Advantages of Flexible Learning, and Ways to Implement It
One of my favorite scenes in literature is where Tom Sawyer convinces all the boys in the neighborhood to whitewash the fence for him, a task he had been given as punishment. Not only does he not have to do the work, but his friends all empty their pockets of little boy goodies to "pay" [...]
Student Choice Activities
There are often times in school schedules when there is a planned period of non-academic studies. For example, middle schools and high schools sometimes allow students to have an activity, advisory, flex, or study period. However, there may be questions about how to use this time productively, while giving students the opportunity to make [...]
Simple SEL Strategies
I made a few promises to myself when I became an administrator: find opportunities to teach regularly, really listen to teachers to involve them heavily in the decision making process, and remember that education is a relationship business at its core. I had seen too many good teachers go into administration and forget what teaching [...]
How to Run an Intervention Period
“An intervention period? There’s no time for that.” “Flexible time in our bell schedule sounds great…but I don’t know where to start.” There’s no denying it: school schedules are busy. Between classes, passing periods, lunches, activities, pep rallies, and drills…every minute at school is precious. Given this, administrators, teachers, and parents want to know: [...]
WIN Block in Schools
WIN (What I Need) time is an effective tool for middle and high schools. But what is it, why does it matter, and how can WIN work in block schedules? Let's dig in, and talk a little bit first about block scheduling. Decades ago, before the internet and smartphones, high school schedules were rigid, [...]
Focus Strategies for High School Students
High school can be a very stressful time for students. You are often juggling a lot of different responsibilities between school, work, and family life. For any student, a lack of ability to focus in the learning environment can have a major impact on your performance. If you're struggling with how to stay focused [...]