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 [...]
High School Schedules that Work
While few would argue that building a master schedule for high school is stressful and demanding, this article will examine the types of schedules that have been found beneficial to high school students. What are some types of high school schedules that work? Having student input is a way for administrators to identify how [...]
How to Create a Master Schedule for Middle School
If you're a school administrator, then you know how difficult it can be to create a schedule for every student. You have to consider the needs and credentialing of your own teachers. You need to adhere to district expectations. You must also anticipate the needs of your students and families. Master scheduling can truly be [...]