What Do We Do with Screen Time? If you lead an elementary school, you have likely heard the concerns: Screens harm children’s eyes. Screens rewire young brains. Young children need books and blocks, not tablets. The media shares research and warnings; parents raise these worries at back-to-school night and parent meetings; teachers raise them in […]
Three Tools to Improve Student Behavior
It All Comes Down to Executive Function Positive behavior is dependent upon strong executive function. Punishments and bribes will do little to change behavior. We have to get to the root causes of behavior problems. A very important root cause is a lack of developmentally appropriate executive function. Academic achievement depends on executive function. Mental […]
Designing Elevated Tier 1 Instruction for All Students
What’s with the Tiers? Tier 1 is the instruction every student gets, every day. It has to be designed to work for a room full of students with different backgrounds, different language levels, different prior knowledge, different cognitive abilities, and different readiness . . . all at once. That’s a tall order, and it’s also […]
Start the Year With a Priming Plan
In the Future-Powered Classroom (the next generation of the Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom )students take charge of their own learning, guided by a masterful teacher who puts a bridge in place to ensure their success. That first week or two of school is your opportunity to prime your students for success in your classroom. The Priming […]
The Power of Play: Building Brains, Behavior, and Belonging
The Road to Academic Success and Social, Emotional, and Mental Wellness Well, that subtitle sums up many of the goals of schools these days. Who knew you could accomplish it all through play? The reality is that the more schools are concerned about academic achievement, the more they double down on lessons – probably the […]
