I’m standing in my classroom as a new teacher, looking out at the empty room, very anxious. I know that I want to meet every student at their level and help them to learn at their own pace. However, there are Common Core Standards, State Standards, State Testing, data to deliver, and many other requirements that put pressure on teachers […]
As educators, we all know that the parents of the students we teach can be a wildcard. One of the wonderful things about our students is that they come from many diverse backgrounds and upbringings. This diversity in our classroom can be a wonderful asset to the students’ experience. Along with this benefit to our students, this also means that […]
Hey Teacher Friends! When I was a new teacher, one of the biggest mysteries of teaching was how to differentiate well. I learned that I should differentiate and each student should have a personalized learning curriculum. The professors said that it’s best practice to differentiate. I was told that all students have different learning styles and different paces at which […]
Imagine for a moment that you are a K12 student who has not been taught to value grades and schoolwork. Since your family doesn’t want truancy issues, you find yourself at your 7 hour prison sentence each day at 8:00-3:00. You float from class to class, messing around with your friends and trying not to get in trouble. Under these […]
Hey Teacher Guides! Have you ever wondered if you are actually reaching your students? Are you ever worried that you sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher just droning on and on? We know that both adults and students need to have interest in a concept to actually do well. If teachers are completely irrelevant to students and there is no motivation […]
Hey Teacher-Guides, welcome to part 2 of Quest Builders! – How to Create Your First Mastery Gamified Unit in Your Classroom. If you haven’t read last week’s blog, be sure to read that one first and come back and read this one next as the two parts are sequential. Last blog we dove right into creating your story outline for […]
Imagine, as a teacher, you walk into a colleague’s classroom, looking for the teacher to ask about some paperwork that is due soon. You know it’s test day so it should be easy to pop in quickly while the students are silently sitting doing their tests. When you walk in and are surprised to see the class working in pairs […]
In a recent blog, we delved into the scientific foundation that supports Mastery Gamification, particularly focusing on how to teach grit in the classroom. If I were to summarize all the science and research behind Mastery Gamification on academic performance, engagement in the classroom, making good decisions, grit, growth mindset, counteracting learned helplessness, and self-efficacy, there is a common thread […]
Many teachers say that student apathy is at an all-time high in schools. It is hard to motivate students to complete school tasks or even convey the importance of doing school work. In facing this challenge, understanding how to overcome student apathy in the classroom is crucial, and this includes addressing how to overcome learned helplessness in the classroom. Many […]
Students have changed. Education has changed. Standards are long and attention spans are short. Apathy is up and grit is down. Student-centered learning advantages are often overlooked. Problems are numerous and trainings are few. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the teacher’s desire to do their best for their students. But that’s where the problem lies, isn’t it? Teachers […]
