Podcast Archives - Page 25 of 25

Aug 24 2016

What Happens to Behavior When You Incorporate Student Choice?

By John Spencer Podcast 5 Comments

My hardest year of teaching involved a sixth grade self-contained class about four years ago. Somehow, I got off on the wrong foot. I had just been an instructional coach and I felt, on some level, that I could handle any classroom situation. I was…

Aug 16 2016

As Much Freedom As Possible

By John Spencer Empowering Students, Podcast 2 Comments

When I was a kid, I loved learning but I hated school. That's not entirely true. I loved my teachers. I liked some of my classmates. I even enjoyed some of the assignments. However, I hated the non-stop sense of compliance. Things like: Binder checks,…

Aug 13 2016

What Three Ice Cream Shops Can Teach Us About Choice and Differentiation

By John Spencer Empowering Students, Podcast, Student Choice One Comment

Baskin Robbins offers 31 flavors. The rotation changes each month, so I'm guessing there are probably hundreds if not thousands of flavors that they create. If you're looking for choice, this is place is it. And there's a good chance you'll find something that you…

Aug 09 2016

Can Less Choice Lead to More Creativity?

By John Spencer Podcast, Student Choice One Comment

Important News: You can now listen to this blog in podcast format below. The feed should be available on iTunes and Stitcher soon: We step out of the car and instantly my kids start shivering. They say nothing, stoically bracing against a wind that seems…

Aug 05 2016

What happens when kids struggle with student choice?

By John Spencer Empowering Students, Podcast, Student Choice One Comment

When I first transitioned from using writing prompts to doing thematic blogs, I attempted a middle ground. I offered a list of three writing ideas and a fourth described as "free choice." To my surprise, only a few students chose the free choice option. Students seemed…

Aug 03 2016

Ten Ways to Leverage Student Choice in Your Classroom

By John Spencer Empowering Students, Podcast, Student Choice 10 Comments

Subscribe to YouTube Channel My kids participate in an amazing hands-on learning experience every summer. It's called home. It's where they write stories, paint pictures, go on expeditions, visit parks, read books, and build things with duct tape and cardboard. For the entire summer,…