Facing discouragement about my students’ struggle to grasp math concepts, I added a small space on an assignment requiring them to briefly explain the thinking that led to their final response. By asking “Explain how you got your...

It is the beginning of the school year. You have a fresh batch of students eager to begin an exciting project that you plan will take several days of class to complete. Over the next few days, your students will apply their new...

Last year, I welcomed a new sidekick into my classroom. After only a few weeks of school, he had earned the nickname ‘Doc’ as well as the place of honor at my right hand in front of the students. In that short amount of time, it...

The Things We Learn—and the Things We Don’t I have learned a number of things through the years such as how to operate an espresso machine and the proper way of pruning raspberry canes (to name a few). I learned how to work an...

In a recent conversation with some acquaintances, it became evident to me that many of my new friends were involved in the work of teaching. When in that situation, my habit is to exclaim something like this: ‘That’s exciting!...

Christopher Brode reflects on how teachers can build a culture of reading. He proposes that this feat starts with the teachers’ own example, but then he explores several practical tips such as dedicating time for silent reading,...

Christopher Brode introduces several methods for incorporating nonfiction trade books into the classroom. Christopher shares from his personal experiences with using nonfiction text to enhance curriculum.

In this presentation, Christopher Brode discusses effective tools for incorporating trade books into the classroom to encourage reading among students. Christopher shares from his personal experiences with using trade books to...

In my classroom, my students often wear their emotions on their sleeves. As a result, it’s usually easy to tell when they’re feeling excited about an upcoming field trip, anxious about an upcoming test, sleepy on a rainy...

The school day is drawing to an end, and the students are busily grabbing their lunchboxes and any remaining items from their cubbies. As the call is given for students to exit, the last thing the teacher is heard to say is this:...

I once heard someone exclaim that their forgetter was getting better. Few would argue that our ability to remember and recall information decreases with age, but we seem to have a decent grasp on the art of forgetfulness from an...

Perhaps you have heard this phrase in conversation: 'Don’t sweat the small stuff.' This imperative first became popular in the 1960s as an adaptation of the older expression ‘ don’t sweat it’ a statement intended to free someone...

mistake (məˈstāk) n . 1. an action, statement, or opinion that is incorrect, potentially causing unintended and possibly undesirable consequences 2. an inevitable and potentially valuable part of the teaching experience Mistakes...

Several years ago, I visited a used book sale in its final hours before closing. The deal was hard to beat - fill a box for just a few dollars. My children added many books to the stack, and we were soon headed home with a hefty...

Consider the following scenarios: A student struggles to remain in his seat throughout the day and, as a result, is falling behind in his work. In order to help him catch up with the class, you consider keeping the child back...