It’s Thursday. In social media circles, a major trend is to devote Thursdays to revisiting past ideas, classic photos, and more. It’s called Throwback Thursday and is often accompanied by the hashtag #tbt. In the spirit of #tbt, here are five of my favorite blog posts from 2013 that you should revisit or read for the very first time.
Gooey Gray Mud – In which a slog through a muddy salt marsh reminds us that science is best when it’s hands-on.
Hi, Bob – I watched some reruns of The Bob Newhart Show, and one particular episode takes a look at Dr. Robert Hartley’s struggle as a psychologist during a school’s Career Day. Do you or your school have Career Days? What are they like?
If Student Test Results Determine Your Future – “Is a student best summarized by a test score? …Whether you’ve taught for just a year or you’re on the verge of retirement after a long and fulfilling career in the classroom, you know the answer. And that answer, to state the obvious, is no.” You wouldn’t want to be summed up with one word; why should we summarize a student with a number?
Time Out for Test Prep – Have you ever stopped to calculate the amount of class time you’ve devoted to preparing your students for a test? Some of you might say you spend the entire year doing it. I’d very much like to know how you feel about it.
Theory Into Practice – In which I consider the platypus, the mixing of chocolate and peanut butter, and teaching a class full of seventh graders the word masticate. Some ideas work; others don’t. What recent educational theories have you successfully implemented in your classroom?