I love spending my summers reading a variety of educational texts. Last summer, I aimed to enrich my teaching strategies and model high-quality lesson planning for my Teacher Education students.

Rituals and routines assist in establishing trust, rapport, and a strong community of learning. When learners know what to expect, they are more equipped to focus their attention, be organized, and have better time management skills.  

Scaffolding is a systematic process that supports teaching and learning. This approach can be particularly effective in higher education, where students are often expected to learn complex concepts and skills relatively quickly.  

When reflecting on your classroom environment, policies, procedures, routines, and rituals, critically evaluate them based on inclusive teaching practices and student perspective. 

So, how do we ensure student engagement? First, let's consider a common teaching strategy that disengages students. A definite engagement killer is to ask a question to the whole class, expecting them to raise their hands and answer. 

I love learning! I am what you call an "education geek!" One of my favorite pastimes was reading educational research and literature.

Over the last 20 years, I have had the privilege of working at various educational levels: early childhood education, elementary education, and higher education. I’ve noticed the desire to teach with heart and soul in all these educational systems. 

I am not a neuroscientist, but as an educational professional and social scientist, I value the understanding of human development along with brain research.

As an Associate Professor of education, today's teaching is not just about standards and the content you teach; it is much more. As an education professional, you inspire others, engage in courageous conversations, and support students through difficult life experiences with compassion and understanding. 

This post was so timely since I had recently taken my middle schooler out for lunch the day before, and the topic she wanted to discuss (or process with me) was how she felt her teachers felt about her the past year.

This is a critical aspect of education at all levels. In my faculty role in higher education, I have the privilege of working with pre-service teachers. Do you remember being new to the field? 

At the beginning of every new year, I reflect on my successes and growth areas from the previous year. I also choose a word of the year to help me focus my intentions. This year, I chose Love, specifically self-love.

Education is a field of ebbs and flows. Sometimes, teachers are relaxed and excited for the coming year or running around with their heads cut off like chickens and just exhausted.

Teaching is a gratifying career; however, educators need to set boundaries and identify strategies to support wellness daily to create a work-life balance for a sustainable career in education.

I am a HUGE advocate for play and have written about the power of play-based learning in early childhood. Play is an essential component of the life of young children. It is how they learn about their environment and how the world operates. But why should play stop after early childhood?

I had a fantastic opportunity to facilitate a summer book study this summer. During our month-long community of practice, participants engaged in a dynamic discussion on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) concepts.

Choice boards are often used in elementary school, but why stop there? I have had great success with integrating choice boards & assignment menus into my college courses.

What makes a great classroom? A great teacher? A great student? How do we engage students? These are questions that all educators at all levels ask. They are one of the most crucial questions in education.

Being equity-minded goes beyond viewing situations from multiple perspectives; it also means viewing all learners from a strength-based perspective.

What qualities or themes characterize your life story? This question was recently asked in a workshop that I attended.

Teaching takes as much heart as skills to be a brilliant teacher. Being a brilliant teacher goes beyond academic standards, assessment practices, organization, and time management.

Understanding culture's role in learning was the second key takeaway from our community of learning discussions. In the text Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain, Hammond informs us about the levels of culture and how schemas are formed through our experiences.