What Students Want in Their Teachers

This is a simple but powerful list of actions that students identify as important qualities in teachers. I like the idea of poling students about the qualities they value in a teacher. What a great way develop an understanding of the needs of a class.
http://www.angelamaiers.com/2012/02/12-things-kids-want-from-their-teachers.html

Are We on the Same Team?

I saw this video and had to laugh. I love the message in the video. Imagine the motivation of our students if we taught digital citizenship through social media in the classroom. How engaged would our students be if the  product of their school work could be viewed by millions of people? As teachers, we need to re-examine what we expect students to do and why. We need to teach them not only the curriculum, but skills that prepare them for life.

Team Success: How does this relate to school culture?

Below is an interesting Ted Talks video about the impact of team dynamics on success. The presenter describes how he uses a marshmallow task to assess effective team dynamics. I found it hilarious that kindergarten students are some of the highest performers in the task! Another interesting note was the impact of incentives on achievement. Have a look at the video below.