What’s one idea you’d put in an educator’s back pocket for the school year ahead?
This is the question we asked our partner associations. The goal was to bring educators simple actions they can learn from and actually use.
These perspectives come from different corners of education, but they share a common theme: Sometimes, meaningful change starts with one small shift.
Be a reading role model.
Try this: Keep a book on your desk and make time to read it. Then tell your students what you’re reading and ask them what’s on their own reading lists.
“Be a reading role model. There’s a difference between learning to read and becoming a reader. If we want to help students develop a lifelong love of reading, show them that teachers are readers, too. Keep your pleasure reading on your desk. Use independent reading time to catch up on reading, not work. Create opportunities to talk about what you’re reading and ask students about what they’re reading, too. It’s a lot easier to help children discover the joy of reading if they see you enjoying it yourself.”
– Nicola Wedderburn, Executive Director, International Literacy Association
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Share ownership with your students.
Try this: Instead of announcing every classroom expectation, invite students to help define what productive collaboration and respectful disagreement should look like.
“Teachers must support school and district policies, but building student agency does not mean rewriting the handbook. It is about sharing ownership with students where there is room to be flexible. Start by co-creating your daily classroom agreements (agree is the key) with your class. Ask students: ‘Within school rules, what kind of space do we need so everyone can challenge themselves, do our best thinking, and engage in discourse?’ Let them shape the expectations for how they will collaborate and navigate disagreements. Keep it relevant by taking five minutes every Friday: ‘How did our agreements hold up this week, and what can we tweak for Monday?’ When students have a hand in building the culture, following the rules becomes a matter of mutual investment, not mere compliance.”
– Joe Schmidt, President, National Council for the Social Studies
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Let students ask the questions.
Try this: Before introducing your own questions about an upcoming lesson, give students a few minutes to generate their own questions. See what they want to investigate.
“Let students ask the questions. In a traditional classroom, teachers often do most of the questioning: We ask, students answer, and then we move on. This year, try flipping that dynamic. Give students time to generate their own questions about a text, issue, or problem before you provide the answers. Ask them to identify what they want to know, investigate questions that matter to them, and use evidence to develop and defend their thinking. You don’t have to give up your role as the expert; you’re creating space for students to become curious, informed participants in their own learning. When students learn to ask good questions, they’re not just learning content; they’re developing the skills and confidence to engage with the world around them.”
– Aruna Patel, Vice President and Chief Programs Officer, The Center for Civic Education
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Bring the school librarian in earlier.
Try this: Choose one upcoming unit or assignment and invite your school librarian into the planning process early.
“Collaborative educator partnerships extend learning. I’d encourage educators to bring the school librarian into one unit or project earlier, not just when students need books or technology. Invite your school librarian to help design an inquiry question, curate diverse and credible resources, or teach students how to evaluate information. Even one co-planned lesson can make a difference. The AASL Standards emphasize inquiry, collaboration, curation, and engagement, and the school librarian is uniquely positioned to connect those skills to classroom learning. Start small and choose one upcoming assignment to ask, ‘How could our school librarian make this learning experience stronger?’ That simple partnership can benefit both classroom teachers and students.”
–April Dawkins, President, American Association of School Librarians
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SmartBrief will continue to bring practical ideas to the education community designed to spark conversation and, hopefully, make the school year a little more purposeful.Â