teacher

All about teachers and the world of teaching; teachers sharing their best and worst interactions with students, best teaching practices, the path to becoming a teacher, and more.

I’ve Taught for 30 Years. The Teacher Crying in the Office Had It Backward.
I have taught for thirty years. Care matters. So does correction. What ruins both is a weak boundary. With a weak boundary, the action bends. Help starts to feel like control. A student’s refusal starts to feel like a verdict on the teacher.
By Jin3 days ago in Education
The Chinese University Name Mystery Hiding in One Missing Character
Tsinghua’s Department of Mechanical Engineering opens its history page with an older name: “The Department of Mechanical Engineering traces its origins to the Department of Mechanical Engineering Studies established in 1932 in the School of Engineering of Tsinghua University.” The current sign reads “Department of Mechanical Engineering.” The history page keeps 学; the seal does not.
By Jin4 days ago in Education
Primary School Grades Don’t Lie. They Just Stop Predicting High School.
During second period of evening self-study, a first-year high school boy read a function problem three times. His scratch paper was full of formulas. The domain line was blank. He asked the teacher, “Which formula do I plug in?” The teacher pointed to the word “function”: “First look at what x can take.” He froze, pen on paper.
By Jin4 days ago in Education
Play Is the Thing: Why Games Are So Much More Than Fun in Youth Theatre
If you’ve ever walked into a youth theatre rehearsal and found a group of children pretending to be jellyfish, shouting nonsensical words at one another or collapsing into fits of laughter, you might be forgiven for wondering what on earth is going on.
By Millie Hardy-Ashton7 days ago in Education
Influences on Development
If Two children enter the same classroom and receive the same materials and directions. One begins immediately, while the other watches before participating. It would be easy to describe one as confident and the other as hesitant. Yet those descriptions tell us very little about what each child brings to the experience.
By Learning by Design7 days ago in Education
What Is Early Childhood Development?
A toddler struggles to pull on a coat while an adult waits nearby. After a few attempts, the adult holds the sleeve open and shows the child where to place an arm. The child tries again. It is an ordinary moment, but it raises an important question: What does a child need to move from needing help to doing something independently?
By Learning by Design8 days ago in Education
Beyond Academics: How the Six Pillars of Character Shape the Learning Experience
When we think about education, academic achievement is usually one of the first things that comes to mind. We focus on reading, writing, mathematics, and the knowledge students need to advance to the next grade level. However, education involves more than understanding academic subjects. Students are also developing behaviors, attitudes, and decision-making skills that will influence how they interact with others throughout their lives. This raises an important question: Are we giving character development the same attention we give academic achievement?
By Learning by Design10 days ago in Education
Use the Analogy, Then Throw Away the Ladder
Years ago I explained a web server to a new starter at work as "a waiter who brings you the page you ordered". She nodded, wrote it down, and two weeks later asked me why the waiter kept bringing her an old version of the menu.
By Gautam Atmakuri10 days ago in Education
Understanding How People Learn: The Role of Learning Theories in Instructional Design
Education is more than presenting information and expecting someone to understand it. There is a process to learning that involves how people respond to instruction, process information, and draw on their experiences to develop knowledge. For instructional designers, understanding this process is important because the way information is presented can influence how successfully someone learns.
By Learning by Design12 days ago in Education
Clear Learning Begins with Thoughtful Design
Think about the last time you were expected to learn something new without clear directions. Maybe someone handed you a manual, rushed through a demonstration, or assumed you already understood the basics. That experience can leave you questioning your ability when the real issue is how the information was presented. For me, thoughtful instructional design begins with recognizing that people need a clear starting point and support as they move forward.
By Learning by Design12 days ago in Education
Steal From Yourself
Something Worth Knowing With a working life as long as mine, I had plenty of material, although some of it would take longer to explain than anyone would reasonably want to listen.
By Alan Spencer12 days ago in Education
The Answer Sheet Jiangsu Took Ten Years to Write
On June 15, 2018, the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee held an expanded meeting of its Standing Committee. The agenda had three items: high school enrollment, gaokao reform, and gaokao question-setting. The Provincial Education Department reported first. The party secretaries of the prefecture-level cities then spoke in turn. Provincial departments, the vice governor in charge, and some Standing Committee members followed. The governor spoke. The party secretary spoke last.
By Jin14 days ago in Education