Professional Development

My students listed Unanswered Questions and then… we moved on! Oops.

My students made a list of problems… and we stopped right there.

This very common Depth and Complexity worksheet has many problems. And I used it for years!

I asked “How could two experts’ perspectives regarding information from this reading selection differ from one another.” Yikes!

Let’s improve “Create a title for this chapter. Explain why your title fits the 🏛️ Big Idea.”

I’d show a quote and then ask, “What does this quote mean?” And that was it!

Rather than just “paraphrasing” a poem, what if we did a cover version?

Why was I asking five, unrelated, low-level questions in a row?

When we want students to memorize two terms, we actually shouldn’t aim for memorization!

Let’s fix these nine, underdeveloped discussion questions!

Many “hands-on” activities limit students by stopping at a low level of thinking. Here’s how to fix it.

When should teachers take the time to build an advanced version of something? And when should they just let students move along?

A collection of helpful tips about differentiating through pre-assessment.

A few quick tips on how to better use graphic organizers to support higher-order thinking.

Starting with grade-level material and trying to extend up is a fool’s errand. It’s SO much simpler to aim high and scaffold down.

My early lessons didn’t even have objectives, let alone good objectives! Here’s how to build four-part, differentiated lesson objectives.

As a new teacher, I only knew one model of instruction: Direct Instruction. I was like a chef who only knew how to deep fry!

Go beyond merely explaining strengths and weaknesses and get students thinking in interesting ways.

Analyze is like a gateway that connects the lower- and higher-levels of Bloom’s. But make sure you’re truly asking an Analyze-level question!

Take direction instruction beyond a monotonous practice of the same skill over and over.

We think of gifted kids as only having academic needs, but – in their own words – they also have many needs of the heart.

Adults can learn to help students reduce anxiety with the tool Worry Time.

Why being good at many things can be a bit of a burden.

Adults can limit anxiety by implementing the Five Question Rule.

How I accidentally discouraged curiosity in my classroom.

Here are a bunch of ways to quickly practice creativity with your students for zero dollars.

Some kids are exposed to a wide range of classic art, music, and films at home and others aren’t. Let’s even the playing field by quickly integrating classics into our lessons.

Here’s how Joelle Trayers gets even her youngest students ready to think in unexpected ways.

Cindy Phan shares her method of introducing watercolor to students using a mosaic technique.

You’re implementing Depth and Complexity, but how do you know if you’re doing it well? Five things to look for.

How can you tell if your students’ social-emotional needs are being met on your campus?

Student products give an instant glimpse into whether differentiation is happening on your campus.

How do you know, when you’re walking through a class, whether the students are receiving appropriate work?