Join the Club

The Quiet Harm of Othering in the Classroom She sat at the edge of the group, close enough to hear, but not close enough to belong. No one said she couldn’t join. No one had to. Othering in the classroom rarely announces itself. It does not always come in the form of exclusionary language or overt bias. It lives in the subtle patterns. Who gets called on. Whose stories are reflected in the curriculum? Who is described as “those kids”? Who is constantly “supported” but rarely

Is it Support or Control? In education, we care deeply. That is both our strength and our vulnerability. We step in because we want students to succeed. We clarify directions before confusion sets in. We remind them about deadlines. We fix formatting. We redirect quickly. We anticipate mistakes before they happen. Here is the uncomfortable leadership question: Is what I am doing truly support, or is it control? The distinction matters more than we think. A Classroom Scenario

In highly effective classrooms, learning doesn’t always look quiet or teacher-directed. When students are genuinely engaged, you may see movement, collaboration, laughter, experimentation, and curiosity unfolding in real time. To an untrained eye, it may appear unstructured, but in reality, it is purposeful, intentional, and grounded in shared routines and ownership. I learned this lesson early in my career. One Friday, while teaching 4th grade, we were reading a chapter book

Fundamental Friday: Approach with a Candle “Some will see your flame and want to blow it out… others will approach with a candle.” —...

Fundamental Friday: Becomes, Not Outcomes In education, we often hear the term' outcomes.' Test scores. Graduation rates. College...

Fundamental Friday: Sarcasm Isn’t a Classroom Management Tool Oh, wonderful. Another teacher is using sarcasm as a classroom management...