Nikki Schwartz

ALT Did You Know? Simple words of greetings and encouragement can dramatically improve classroom dynamics. A 2018 study found that welcoming students at the door increased academic engagement by 20 percentage points and reduced classroom disruptions by 9 percentage points. Likewise, a 2017 study concluded that prosocial activities like morning meetings can reduce disruptions by up to 75 percent. Source: Cook et al., 2018; Cook et al., 2019

ALT “Be consistent, but flexible. Love them unconditionally, but hold them accountable. Give them voice, but be the leader.” —Rae Rudzinski, Teacher

ALT “Teaching is a creative profession, not a delivery system. Great teachers do [pass on information], but what great teachers also do is mentor, stimulate, provoke, engage.” —Sir Ken Robinson

ALT “Hard conversations don’t have to be mean conversations. They don’t have to take on a detached or authoritarian tone. Holding people to their greatness is perhaps one of the most loving actions we can take. Real accountability isn’t a ‘gotcha.’ It’s an ‘I see you.’” —Amy Fast, Principal