The Chalk Blog

Great Teaching Starts with Relationships

Classroom management. Starts with strong relationships. 

Student achievement. Starts with strong relationships.  

Social-emotional growth. Starts with strong relationships. 

Culturally Responsive Teaching. Starts with strong relationships. 

Notice a pattern? When it comes to quality teaching and learning, authentic relationships are key! The science of learning tells us that from birth, relationships and experiences drive brain development. As teachers, we have to opportunity and the duty to make relationship building a priority, thereby positively shaping the developing brains of the children in our care.

Why Instructional Coaching is Important

Sometimes it takes a while to hit our stride in teaching, and feedback is usually pretty helpful. But scoot past student teaching and the survival mode into the instructional aspects… that’s when we need help yet again. As a student teacher, we’re watched, evaluated, supported, and given specifics for improvement. Then comes that first outing alone in our own classroom, where management of said space and its inhabitants can feel like an episode of Survivor. But with or without years of experience, diving into the intricacies of instructional practice is always better done with the help of an objective eye, as we once had as student teachers. 

Enter Instructional Coaching - the colleagues who have the perspective, knowledge, and experience to challenge us to move towards meeting our goals and realizing our potential.  

How to keep class book sets intact

Teaching every student how to keep their paperback books intact throughout the year can be a very difficult task. Keely from Learners Edge is here with three simple suggestions that you can implement in your class!

Building Writing Confidence in Your Students

Are you struggling to get students to write with confidence? Maybe they need an extra boost! Check out these awesome tips from our Curriculum and Instruction team member, Barb. She'll convince you to try Daily Pages in less than 2 minutes...

What is micro-teaching?

When it comes to reflecting on a video recording of yourself, you are your own worst critic. While this is a challenging technique, it can truly help you improve your instruction in the classroom. Watch this video blog by Keely to learn the best ways to implement micro-teaching in your practice.

Upping Your Game

One of my favorite things about being a mom is watching my son play football. Along with that comes passionate, often one-sided conversations after practices and games. Many times, these chats are fairly insignificant (in my mind anyway) as he attempts to teach me about trick plays like the “flea flicker” and the “statue of liberty.” He might even tell me how the right side of the offensive line isn’t “pushing off the ball.” (Of course, he’s on the left!) A few nights ago, though, he was talking to me about the feedback he was getting from his offensive line coach. Bear in mind, my son doesn’t take criticism well even if it’s constructive. While listening to him, I realized that I had a teachable moment on my hands. What ensued was a great conversation about being “coachable.” 

This conversation made me reflect on my time as a teacher. Was I coachable? Interestingly enough, I came up with this answer … “sometimes.” I began to think about the opportunities lost to learn and improve my instruction when I wasn’t so coachable.