of the Year, Sarah Brown Wessling, to state teachers of the year from around the country during the National Teacher of the Year Induction Program earlier this month. To their surprise, the uncertainty of answering this question connected them … Continue reading There’s No Magic in Teaching
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers in the United States spent more than $1.7 billion on candy and chocolate for Valentine’s Day last year. While dentists may be disappointed to hear that figure, as a math teacher, I see an opportunity to share a delicious #MathMoment for any elementary school student. You can use … Continue reading Love Math Like You Love Chocolate
Life is full of choices, particularly in the area of education. To parents wanting the best for the unique needs of their children, making an informed educational decision can very quickly become an overwhelming task. Enter Florida Students Achieve. Florida Students Achieve is a website made specifically for Florida families in search of answers to … Continue reading Florida Students Achieve
Whether it’s for the on-field gridiron or the anxiously awaited commercials, more than 100 million people are expected to tune in to Super Bowl LI this Sunday. If your family is like mine, adults and children will gather around the television as the Atlanta Falcons take on the New England Patriots at the NRG Stadium … Continue reading Putting Math in the Game
While finishing up some shopping, I witnessed food court employees desperately trying to persuade customers to dine at their competing restaurants. It reminded me of what it feels like to compete for my students’ attention and interests. I know that if my students do not have a genuine interest in what they’re learning, the learning … Continue reading 8 Snooze-Proof Tricks You Can’t Afford to Teach Without!
#MathMomentsYou can take the math teacher to the National Championship, but you can't take the math-mind out of the teacher! Last week, I detailed my amazing trip to the National Championship with fellow teachers of the year from around the country. The itinerary was packed with activities, and I was pleased that a number of … Continue reading Math at the Aquarium
“I have the smartest class in the whole school!” One of the hardest changes I have had to make when transitioning to a growth-minded classroom was changing how I praise my students. Although it seems counterintuitive, telling my students they are “smart” can actually harm their performance and instill a fixed mindset. Instead, if I … Continue reading New Mindset – Part 4: Praise Effort
Sports enthusiasts have called it the game of the century. I call it the chance of a lifetime! Being a part of the National Championship game and all the events surrounding it only added to this year's extraordinary experiences. The 2017 Florida finalists and I joined 2016 state teachers of the year from around the … Continue reading The National Championship Experience
Our class motto is “Mistakes help me improve!” Students want to share how they fumbled just as much as they want to share the correct answer with the class. It doesn’t happen overnight, but students need to see that their teacher won’t just dismiss their mistakes while they cringe with embarrassment. Rather, consistently make it … Continue reading New Mindset – Part 3: Value Mistakes
