Teachers know the drill: there’s a fancy professional development session or an article gets forwarded in an email about the latest trend in the classroom. So many of these have come and gone over the year that many teachers smile, nod, and go about their business. However, the buzz around learner-centered education isn’t going anywhere, … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode. Below is the transcript for Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 57: “Uses for Technology in the Classroom to Engage Students“ In today’s global society, students want to learn how to use the technology around them along with understanding how the uses for technology in the classroom correlate with life … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode. Below is the transcript for Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 54: “9 Simple Engagement Strategies You Can Use Tomorrow“ When it comes to simple engagement strategies, teachers often get nervous. There is a common misconception that in order to have all students engaged, it is way more work on … Read more
Switching from a teacher-centered model in the classroom to a student-centered one can seem extremely overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Often I have people come to me with one simple question, “What are some student-centered teaching strategies?” In a way, it’s a loaded question. While student-centered learning has some very specific protocols to … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode. Below is the transcript for Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 27: “Building Teacher-Student Relationships“ Okay, you guys, welcome to another episode of the Student-Centered World podcast. Today I think is going to hit everybody in the feels. Today, we’re going to be talking about creating meaningful relationships with your … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode. Below is the transcript for Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 26: “The Importance of Student Relationships with Bridget Hocutt“ In today’s podcast, we get to go on a trip, sort of. I got to talk to one of my teacher-students, Bridget Hocutt, who teaches eighth grade. At the time … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode. Below is the transcript for Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 22: “Changing the Higher-Ed Dynamic with Dr. Joe Lizza“ In today’s podcast, I had the opportunity to talk to one of my dearest friends, Dr. Joe Lizza, who’s Director of Campus Activities at Rowan University. We had a phenomenal … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode. Below is the transcript for Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 20: “Classroom Engagement Ideas for Easily Adapting the Classroom with Steph Sperber” On today’s podcast, I had the opportunity to chat with 14-year teaching veteran Steph Sperber who is currently teaching in a middle school classroom. I met Steph … Read more
The spring of 2020 thrust almost every direction of education into a sudden switch from in-person instruction to distance learning. I use the term “distance learning” very lightly, as what has been deemed “crisis learning” is not interchangeable with true distance learning. A true model of distance learning requires extensive planning, best practices, and specific … Read more
If you’ve followed our series on the importance of brain breaks in the classroom (especially brain break games), you know how passionate we are about their need. Not the fact that they’re nice, but that they’re a need. We have students in our classroom that have been in front of a screen since birth. They … Read more
When I meet with teachers during professional development sessions, the first thing they tell me isn’t about test scores. It’s about the daily friction: The student who won’t stop tapping, the three kids who finish everything in ten minutes, the quiet student in the back who hasn’t spoken in six weeks. These classroom challenges feel … Read more
I’m sure you have the same story as me: the stack of ungraded papers used to live on my kitchen table like an unwanted houseguest, neatly tucked into my school bag every night. Sunday evenings, that stack would stare at me while I pretended to enjoy my last few hours of freedom. Then I discovered … Read more