Willingham emphasizes in his book, Why Don't Students Like School?, that effective teaching relies on practice, and Dewey states, "We do not learn from experience. . .we learn from reflecting on experience." With that in mind, I invite you to join me this summer on a series of reflections related to teaching children well outlined on the Summer Reflections: TeachFocus website. These reflections are based on Massachusetts' 33 elements for educator excellence as outlined in the State's new educator evaluation system.
Knowing what it takes to create classroom success, and taking the time to reflect on those elements will set the stage for a successful teaching and learning year to come. As you read and reflect, I welcome your feedback and ideas since teaching well is a collegial effort--none of us have all the answers.
