I’ve heard many conversations lately surrounding the new generation of students that are just now entering college or the workforce. They are venturing out on their own for the first time and attempting to find their way. It’s exciting for them to enter into this newfound independence, and many of them are bright-eyed and enthusiastic… Continue reading On Compliance [Part 1: Wait for Directions]
Author: kngiordano
Sixth grade teacher. Wife. Cat mom. Coffee enthusiast.
Who are you as a writer?
I’ve been considering this question for some time, even more after hearing Pernille Ripp’s “Creating Passionate Writers” talk at nErDcampMI. It’s such a complex question with many facets, and one that took a lot of inner reflection and consideration to answer. Mainly because, until I really sat down and started allowing myself to write freely,… Continue reading Who are you as a writer?
Finding Hermione
Holy cow. I just got home from nErDCampMI and let me tell you, I am riding on cloud nine right now! Such an incredibly motivating, exciting, and reflective experience for educators. This is sure to be the first of several blog posts inspired by the two days I’ve just had as there are countless messages… Continue reading Finding Hermione
Why I Encourage Cell Phones in the Classroom
You’re in your classroom teaching your heart out, really delivering the lesson on intensive vs. reflexive pronouns when all of a sudden, a phone starts going off. You stop talking, every kid is looking around, and you find the one student scrambling around trying to make the noise stop as quickly as possible. Their face… Continue reading Why I Encourage Cell Phones in the Classroom
From Mentee to Mentor
In the world of education, the topic of mentoring comes up incredibly often. In a profession where a growing number of people leave within the first five years, it makes sense that we would focus on how to help new teachers adjust to the stresses of the job. Between grading, attending meetings, learning new policies,… Continue reading From Mentee to Mentor
What REALLY happens when you give students choice & voice in the classroom
Recently, my district has been making a shift toward a more personalized learning structure for our students. As part of this, we have implemented a variety of pieces of the personalized learning honeycomb. As professionals, we are each implementing new aspects into our classrooms, moving at our own paces. To be quite honest, I’ve been… Continue reading What REALLY happens when you give students choice & voice in the classroom
I Will Never Be The Quiet One
The strong, silent type. The one who rarely speaks, yet when they do, it speaks volumes. The powerful introvert with confidence, grace, and dignity. As a society, we think so highly of these people and often view them with such regard. I know I’ve shared this sentiment. Their stoic nature is admirable, and I’ve found… Continue reading I Will Never Be The Quiet One
Immortality Discovered
For thousands of years, humans have been on the quest for immortality. The Fountain of Youth has been sought after by some of the most notable explorers and conquerors of their age. Centuries of philosophers, writers, scholars, and everyday people have lamented over aging and death. This desire for eternal life and to remain young… Continue reading Immortality Discovered
To the teacher who changed my life
I often talk, and write, about how important a profession teaching is. I spend a lot of time reflecting on how meaningful our impact is on our students. It is arguably one of the most significant vocations that exists. With such strong feelings toward education, it might seem like this profession is one that I… Continue reading To the teacher who changed my life
One Teacher’s Argument Supporting Standards-Based Grading Reform
Traditionally, grades have been viewed as a black-and-white point value or percentage that corresponds with a letter on a given scale. These letters and percentages have been assigned meaning through various educational stakeholders to the degree that influential and important decisions are made using them. This ABCDF grading scale is mistakenly perceived as fair and… Continue reading One Teacher’s Argument Supporting Standards-Based Grading Reform
