Relationships matter — but "safety first, content later" is a lie that signals low expectations. The research is clear: warm and demanding works best. Both, simultaneously. 🐯 #EdLeadership #ScienceOfReading #InstructionalLeadership #EdChat #CogSci

I spent my college finals re-reading notes and felt prepared. The research says I was wrong. Here's what actually builds long-term learning. 👇 #RetrievalPractice #TheClassroomLie #EdResearch #TeacherPD #CogSci #EdChat

Nearly 90% of teachers believe in learning styles. The research says otherwise. Time to close the gap. 🧠 #ScienceOfReading #EdResearch #CognitiveScience #CogSci #TeacherPD #TheClassroomLie

Students think rereading helps them learn. Research says the opposite. 🔬 The testing effect is one of the most powerful tools we're underusing. New post 👇 #CogSci #EdLeadership #ScienceOfLearning #FESTigers

Unlock student mastery with Rosenshine's final 5 principles! From checking understanding to spiral review — research-backed strategies every teacher needs. 🎓 #ScienceOfTeaching #Rosenshine #InstructionalPractice #EdLeadership #TeacherPD #FESTigers

Want stronger student mastery? Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction highlight what effective teachers do: review, teach in small steps, ask lots of questions, model thinking, and guide practice. Here are 5 principles every educator should revisit. #Education #Instruction #ScienceOfLearning #EdLead

Explicit or constructive? The best classrooms use both. In my latest post, I explore how cognitive science, classroom practice, and the novice-to-expert journey can guide smarter instruction. Read and share your thoughts. #EdLeadership #ScienceOfLearning #InstructionalCoaching

What can a winning football coach teach us about school leadership? 🏈📚 This reflection on Curt Cignetti highlights vision, trust, and consistency—and why they matter in education. #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolLeaders #EduLeadership #GrowthMindset #iufb #NeverDaunted

Great teaching isn’t about talking more—it’s about creating a rhythm of input and output. Learn how the “alternating principle” boosts engagement, focus, and learning in every classroom. #InstructionalCoaching #EdLeadership #EffectiveTeaching #TeacherGrowth #CognitiveLoad

Learning is a bottleneck—but we can clear the way. Discover how Cognitive Load Theory helps students succeed. #edchat #EdLeadership #ScienceOfLearning

More multi-sensory learning during the literacy block. Today, some of our kindergarten students are creating letter shapes out of Play-doh. #FESTigers #FESReads #reading #scienceofreading

First graders are using magnetic boards and letters to build words. Magnetic letters turn phonics into a tactile, interactive puzzle, helping students internalize sound-symbol relationships more deeply than with listening or writing alone. #FESTigers #FESReads #reading #SOR

💪 From workouts to classrooms, AMRAP isn't just for the gym. Learn how repetition and retrieval build stronger brains—just like stronger muscles. Tap into the power of spaced practice to boost student learning and memory! 🧠 #EdLeadership #CognitivePsychology #RetrievalPractice

Turning our southern border into a military zone isn’t just extreme—it’s a dangerous step toward martial law. History warns us. Rights are at risk. Congress must step up. Contact your legislators now. #CivilLiberties #ChecksAndBalances

Hey #bfc530! I've been using AI to help develop my vocabulary routine for the morning announcements. Loaded in the pdf of the LETRS Vocabulary Word Routine. Now I can ask it to create a routine based on a specific word. Everything I need is there. Could I do it myself? Sure. But I save so much time!

Together, we are building high levels of learning for ALL! 📚🐯 As educators, our commitment is clear—if they didn’t learn it, we must teach it differently. Let’s push every student to success and mastery! #BuildingSuccess #edchat #LearningForAll #edusky #FESTigers #Teaching

Just like orienteering, guiding student writers requires knowing both the destination and the starting point. In our latest PD, we’re mapping out writing progressions to ensure growth. Check out how we navigate this challenge! #WritingProgressions #StudentGrowth #FESTigers #edchat #edusky #FESWrites

The separation of powers exists for a reason—no single branch should hold unchecked authority. Yet, 47’s administration is testing those limits. Will history remember this as a crisis? It’s time to hold leaders accountable. Contact your reps and demand they uphold the Constitution. #Democracy

Building strong writers is like building a LEGO—skip a step, and the whole structure struggles. Every grade matters! How do you ensure your students get all the pieces they need? #WritingSuccess #FESWrites #FESTigers #edchat #edusky #learning #EdLeadership #school #inspiringschools

Yes - our district has PLCs every Tuesday. We also have collaboration time every Thursday. Both occur outside of the school day but within contract time. #bfc530

Two weeks in, and Trump’s second term is already a whirlwind. Mass firings, illegal funding freezes, and a trade war—Project 2025 is in full swing. When do we push back? 1,373 days to go. #Resist

I'm not ready to say this #NAEP data isn't impressive for Catholic schools, but in my experience, private Christian schools are ably to be selective. They can deny enrollment to students with special needs. They can deny enrollment to students who have school discipline records. #edusky

My best inspiration comes from having conversations about ideas with colleagues. As we talk, it's almost like improv... "Yes, and..." Suddenly a good idea transitions to a great idea. I always share with people that my best ideas only get better by talking with others! #bfc530

Hey @alisonstonebio.bsky.social - Last week I shared that I was working on a blog post about the novice to expert continuum. I finished it up this week and posted it this evening. Check it out and let me know what you think! #bfc530

Reflecting on 'Just Tell Them' by Zach Groshell: A must-read on teaching novices to experts along a continuum. Insights on explicit teaching, cognitive load, and learner needs. Quick, impactful read! #FESTigers #edchat #edusky #bfc530

It seems to me that a "good teacher" is one who strives to meet his/her students where they are, utilize the best methods of instruction and assessment they can, and help move those students as far along their path as possible. Often this involves collaboration, co-teaching or planning, etc. #bfc530

Hey all - I'm Brian. I'm an elementary principal in central Indiana. I'm a fourth generation educator. I guess you could say it runs in my blood. I'm on year 22 in education, some as a 5th/6th grade teacher, then an intermediate AP, and now a building principal. #bfc530

(1/3) In theory, consistency is about being disciplined, determined, and unwavering. In practice, consistency is about being adaptable. Don't have much time? Scale it down. Don't have much energy?

I've seen a few people mention this in today's responses, but a meaningful amount of time for collaboration with colleagues. Time to research. Time to schedule meetings with families. And not having to give up prep time on any given day to do these things. #bfc530

So... I've never been a kindergarten teacher trying to give my mid-year assessments while also keeping 20 students busy. I try hard not to judge, but there are times I see Epic or Prodigy or things like that being used as busy work. Can they be meaningful? Sure. Are they always? No. #bfc530

I think leaning on research is the key. Recent reading I've been doing has me rethinking a lot about how we do school. Screen time has negative impacts on students abilities to focus. Students can't do inquiry/project work without a base of background knowledge. #bfc530

We have a really wide variety of writing skills. Penmanship is all over the place. Spelling is improving in our primary grades as we focus on structured literacy. UFLI has been a huge help in this over the past couple of years. Serious drop off in 3rd and 4th though. We'll get there. #bfc530

This is an excellent post by Timothy Shanahan about supporting struggling readers, and would be especially valuable for teachers at upper grade levels trying to help students get to #readingcomprehension! #FESTigers #FESReads #reading #edusky #bfc530

Let's see... Volunteering for some fundraising for my daughter's marching band tomorrow. #NFL football of course. And then some time to read for fun. Just started reading Robert Caro's trilogy of a biography on Lyndon Johnson. I'll have time to dig into that. #bfc530

Over break, I deep-dived into Cognitive Load Theory—how mental effort affects learning. From simplifying lessons to reducing distractions, let’s optimize learning in every classroom. 🧠📚 #FESTigers #edusky #edchat #bfc530

Right now, it feels like the hardest thing is people who have never done my job feel like, for some reason, they are entitled to tell me how to do my job. Parents, legislators, community members, other elected officials... If you've never been in this spot, you don't know the decisions... #bfc530

I had this happen earlier in my career. At the time, I just let it go. I was a young teacher, and she was supposed to be a "mentor." I came to realize that just because someone was assigned that title didn't make it so. Now I'd step in. Deal with it on your time. #bfc530

I just finished a rewatch of the old seasons of Yellowstone, then watched the most recent season. Now I'm on to 1883. I find myself daydreaming about a ranch in Montana from time to time. #bfc530

It's all about genuine conversation. Asking questions, being interested in answers, and then asking follow-up questions. Nothing makes someone feel better than having a chance to talk about the things that matter most to them. #bfc530

(1/2) The average margin of victory in round 1 of the #CFBPlayoff  was just over 19 points. I watched multiple members of the #ESPN media family say that teams didn't belong and never should be invited back (ahem, #iufb). Yesterday's #NFL  wildcard games had an average margin of 17.

#edusky community, what are your thoughts? Have you faced this? How have you handled it? Successes? I'm curious to hear what you've got. #bfc530

History matters. Understanding Reconstruction’s fragile progress and the rise of the “Lost Cause” myth helps us see the dangers of rewriting January 6. Accountability is key to protecting democracy. Read more on how the past shapes the present:

Pet peeve: People who have never done my job who think they know better than me how to do my job. In particular, this seems to apply in #education with parents who believe they know how discipline, pedagogy, etc., should be handled. I don't come to your profession and critique you. Why can you?

I'm a 4th generation educator. It's in my blood. Coming up in a family of educators, it seemed like a no-brainer, but I was the 1st one to choose the elementary route. Everyone else was in the high school world. I loved working with younger kids at summer camp, so it pushed me that way. #bfc530

I want to brag about our art teacher - this year, she set a goal to collaborate with each grade level (K-4 school). She met with each team at the beginning of the year to identify something they were going to be doing that she could tie to her art curriculum. Very cool! #bfc530

All time favorite - We were coming up on the end of the year and I wanted students to reflect on things we had learned. I had them pick 1 of our units to create a children's book about. One kid made a book following a water molecule through the water cycle. Amazing! So many other good ones! #bfc530

I'm seeing a resurgence of old school books as graphic novels - Baby Sitters Club and things like that for our kids. Personally, I love to read widely. Normally a nonfiction book, a fiction book, and a professional read. Currently: Warmth of Other Suns The Naturals Just Tell Them #bfc530

Today was supposed to be our first day back for a teacher work day, but this winter storm had different plans. Buildings are closed. We got about 7 inches since yesterday, and potentially another 1.5" today. So, coffee and reading it is. Probably some scheduling work this afternoon. #bfc530

Jimmy Carter: A leader of humility and purpose. From desegregation efforts to deregulating craft beer, Carter’s presidency laid ethical, environmental, and social groundwork. His post-office legacy reshaped global health, peace, and democracy. A life well-lived.

After watching today's miserable #colts loss to the worst team in the league, locking them out of the playoffs for the 4th straight season, I can't stop thinking about this classic Jim Mora rant. #Playoffs #NFL