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This link directs to a podcast with Brené Brown and Karen Walrond about finding joy and maintaining resilience. I hope to access this again when I find myself lacking hope in this difficult career.

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Brené with Karen Walrond on Accessing Joy and Finding Connection in the Midst of Struggle

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A deeply healing conversation with my friend Karen Walrond on how to access joy-especially during times when it feels so far out of reach.

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This link directs to Jo Boaler's blog. Jo Boaler is a fantastic math educator who creates equity based curriculum.

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Who Am I?

A Dedicated Educator

I am a Stanford professor and my goal is to have all learners - and all people - know they are limitless. This website is a place where I share my own ideas and thoughts. It is not affiliated with Stanford University. I work to remove the structural barriers that stop students going forward, including systemic racism - and share the strategies that empower teachers to be their most effective. I love beautiful, creative mathematics and know that people are changed when they experience mathematics in this way. I also know that when we teach multidimensional mathematics, many more students are successful. When we give students a rich, creative, growth experience, we change them as people, the ways they interact with the world, and the new opportunities that become open to them. This work is part of the on-going struggle for the more equitable and just society that we all need.

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A Dedicated Educator I am a Stanford professor and my goal is to have all learners - and all people - know they are limitless. This website is a place where I share my own ideas and thoughts. It is not affiliated with Stanford University.

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Math Lessons to Explore Social Injustices

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Math Lessons to Explore Social Injustices

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Another wonderful book full of lessons on many different social justice issues. This is a good resource for unit end lessons.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain is a great resource to hold on to and refer back to when struggling with my own teaching practices (don't forget it is available online!).

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CASEL's website explains how SEL is connected to educational equity and how to implement SEL in the classroom.

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Most people agree that it is important for young people to have trusting relationships, a sense of purpose and belonging, and to learn and practice the skills needed to work toward their goals and contribute to their communities. That is why social and emotional learning (SEL) is important-because it can help create educational opportunities and environments that promote learning and practicing social, emotional, and academic skills, all of which are fundamental to healthy human development.

If we really want all students to leave school having developed certain academic, social, personal, and cultural capacities, we need to think really carefully about whether we as educators are creating the types of experiences that we know from research will help develop those capacities.

In what ways does SEL advance equity and excellence?
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SEL can be a powerful lever for creating caring, just, inclusive, and healthy schools that support all young people in reaching their fullest potential. In the context of SEL, equity and excellence refers to every student-across race, ethnicity, family income levels, learning abilities, home language, immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other factors-engaging in high-quality educational opportunities and environments that best promote their healthy social, emotional, and academic development.

SEL advances educational equity and excellence by:

1. Supporting authentic school-family-community partnerships where young people, families, educators, and community partners work together to plan, implement, and continuously improve strategies and programs to best serve all students in their local context. SEL helps stakeholders develop the skills and relationships to communicate and collaborate effectively across different perspectives and backgrounds.

2. Fostering trusting and collaborative relationships where educators can attune to and appreciate students' developmental needs and unique strengths; develop deeper awareness of students' cultures, backgrounds, and learning differences; and create classroom environments that are inclusive of all learners. SEL helps young people and adults learn and practice empathy, perspective taking, and active listening to build deeper connections with one another.

3. Promoting rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction that sets high standards and expectations for all students and actively engages them in developing academic, social, and emotional skills to achieve their goals and contribute to their communities. Evidence-based SEL programs and approaches help ensure all students have consistent opportunities to learn and practice developmentally-appropriate skills that help them thrive.

4. Applying ongoing evaluation of policies, practices, and outcomes to ensure all students are treated fairly, have access to supportive learning environments, engage in high-quality educational opportunities and programs, and achieve excellence in academic, social, and emotional outcomes. SEL implementation grounded in research and continuous improvement helps drive efforts toward equitable and optimal outcomes.

By prioritizing SEL, educators, families, communities, and students can work together to develop skills and create learning environments and experiences that more fully nurture the development of all young people so that they can thrive.

Why is equity and excellence essential to CASEL's work?
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We are driven by a vision of all children and adults as self-aware, caring and connected, responsible, engaged, and lifelong learners who work together to achieve their goals and create a more inclusive, just, and equitable world. The field of SEL was born out of a desire to ensure young people have the knowledge, skills, and competencies to succeed in school and in life.

To learn best, young people need to be surrounded by trusting relationships and environments where they feel motivated and engaged, emotionally and physically safe, and a sense of belonging among adults and peers. This requires making sure that educational policies treat students fairly and that all students have caring teachers who believe they can succeed. To fully support all students' SEL, adults need to understand their own biases and expectations, develop awareness of students' cultures and backgrounds, and acknowledge and challenge any inequitable practices and/or policies that can limit or harm the development of children.

CASEL's work promotes partnerships among schools, families, and communities in order to prioritize what is best for their children and in their communities. SEL can support young people and adults in reflecting on and expressing their perspectives, listening to and building connections with those who have different viewpoints and experiences, and working together toward personal and collective goals.

What are we exploring through our learning agenda?
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Our commitment to equity, excellence, and evidence undergirds all aspects of our work across , Implementation , and . Our SEL framework provides a foundation for all communities to use evidence-based SEL strategies to define and advance the goals of equity and excellence in ways that are most meaningful to their local context. We guide schools, districts, and states in the systemic implementation of SEL, which both fosters and depends upon equitable learning environments where all students and adults feel respected, valued, and affirmed in their individual interests, talents, social identities, cultural values, and backgrounds.

As we've partnered with districts to advance SEL toward their priorities, we've also documented many of the specific strategies that education leaders are using to promote equity and excellence. These include communicating explicitly about SEL as a lever for equity and excellence, prioritizing adult learning and critical reflection, elevating students' voice and agency, partnering with families on culturally responsive approaches to SEL, and using SEL data strategies to build more equitable learning environments. Learn more about how districts are advancing SEL as a lever for equity and excellence. Download the report.

There is still much to learn about how SEL can advance equity and excellence. As part of our research agenda, we are focused on exploring how Transformative SEL can support equitable learning environments and related developmental outcomes for children, adolescents, and adults.

is a term that refers to applying the SEL framework toward the goals of creating equitable settings and systems and promoting justice-oriented school and civic engagement. Through our long-term learning agenda and ongoing collaboration with practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, CASEL continues deepening what is known about the implementation, influences, and impacts of high-quality transformative SEL. This research work is in its initial stages and is ongoing. Practical insights from expert voices will be shared as the work evolves. Transformative SEL Learn more about Transformative SEL.

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How Does SEL Support Educational Equity and Excellence? - CASEL

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Most people agree that it is important for young people to have trusting relationships, a sense of purpose and belonging, and to learn and practice the

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An article about the importance of scaffolding and safe discomfort in the learning environment.

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Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist whose work was controversial in what was then the Soviet Union, came up with the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) to describe an optimal learning environment. Think of it as something like a "Goldilocks Theory." Sometimes work is too easy. Sometimes work is too hard. And sometimes work is just right. When the work is just right, it creates an optimal learning environment.﻿﻿

Comfort vs. Frustration in Learning

When work is easy, learners can do the work on their own without any help. It is their "comfort zone." If all the work a learner is asked to do is always in the comfort zone, no learning will take place. In fact, a learner will eventually lose interest. When the work is too hard, on the other hand, the learner becomes frustrated. Even with help, learners in the "frustration zone" are likely to give up.

The area between the comfort zone and the frustration zone is the one where learning will take place, the ZPD theory suggests. It is the area where a learner will need some help or will need to work hard to understand the concept or complete the task at hand. This is the zone of proximal development.

Why Structured Learning Environments Matter

Vygotsky also believed that even naturally curious children would not advance far without a structured learning environment. He advocated for teachers to give students difficult material to learn, believing that a child's intelligence rested in their problem-solving abilities rather than the volume of what they know. He believed that the ability to absorb new knowledge depended on the availability and quality of instruction a student received, as well as the student's previous learning.

Language and the ability to communicate were key components of the ZPD since children develop cognitive skills from others through dialogue, the theory posits.

Vygotsky's work was little known outside the Soviet Union during his lifetime. His theories did not become well known in Western countries until the 1970s. His work is well-known among child development specialists, although not always met with agreement, and most have been refined since his original theses were written.

The Concept of Scaffolding

Those refinements include the concept of "scaffolding," which refers to changing how much support a child receives in a learning environment based on their own learning ability and potential.﻿﻿

If a child is struggling with a specific concept or task over time, they receive more support. But as the child comes to understand a concept, the amount of guidance (or scaffolding, which is a temporary support of a structure in the process of being built), is adjusted appropriately. Even though it was an idea developed long after Vygotsky had died, scaffolding is seen as necessary to keep a child's progress moving forward in the ZPD.

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The Zone of Proximal Development in Child Cognitive Theory

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Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist whose work was controversial in what was then the Soviet Union, came up with the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) to describe an optimal learning environment. Think of it as something like a "Goldilocks Theory." Sometimes work is too easy.

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An article on productive and actionable feedback.

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"Nice work." "Great job." "Powerful sentence." Even though I knew they wouldn't mean much to students, these vague and ineffective comments made their way into my writing feedback recently. As I watched myself typing them, I knew I was in a rut. My critical comments, on the other hand, were lengthy and detailed. Suggestions and corrections abounded. I realized that I was focused too much on correcting student work and not enough on the goal of giving rich positive feedback.

As a writer, I know how hard it is when the negative feedback outweighs the positive. We all have things to work on, but focusing only on what to fix makes it hard to feel that our skills are seen and appreciated. My students put so much work into their writing, and they deserve more than my two-word positive sentences.

I wanted out of the rut, so I turned to my favorite professional network-teacher Twitter-and asked for help. "What are your favorite positive comments to make about student writing?" I asked. Here are some of the amazing responses and the themes that emerged from more than 100 replies from teachers.

Give a Window Into Your Experience as the Reader

Students typically can't see us while we're experiencing their writing. One genre of powerful positive comments: insights that help students understand how we responded as readers. Teacher Amy Ludwig VanDerwater shared these sentence stems, explaining that "commenting on our reading experience before the craft of writing is a gift":

This part really moved me.

I laughed out loud when I read this line.

Your writing makes me think...

You opened up a door in my mind.

Now I am questioning...

Now I am connecting to...

Now I am remembering...

On a similar note, Virginia S. Wood shared: "I will tell them if I smiled, laughed, nodded my head, pumped my fist while reading their work, and I'll tell them exactly where and why."

I used Wood's advice recently when I looked through a student's project draft that delighted me. I wrote to her, "I have the biggest smile on my face right now. This is such an awesome start."

Giving students insight into our experience as readers helps to connect the social and emotional elements of writing. Positive comments highlighting our reading experience can encourage students to think about their audience more intentionally as they write.

Recognize Author's Craft and Choices

Effective feedback can also honor a student's voice and skills as a writer. Pointing out the choices and writing moves that students make helps them feel that we see and value their efforts. Joel Garza shared, "I avoid 'I' statements, which can seem more like a brag about my reading than about their writing." Garza recommends using "you" statements instead, such as "You crafted X effect so smoothly by..." or "You navigate this topic in such an engaging way, especially by..." and "You chose the perfect tone for this topic because..."

Similarly, seventh-grade teacher Jennifer Leung suggested pointing out these moments in this way: "Skillful example of/use of (transition, example, grammatical structure)." This can also help to reinforce terms, concepts, and writing moves that we go over in class.

Rebekah O'Dell, coauthor of A Teacher's Guide to Mentor Texts, gave these examples of how we might invoke mentor texts in our feedback:

"What you're doing here reminds me of (insert mentor text)..."

"I see you doing what (insert mentor writer) does..."

O'Dell's advice reinforced the link between reading and writing. Thinking of these skills together helps us set up feedback loops. For example, after a recent close reading activity, I asked students to name one lesson they had learned from the mentor text that they could apply to their own writing. Next time I give writing feedback, I can highlight the places where I see students using these lessons.

Another teacher, Grete Howland, offered a nonjudgmental word choice. "I like to use the word 'effective' and then point out, as specifically as I can, why I found something effective. I feel like this steers away from 'good'/'bad' and other somewhat meaningless judgments, and it focuses more on writing as an exchange with a reader."

Celebrate Growth

Positive feedback supports student progress. Think of positive comments as a boost of momentum that can help students continue to build their identity as writers. Kelly Frazee recommended finding specific examples to help demonstrate growth, as in "This part shows me that you have improved with [insert skill] because compared to last time..." As teachers, we often notice growth in ways that our students may not recognize about themselves. Drawing out specific evidence of growth can help students see their own progress.

Finally, I love this idea from Susan Santone, an instructor at the University of Michigan: When students really knock it out of the park, let them know. Santone suggested, "When my students (college level) nail something profound in a single sentence, I write 'Tweet!' 'Put this onto a T-shirt!' or 'Frame this and hang it on a wall!'-in other words, keep it and share it!"

These ideas are all great starting points for giving students meaningful positive feedback on their writing. I've already started to use some of them, and I've noticed how much richer my feedback is when positive and constructive comments are equally detailed. I'm looking forward to seeing how these shifts propel student writing. Consider trying out one of these strategies with your students' next drafts.

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How to Give Positive Feedback on Student Writing

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"Nice work." "Great job." "Powerful sentence." Even though I knew they wouldn't mean much to students, these vague and ineffective comments made their way into my writing feedback recently. As I watched myself typing them, I knew I was in a rut. My critical comments, on the other hand, were lengthy and detailed.

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Here is all of the resources I want saved for future use.

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With the mistakes I do make, I hope that I will reflect and noticeably change as a result of that reflection. I want to show students that reflection is a large part of learning. When classes did not go in a way that I was satisfied with I need to journal, reflect, and come up with ways to improve.

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In order to promote students learning autonomy I will begin the course by having them make up norms for their class. Students are more likely to follow norms that they create themselves. Having the norms listed clearly in the classroom allows us to be reminded of them and if students violate the norms, we will be able to focus on resolving that issue.

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I need to learn to give myself and students grace to be a better educator. I tend to be hard on myself when I make mistakes but that does not model positive behavior for my students. We are all growing and deserve grace. This does not mean that hate will be welcome in my classroom but it does mean that there are always more chances to be given. With myself this grace looks like taking care of myself when my resilience feels lacking. For students this looks like forgiving behavior and not tying negative emotions to that student.

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Many students learn more when they are able to work together and see different perspectives. They can get further in the problem solving process because they have a group with varying skills and they will retain some of the process more because they are able to bounce ideas off of their peers.

Group work is also a great time for community building. Students are able to get to know their classmates and problem solve as a community.

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Low floor high ceiling problems allow for students of varying understandings to receive adequate information from the same problem. These problems are also a great way to have students work in groups and learn new problem solving techniques. Scaffolding is involved in making good low floor high ceiling problems to ensure that there is enough information for any student to get to the "ceiling" of each problem.

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I want to make sure that I am a tellable adult for students. Students deserve to have an adult that they trust to have around. I hope to be that adult (while directing to school counselors whenever necessary). Middle schoolers have constantly changing identities and they need to feel safe in order to explore them. I will validate and affirm, have at least one conversation with each student each day, and make my classroom a welcoming space to promote developing identities.

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Math classes are often seen as the easiest to give feedback in but I find giving useful feedback in math classes very difficult. Circling mistakes and showing the amount of points deducted does not help students know why their work was wrong or the skills they need to improve in. I want to give detailed feedback that shows students the skills they need to work on, how to do the problem correctly, and praising logical thought processes.

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The power of teaching students with their socioemotional learning in mind enables more academic learning to take place. My job as an educator is to prepare well rounded people to enter the world. Arguably the most important piece of preparing students is preparing their social and emotional selves. I hope that everyone learns both content and SEL in my class but I would be happy if they left only having learned SEL.

I will use reason-first directions and affirmations to make sure the students feel heard and seen in my class.

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I hope to utilize the blatant facts of math to show inequities in world. People explain social justice issues with numbers to show the severity. My classes will use data and mathematics to help students come to their own conclusions about the inequities they will see in the world.

On top of that, these lessons are a real world application of everyday mathematics. Social justice lessons make not only the issues real but the math itself real.

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I often encounter students who have negative things to say about themselves, math, or their mathematical abilities. Hammond's "back talk" strategy is something that I will certainly be utilizing in my teaching (having students refute their own negative self-talk and readjust the phrasing). Students do not always need to feel bright and cheery about mathematics but it is important that they feel good about themselves. Every student deserves to feel capable.

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I want to make sure every student leaves my classroom feeling good about my class. While some of the classes may be tackling tough topics, it is important to feel like we were working towards good in class. The entire class does not need to be optimistic (in fact it will not be) but for the purpose of community care we need to end with optimism.

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I want to make it clear that students are welcome in my classroom and hate is not. By having inviting and kind art, quotes, and student art, students will know that they are safe in this classroom. The classroom is supposed to be a comforting place for students and I want to communicate that with them at the very least through decor.

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I need to prepare and be able to adjust when lessons inevitably go according to plan. For me this looks like anticipating student responses, being aware of the students and the distractions they are prone to, and having a plan B in case that lesson is not working. Soldiering through a lesson just because I planned it for that day will not help students who need something else on that day. In order to keep myself and my students sane I need to be flexible in our lessons.

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I hope to build a classroom and a community that is comforting for students to be in for both academic and social situations. For community building outside of class time, I want to have an open classroom for lunches if possible. Having an open classroom helps students communicate more clearly with me and feel more comfortable in my classroom.

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Doing check-ins (5 finger check-ins, thumbs up or down, blob people, silly questions) builds a classroom community and helps each of the students feel cared for. It is important for students to be checked-in on and start classes on a fun note. More important than the content that I teach the students is a positive, safe, and welcoming classroom.