Hidden barriers to teacher collaboration
Why can't teachers talk openly about classroom reality? Research shows we spend most collaborative time protecting professional image rather than addressing instruction. Real improvement requires bala...
22 Sep 202512min
Everything is downstream of management
Everything meaningful in education flows downstream from three fundamentals: strategic management of classroom space, consistent routines for starting class, and accurate understanding of students' ac...
15 Sep 202510min
Using LLMs in writing instruction
AI can change writing instruction by using language models to generate content-embedded, skills-focused materials that free teachers from mechanical tasks and allow more time for meaningful student in...
8 Sep 202510min
Teach writing rather than just assign it
Writing instruction should focus on teaching authentic skills rather than assigning formulaic tasks that students won't use in real-world communication.
2 Sep 20259min
Sentences for reading and writing
Teachers focus too much on broad writing skills while neglecting sentence-level instruction. Students need explicit teaching of sentence construction to express complex ideas effectively in writing.
25 Aug 202513min
Why I'm talking with my students a lot more
Research from Cabell & Zucker, Gottman, and Kuhn et al. shows that meaningful student conversations—not just delivering content—are the true engine of learning, as extended dialogue builds language sk...
18 Aug 202510min
Back to the classroom
Drawing from Rosenshine's instructional principles, Shanahan's text-centered approach, and Socratic questioning techniques, I'm returning to classroom teaching with a research-grounded plan to engage ...
11 Aug 202513min
Icebreakers don't suck
This week, Rod J. Naquin and the Science of Dialogue reveal how well-designed conversational icebreakers boost adult learning outcomes by creating psychological safety and structured dialogue pathways...
19 Maj 202512min
