There are many reasons something is difficult to teach. The content may be complex, you may be less confident with a topic, your students may not be receptive. When something is challenging, figure out why before making assumptions that lead to solutions that don't really help.

Where do parents and teachers want young people to go?  Do we want them only to travel down the roads most familiar to them, ones that are smooth and without any bumps?  Would we like for them to take the road less traveled, as Robert Frost put it?  intoy2014.blogspot.com/2025/11/studen…

Hope to see you today at the Carmel Clay Public Library! Drop by from 1-4 p.m. EST and get an autographed copy of my latest book...and perhaps chat a bit about education! #education #teaching #learning

All set up and ready to go at the Carmel Clay Public Library Author Fair!

So neat to see my former Guerin Catholic H.S. Latin student at the author fair…and to autograph a book for her!

Who are the teachers who inspired you to enter the field of education?  Who has shaped what you do?  When was the last time you told them how much they mean to your work? youtube.com/watch?v=nzcODv… #teaching #teachers #learning

Parents can be great supporters of what we do in the classroom, and we should support them as well. We are all after the same thing. Sharing student projects is a great way to show what their children are doing. A note from you can brighten their day, too.

Assessments are part of life. Some are used to develop skills. Others to evaluate performance. Some are necessary and some most certainly are not. How do you use assessments? How do you decide if one is necessary? How do you go about removing those that are not?

What do you do when you don’t feel like bringing it? When you don’t feel up to being happy and joyous in front of your students? youtu.be/95jIf47atQg?si… #teaching #learning

Before school or after, we often need to meet with students outside class. Yet before school or after can be the time when you need to do other things, for school or for yourself. You can't be a doormat, but you can't be unavailable either. As in all things, balance is key.

"Minor Keys and Melancholy Mists," my latest blog post, offers a look into the things that move us all, including children, most deeply. intoy2014.blogspot.com/2025/12/minor-…

What comes to mind when you hear the word "education?"  Does that image inspire and excite you?  Would it inspire and excite anyone? youtu.be/a_siO7s8OJM?si… #teaching #learning

Structure is important in a classroom. Students need a predictable environment. Yet monotony is no one's friend. Our classes must be filled with life. As in so many things, finding the balance is key. How do you balance the structured and the vibrant classroom? #teaching

It's easy in December to pivot to less academic activities to hold students' attention, yet there is work to be done. By adhering to our curriculum, we model that life goes on, even when our thoughts are elsewhere. Amid twinkling lights, we must still focus on what's important.

We made it! The end of the semester is at hand! What will you do to relax before January? In addition to relaxation, how will you restore yourself in body, mind, and spirit? It may take more energy to start back in January than it did in August.

Want to see what passion and caring look like in a teacher? Check out this interview with Kathy Nimmer, an Indiana Teacher of the Year, one of the finest educators and human beings I know, and a dear friend. #teaching #learning youtu.be/eMRPXyFY3lU?si… Kathy Nimmer

Everyone is talking about devices, but what is truly the best way to prepare our children for the technologically wild world they will inherit? intoy2014.blogspot.com/2026/02/ai-ari… #ai #philosophy #students #education

Couldn’t agree more! saraharberson.com/blog/secret-ge…

Beginning and veteran teachers alike benefit from sound advice, and you won't find better than what my friend David McGinness offers. Dave is a professor of education Taylor University, and this short video will help take your teaching to where you want it to be. youtu.be/pO2x6JjZUGc?si…

"Every Notification Is A Small Vote For Shallowness" carlhendrick.substack.com/p/how-much-cog…