Blog

Now more than ever, districts need to support the social and emotional needs of their students. Educators can do three simple things to support the social and emotional well-being of their students: support students’ needs for autonomy, belongingness, and competence. These three basic psychological needs are the focus of self-determination theory (SDT), the leading modern theory about well-being and motivation, built on many years of research.

Now more than ever, districts need to support the social and emotional needs of their students. Educators can do three simple things to support the social and emotional well-being of their students: support students’ needs for autonomy, belongingness, and competence. These three basic psychological needs are the focus of self-determination theory (SDT), the leading modern theory about well-being and motivation, built on many years of research.

My student lived a life where things like electricity and running water weren’t a guarantee. The hot meals he received as he sat by friends in the security of the school cafeteria were something his home life did not offer. Although loved, he knew the next two weeks of his life would be rough, and he wanted a holiday full of good things. To him, that meant being at school.

My son’s school counselor emailed me a few weeks ago. I knew he’d had a challenging year with COVID-19, and he’d also announced his retirement just before the last few days of school, so it wasn’t a surprise when I received his bizarre email.

Before the pandemic, many school districts were slow to adopt online learning, but as the coronavirus continues to disrupt conventional instructional methods, edtech solutions that deliver effective, engaging remote and hybrid learning...

The stresses of living during a pandemic affects us all. Shifting our ‘normal’ as we long for old routines is hard. As I work remotely with teachers across our nation I see the resiliency of teachers who refuse to give up despite constant challenges...

A challenge is something that tests a person’s abilities. For most of us 2020 was a year of challenges. All of us have grown and changed over the past 12 months. How did 2020 change you? Your students? This year made me a better person...

Celebrating my students’ success has always been a priority for me; since students have been learning from home, I’ve had to make some adjustments, but thankfully many of the initiatives have carried through. We have been using...

When crises strike, such as the quickly-spreading Coronavirus or the recent tornado in Nashville, Tennessee, educators around the country have an important role in striving to retain or restore children’s access to learning as quickly as they can...