Awesome Sauce of Life
This week's topics include Tom Geigner's earned wisdom, teacher advice, and the power of social connections.
This week’s newsletter comes to you from Lake Zurich, Illinois, where we are on a family Thanksgiving road trip. This past week, I’ve been thinking about gratitude for family and friends (see #3). I think I even created a new t-shirt slogan inspired by a phrase one of my 8th graders shared.
“Family and friends are the awesome sauce of life.”
This week, there is a heaping serving of "earned wisdom" from Tom Geigner. His wisdom is something we should all take notes on. Make yourself a leftover turkey sandwich to munch on while reading his responses below.
Jeremy Jorgensen
1 - Teacher Advice
Other educators are often the best form of professional development. Here are some wisdom nuggets from a recent Ed Week article. Amanda Jansen recommends differentiating math tasks by providing multiple entry points, while Maegan Bowersox emphasizes the importance of addressing every student by name daily to build meaningful connections. Cindy Garcia advocates for implementing SWiRL (Speaking, Writing, Reading, Listening, and Interacting) opportunities to maximize student voice and engagement in the classroom. PJ Caposey suggests moving exit tickets earlier in-class time for immediate feedback and utilizing spare minutes for student-parent communication through technology. What would your number one teaching tip be?
2 - Education Department
A new bill making its way through Congress proposes a dramatic transformation of America's educational system. The "Returning Education to Our States Act" would abolish the federal Department of Education within one year of enactment, transferring the majority of its functions and funding directly to state governments. Under this legislation, states would gain unprecedented control over education policy and spending decisions. While most federal education programs would shift to state control, certain critical functions like Pell Grants and federal student loans would be preserved and relocated to other federal departments. “Research and data collection is one of the primary jobs of the Department of Education. They collect and analyze data on all aspects of education to determine trends and disseminate this information to Congress and the public. This information is used to request future funding levels. They also support ongoing research on critical issues in education, including but not limited to determining the most effective interventions to teach children and youth.” It’s those critical issues in education that might fall through the cracks depending on which state you live in.
3 - Awesome Sauce of Life - Family and Friends
In a world where loneliness is increasingly common, building strong social connections can literally add years to one's life and dramatically improve one's overall well-being. Through daily actions, weekly goals, and monthly commitments, anyone can build and maintain meaningful connections with family and chosen family members, leading to a more fulfilling and connected life.
4 - Inner Strength
My inner strength comes from my friends. I have a very close group of friends and family, and we all help each other through our dark times. - Kathy Bates
5 - Teacher Commuter Playlist - Sweet Gingerbread Man by Sammy Davis Jr.
This song has been played “on repeat” around our house recently. Here’s a little taste of the action.
Choose Your Own Adventure
- How do you feel about saving the snow days?
- Could Fortnight offer educational benefits?
- Here is a good list of professional and personal development books that could help you make positive changes in the New Year. Any purchase helps support this site.
Beware: While the creatures below may appear cute and harmless, don’t be fooled! They have a gift for early morning wake-up calls, and a nose for food left unsupervised on countertops.
Dany and Drogo
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