Cell Phones in Schools: One No-Nonsense Nurturer’s Perspective
I train coaches in schools around the country to support teachers with student engagement. This year, more than any year before, I have been consistently surprised by how many students have their phones out in middle and high school classrooms, and how difficult it is for teachers to get students to put them away. For […]
The 5 Rules Every Happy Teacher Follows
Happy Teacher Rule #1: Don’t look at discomfort as a negative. Teaching is hard, and it should be. If you are doing it well, it means you are actively pursuing and working towards getting 100% of your students engaged, 100% of the time. That takes a relentless pursuit of continuous growth that will include making […]
Repost: Every Teen Needs a Champion
This post originally appeared in ASCD Express on May 9, 2019. “Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists they become the best they can possibly be.” — Rita Pierson While teenagers sometimes act as if they know everything and don’t need anyone, […]
Three Relationship-Building Strategies Found in Your Classroom Library
It’s commonplace to hear the phrase “student relationships” in any school you walk into across the country. At CT3, we take it one step further as we ask teachers and school leaders to think about building life-altering relationships. Think back for a moment to the teacher you had that truly made a difference in your […]
Meet Jennifer Lee, Director of Academics, Social Studies Teacher, & Real Time Teacher Coach
CT3 Associate Heidi Towne recently sat down with Jennifer Lee from Detroit Collegiate Academy in Detroit, Michigan. In addition to being a Real Time Teacher Coach, she is also as the director of academics and a social studies teacher. Though challenging, Jennifer prioritizes coaching her fellow teachers. Read on to hear about how she balances […]
Meet Randall Duval: Author and Real Time Teacher Coach
When I met Randall Duval, Real Time Teacher Coach and 12th Grade Language Arts Teacher at Denver Center for International Studies at Montebello, I knew immediately that he was a No-Nonsense Nurturer® by the way he talked about his relationships with students and his passion to see that they were treated with dignity and held […]
Repost: Reflections on How I Could have Been A More Effective Educator and Administrator on Behalf of Students
This article on “Every Student, Every Day” is re-posted from Sid Haro’s blog on Medium. I consider myself a deeply reflective person and educator. My career in education has been a successful and fulfilling one. I remember being invited to and then watching my best friend Kenny teaching a class, and then advising an after-school […]
The Special Education Teacher: A Trained Engineer
Honestly, when I first started out as a teacher in special education, I didn’t think I offered anything different to my students than what the mainstream teachers in my school could provide. I didn’t think I had any of that “magic pixie dust” that colleagues, parents, and administrators seemed to think I would be able […]
Caring About vs. Caring For
Travel to schools across the country, and you’ll see it’s clear that teachers are working hard and truly care about their students. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be doing this job day after day. When I walk through buildings and talk with teachers, I hear and sense this. However, when it comes to what care actually looks […]
Punishment or Restorative Practices: The Only Two Choices in School Climate?
For more than a year, I have been struck by the ongoing school discipline “wars.” Sometimes the fight seems as much a war of semantics as of approaches and beliefs. Perhaps it is not a new fight, but for the first time in my two-plus decades in education, I feel we could be on the […]
