Teacher Talk
Teachers vs. Tech: Putting an Old Adversary to Good Use
By: Dr. Jerri Ward-Jackson | Aug 9, 2023
Since the first clunky cell phone rang in a silent classroom, technology’s place in education has been hotly debated. Does its potential for good outweigh its potential for disruption? Do kids need more screen time than they already get at home? Is educational technology actually beneficial or is it just a dazzling, counterproductive novelty?
To Dr. Jerri Ward-Jackson of the University of West Alabama’s College of ...
10+ Tips to Prepare for Parent-Teacher Conferences
By: Mary McLaughlin | Sep 28, 2016
Our school’s parent-teacher conferences were last night. The expected, and desired, rate of attendance is always 100% so we can share the great things our class and individual students are doing, and also discuss the things we need to discuss…and boy, sometimes those can be challenging conversations!
If you’re new to ...
Pay Them (Teachers) And They Will Come!
By: Maury Cook | Sep 17, 2016
When I graduated from college with my four-year degree in education back in 1988, my salary ($15,000) qualified me for food stamps and I was single.
Today most starting salaries in education would place a family of 4 with one income on that same list.
There is a lot of talk about ...
3 Things You Should Be Tracking with All Behavior
By: Jon Konen | Sep 17, 2016
One of my pet peeves is to walk into a room, say a teacher’s lounge, and hear teacher’s griping about a student’s behavior. I understand we must talk to colleagues about school life, but continually knocking down students isn’t going to make the problem better. In our school we call ...
Implications of Lead Poisoning on Children
By: Mary McLaughlin | Sep 9, 2016
I come from the land called Michigan whose lower peninsula is shaped like a mitten and whose upper peninsula is shaped like a running rabbit. My daughter lives in the “nose” of the rabbit, a dear friend lives in the rabbit’s tail, an in-law lives in the thumb, my bestie ...
Making a Move: Special Needs Kids and Frequently Changing Homes
By: Mary McLaughlin | Sep 9, 2016
I’ve been spending a lot of time after school packing up my home, preparing to move into another home, one which is a lot closer to my school, closer to the Big City, and is located in a mid-sized town. I’ll be back where food can be delivered to my ...
How to Combat Self Doubt as a Teacher
By: Mary McLaughlin | Sep 3, 2016
I have had some interesting events rise up in my personal life this week. I don’t know if this has happened to you, but when this type of week rolls in, it feels like a rushing wave of water at high tide, catching me sitting too close to the water’s ...
Some Tips You Need to Know to Survive Your First Year in Special Education
By: Mary McLaughlin | Aug 25, 2016
So, this isn’t my first year as a special education Teacher anymore…it’s certainly not my first year in Education…this year marks year 21 in the field. Having served in a variety of roles over these many years, it’s a safe bet that I thought I had a handle on my ...
5 Trends in Professional Development We Must Think About
By: Jon Konen | Aug 23, 2016
We know that professional development of a teaching staff is the number one strategy to increase student achievement. In fact, I believe in it so much that I devote over 1/3 of my budget on professional development. Looking at the ways in which teachers like to receive the professional development ...
The Power Of Positive Thought
By: Maury Cook | Aug 22, 2016
Michael Jordan was cut from his basketball team around his sophomore year of high school. Imagine if he had listened to the person who told him he was not good enough and decided to play baseball instead. What would the outcome have been? Would Air Jordan exist? I wonder…. As ...
212 Degrees of Customer Service in Education
By: Jon Konen | Aug 17, 2016
Dr. Bill Daggett preaches, “Culture trumps strategy!” How do we get our whole school to focus on culture? Let’s take the school’s temperature…If 100 degree is warm, than 212 degrees is boiling! Customer service in education may not seem foreign to many educators, but this is what we do every ...