How to Hook Scholars In and Keep Them Engaged

Class engagement

As an instructional coach, the perennial question that often surfaces from teachers is, “How do I keep scholars engaged throughout an entire lesson?” This concern is not only valid but also fundamental to fostering a positive and productive learning environment. In this blog post, we will explore six impactful strategies to not only capture the […]

Technology Tools to Gather Data for Do Nows and Exit Tickets

Tech tools

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, technology has become an invaluable ally for teachers seeking to enhance engagement and interactivity in the classroom. This blog post explores the advantages of using four tech tools – Quizziz, Pear Deck, NearPod, and Go Formative – when implementing Do Nows, Exit Tickets, and interactive lessons. By incorporating these […]

Enhancing Student Engagement Through Individual Check-Ins: A Pathway to Student Ownership

Enhancing Student Engagement Through Individual Check-Ins: A Pathway to Student Ownership

When was the last time you met one-on-one with your students to discuss their academic progress? Could your students effectively articulate their strengths and areas for growth if questioned? If your responses lean towards infrequent or never, you might be overlooking a potent strategy for fostering student ownership of their learning journey. The National Institute […]

One, Two, Three All Eyes on Me: The Power of Visual Connection

Teacher eye contact

Student engagement is a primary focus of my work. When entering classrooms, I often observe teachers giving directions and delivering instruction while students have their heads down, writing, drawing, or basically looking anywhere but at the teacher. When addressed, the response I often hear is, “Well, some students can look distracted and still be listening.” […]

Leadership Confessions

Teacher teaching

Sometimes, the pressure for school leaders to know all the answers is overwhelming. Most of us have been taught that to be a good leader we have to lead from the front, never alongside and never behind those we serve. As a teacher, I would often tell my students, “I don’t know the answer to […]

Evolution: “Management or Die” is a Thing of the Past

Classroom Management For What? Compliance is NOT the goal When it started, CT3 Education (then, the Center for Transformative Teacher Training) partnered with districts, schools, and organizations across the nation, with a focus on improving classroom management. All of our work was rooted in the No-Nonsense Nurturer® Four Step Model, an approach to engaging students […]

Relationships: More important now than ever before.

This is a repost and certainly as timely now as it was in March 2020. This blog series is aimed at helping educators in a time of uncertainty and challenge. The cornerstone of being a No-Nonsense Nurturer is building meaningful relationships – with students, their families, and our colleagues. During this time of COVID-19, most […]

Holiday greetings

Dear partners and friends, And so we have come to the end of what feels like the longest year in recent memory. You have no doubt seen the multiple GIFs and Instagram posts calling for the rapid end to 2020, presumably so we can “get past” this difficult year. The truth is, the end of 2020 […]

Critical Race Theory Isn’t the Problem

Critical race theory (CRT), which has been around for decades, has become a catch-all for ideas, movements, curricula, teaching styles, and ideological stances, most of which are misaligned to the theory itself. Many of the things dumped into the CRT bucket don’t fit with its definition — a theoretical construct of the systemic nature of […]