Susan ‘s Articles for
Education
Susan ‘s Articles for
Education
From Chaos to Confidence: Why Personalized Learning Strategies Help All Learners Thrive
Let’s be honest—today’s classrooms are more complex than ever. We’ve got fast finishers, slow processors, fidgeters, dreamers, doodlers, and kids who ask, “Why are we doing this?” before you’ve...
I asked ChatGPT what cartoon character best represents me… Guess what it came up with!
Here's what ChatGPT said about me: Based on what I’ve learned about you from your writing, teaching, and professional work, I would say the cartoon character you most resemble is Ms. Frizzle from...
Learning Starts with Safety: How Classroom Culture Sets the Stage for Growth
Before any real learning can happen, students must feel emotionally safe. They need to know they are seen, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves. That is why the foundation of...
The Power of Student Voice: Motivation Strategies That Actually Work
Motivating struggling learners isn’t about bribing them—it’s about knowing them. When students feel seen and understood, they engage differently. They ask questions, take more risks, and begin to...
Why Your Mindset About Student Potential Might Be Holding Them Back
Shift the Mindset, Shift the Outcomes: Why What We Believe About Students Matters Most When we believe students are capable, they start to believe it too. But when they are told, directly or...
Meeting Student Needs and Moving Forward: Strategies That Work
When students in your classroom are not progressing at the same rate or better as their peers, supplement their learning with researched based strategies that increase achievement. These are also...
Draw It So You’ll Know It – A Teaching Strategy for Visual Learners
Teachers often present information verbally and linguistically. However, many of our students are visual learners. A substantial amount of our brain power is devoted to visual processing. When we...
Know & Adjust the Reading Level of Text
Do You Know the Reading Level of Student Texts and Handouts? I’m a firm believer that teachers need to know the reading level of the materials they use in the classroom. So often, the materials...
Teaching Strategies for Students in the Autistic Spectrum
Communicating to the Student Be concrete and specific. Avoid using vague terms like later, maybe, or “Why did you do that?” Avoid idioms, double meanings, and sarcasm. Use gestures, modeling, and...
A Solution for Students Who Rock and Fidget in Their Seats
Students who tip back on two legs of their chairs in class often are stimulating their brain with a rocking, vestibular-activating motion. They are trying to wake up their (brain’s) vestibular...
Ask Susan: What to Do When Flexible Seating Becomes A Problem
Dear Susan: I have some flexible seating available for my students. Do you have any suggestions on how to manage it when it becomes more of a distraction for the other students? A: Implementing...
Creating Cohesion: Why Principals and Leaders Must Join Teacher Trainings
The Importance of Unified Training During my coaching work, I often see the high cost of having teachers attend training without their principals or department leaders. For example, I did...