John Thomas

today I'm pissed off that children will starve while the wealthy finance a gilded ballroom, so I'm channeling energy & creating a food bank funding drive using my platform/connections. grateful for @prisonculture.bsky.social consistently in my feed encouraging us to do something with what we've got

The Extraordinary Impact of Drawing to Learn Podcast Episode · School of Practice · 10/28/2025 · 21m

From leftover carrot ends 🥕 ... to deeper learning 🧠?

🎧 Listen in & learn how this plant-drawing activity works in the new episode of @edutopia.org's podcast: apple.co/4qvlV2D

I begin each year asking my primary Ss when they raise a hand, if they’re OK with making a mistake. I model shrugging shoulders when I make mistakes. Doing this for the first six weeks sets the tone for encouraging everybody to contribute to discussions, even when they’re wrong.

Place-based education is SO engaging at all levels!

MISTAKE #2: ASSUMING IT'S NOT AN ACADEMIC ISSUE In my experience (personal experience in school and through teaching my primary students for two consecutive years.) I think behavior issues resulting from academic challenges is even higher than 20%!

My Annual 3-Part Summer Leadership Ritual A school leader explains how he uses the summer to reflect on what has worked well and how to adjust where necessary.

A powerful quote about working towards sustainable leadership from an @edutopia.org article for leaders by @mattpitman.com.au! “Protect your downtime fiercely. Reflect deeply. Then reimagine bravely.“ www.edutopia.org/article/summ... #edu

@edutopia PBL is SO effective with my first and second graders. I have two year long interdisciplinary units (space and animals/national parks) that I alternate years doing. They span all subjects and effectively provide my students immersive experiences for learning.

Setting Up Standards-Based Grading in a Traditional School Individual teachers may feel like they can’t implement standards-based grading on their own, but an educator who managed it in a variety of schools over a decade explains how it can be done.

Instructional coach @mrrablin.bsky.social shows teachers how to begin with standards-based grading, breaking the work down with practical, usable strategies. 💯

#assessment #EduSky

Some books don't just shape us as people—they transform how we show up in our classrooms.

Teachers, what book shaped you?

#EdChat #EduSky #teachers

A definite #2 on my list!

That’s a top 5 for me.

Harry and Rosemary Wong’s The First Days of School.

#EduInFocus. Q3: What’s something you used to believe about instructional rounds, but no longer do?

The final question in this #EduInFocus slow chat:

What’s something you used to believe about instructional rounds, but no longer do?

We’d love to hear your thoughts! 💭

Question: What’s your strategy for when a student finishes an in-class assignment early?

What’s your strategy for when a student finishes an in-class assignment early? #EdChat #EduSky

If a student is an early finisher, knows how to explain their work, and already has great SEL and communication skills established, they usually have enrichment/challenge work of another kind available to them or I let them read more. 3 of 3

So for those students, I typically have them be support for other students to give them time to work on communication skills and explaining their thinking to other students. 2 of 3

Depends on the student. I have some students who are early finishers because they know the academic really well, but they struggle w/social emotional & communication pieces. Oftentimes those are the students who can’t explain the why or what they did in math or the reading just comes easy. 1 of

#EduInFocus. Q2: What insights have your rounds uncovered, and how have they informed next steps? A slow chat series brought to you by Edutopia.

Q2 in this slow chat: What insights have your rounds uncovered, and how have they informed next steps?

Join the conversation anytime using #EduInFocus. 🔍 💬

Look out for the next question tomorrow at noon PT.

#EduInFocus. This chat’s topic: Making Instructional Rounds Matter. A slow chat series brought to you by Edutopia.

Welcome to #EduInFocus! 🔍

This time, we’re bringing instructional rounds into focus, and our host is @jorgedoespbl.bsky.social.

Join us for this slow chat as we explore how they can inspire learning and growth. We want to hear from you!

So true!

Such great tips here! Thanks @edutopia.org

Making the Library a More Welcoming Space By offering flexible areas and creative activities that give students a chance to relax and connect, the library can become a haven for belonging—and the heart of a school.

Checking out books is just the beginning! This library is the school’s social hub. 👥 📖

Discover how they’re going beyond traditional library practices—and creating a space where students feel like they belong.

#TLSky #Skybrarians

VERY helpful. I student taught in first grade. Then started my career teaching third grade. Now I have a combined first and second grade class. Having taught the next grade(and a previous grade as well,) has certainly helped me understand where my students are headed academically and developmentally

“Aside from the soothing, calming effects of being read to, research on the importance of reading aloud to children from an early age finds that read-aloud experiences not only expand children’s vocabulary but also help develop their social and emotional and creative and critical thinking skills.” —Heather Sanderell, Educator

Try these activities to maximize the impact of read-alouds in your preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary classroom! edut.to/45hpfWK

#PreK #kindergarten #literacy #EarlyChildhoodEducation

If you're seeing this, you're probably interested in:

🧰 Practical teaching strategies
📊 Research-backed practices
💡 Stories from real educators

Follow our team for *even more* posts in your feed highlighting what works in education!

#EduSky #teachers #education

I agree, that’s a huge aha moment for students. Fractions can be such a challenging concept for some.

6 Ways to Inspire Intrinsic Motivation in Elementary Students These strategies encourage students to explore, learn, and grow without the expectation of rewards.

“Intrinsic motivation serves as the foundation for lifelong learning,” @techysewell.com says. These practical strategies can help cultivate it. 🌻

#ElementaryTeacher #EduSky

Cultivating Curiosity in Kindergarten Teachers can support students’ natural curiosity by creating a spot for them to post their questions, which can be the basis for future lessons.

Create a dedicated space in your classroom that encourages engagement, amplifies student voice, and guides learning! Here’s how. 🌟

#kindergarten #StudentEngagement

Wearing the ‘Student Hat’ Working to understand the students’ experience of the class gives teachers a way to see where they can make improvements.

You wear a lot of hats as a teacher. 🧢 Here’s how putting on the “student hat” can help you create a classroom that’s more human, more connected, and more effective.

#teachers #EduSky #StudentEngagement

From teach.reflect.repeat on IG: “My favourite thing to do before introducing a concept is asking students open-ended questions!

Why?

🧠 It helps shows what they they already know

🗣️they have to explain their thinking

💛 they learn to understand each others perspective”

#MathSky #ITeachMath