Teacher Talk
Teachers vs. Tech: Putting an Old Adversary to Good Use
By: Dr. Jerri Ward-Jackson | Aug 9, 2023
Since the first clunky cell phone rang in a silent classroom, technology’s place in education has been hotly debated. Does its potential for good outweigh its potential for disruption? Do kids need more screen time than they already get at home? Is educational technology actually beneficial or is it just a dazzling, counterproductive novelty?
To Dr. Jerri Ward-Jackson of the University of West Alabama’s College of ...
9 Conflict Resolution Strategies to Teach Students
By: Jon Konen | May 8, 2017
Conflict resolution strategies for students are the scripts a child can use when an ordinary disagreement starts: telling someone to stop, using an I message, taking a break, or walking away. Calming down is often a useful first step when it is safe to do so. Safety concerns and suspected ...
#1 Instructional Lesson for All Students on Bully Prevention
By: Jon Konen | May 8, 2017
Back to the main Bully Prevention Guide.
What is the most impactful Bully Prevention Lesson you have ever taught? What made it effective? What evidence do you have that proves your opinion?
If there were one lesson that I would recommend be taught to all students, it is a Bully Circle Lesson. We ...
11 Communication Strategies to Combat Bullying
By: Jon Konen | May 8, 2017
Back to the main Bully Prevention Guide.
If communication is the key to being proactive in stopping bullying behaviors, then why is it so hard to end? When bully behaviors continue, we definitely get frustrated on our next steps to stop them. I believe communication can solve this problem. It must include ...
Quit or Stay? Battle – Special Education
By: Mary McLaughlin | Mar 13, 2017
Once upon a time, long, long ago there was a little school in a land far, far away near a lake known for its greatness. It was a school run by the Very Well-Regarded Entity and was granted the ability to exist by an organization which had a big stake ...
Getting the New Kid
By: Mary McLaughlin | Mar 3, 2017
There are days in our teaching careers when all we can do is go home and cry.
In some cases we may cry because of what our colleagues have said or done, or we may cry because we have somehow failed our students. We may cry because of the stressors of ...
5 Reasons Why Schools Have a Difficult Time Stopping Bully Behaviors
By: Jon Konen | Mar 3, 2017
Back to the main Bully Prevention Guide.
It seems rarely that when we, teachers and administrators, investigate a bullying incident that it is cut and dry, black and white, and easy to solve. At times, we find there are two sides to every story, but we want to be empathetic to the ...
How to Raise a Defender: 7 Ways to Build an Upstander Against Bullying
By: Jon Konen | Mar 3, 2017
Back to the main Bully Prevention Guide. One important defense against bullying is helping children learn to act as upstanders rather than passive bystanders, while also giving them safe ways to involve adults and protect themselves and others. Parents and educators can support that by modeling giving, service, responsibility, real-world reflection, ...
10 Ways to Empower Defenders
By: Jon Konen | Mar 3, 2017
Back to the main Bully Prevention Guide.
THE HONEST TRUTH…WE CAN’T BE EVERYWHERE! It is hard to tell parents that we cannot be everywhere on our campus to fully supervise students. With many of our schools, the sheer space and number of students we have make it nearly impossible to provide 100% ...
So You Think You Can Be a Special Education Teacher, Eh?
By: Mary McLaughlin | Feb 11, 2017
Did you know there are millions of children with special needs who need you? No, I mean MILLIONS. Who NEEEEEED you.
According to Special Education Advisor (http://www.specialeducationadvisor.com/special-education/special-education-fast-facts-2/), there are 6,612,752 who need your support, direction, teaching skills, and since 1978, the number of children between the ages of three and twenty-one ...
5 Reasons Why Strong Instruction Affects Bully Prevention
By: Jon Konen | Feb 11, 2017
Back to the main Bully Prevention Guide.
STRONG INSTRUCTION…that’s the ticket! No one will argue that having the most effective bully prevention program and strong school policies are intricate pieces to stopping bullying, but effective instruction is even more important! After listening to Principal Kafele recently, I now understand more than ever, ...