How to Teach Problem and Solution in First Grade In this episode of The Education Connection, we're continuing our Writing About Reading series by looking at how to introduce problem and solution to our youngest readers and writers. First graders are expected to understand plot, retell stories, and identify important events. Learning to recognize a story's problem and how it is solved can help build that understanding. And first grade doesn't always have to be about mastery. Sometimes we're pl

Summer Week 4: For the Win, Be Your Own Teacher - FAAF 273 In this 273rd episode, I share my reflections from August 17-21, 2026. Check out the WHOLE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I put together with all the listens mentioned below: >>> bit.ly/E273FreshAirAtFivePlaylist <<< 18th: The Easy EdTech Podcast E384 “The Science of Lesson Planning in the Age of AI with Lori Cohen” 19th: Teachers On Fire “Why I'm Leaving the Classroom This Year (After 25 Years)”; The 10 Minute Teacher Podcase E972 “What Happens to

The routines we create shape the way we lead, the way we show up, and the results we create. When we become intentional about our routines, we can move from operating on autopilot to creating habits that support the leader we want to be. In this episode, I explore how empowered routines can help school leaders create the outcomes and experiences they desire. We discuss why routines are not just about what we do, but about who we become through the actions we take consistently. Find the full ep

How to Teach Beginning, Middle, and End | Writing About Reading Teaching beginning, middle, and end may sound a lot like teaching sequencing, but there is an important difference. When students sequence events, they learn to put what happened in the correct order. When students identify the beginning, middle, and end, they take that thinking one step further by deciding which events matter most. In this episode of The Education Connection, we continue our Writing About Reading series by lookin

Summer Week 3: Did a Hard Thing - Kayaking - FAAF 272 In this 272nd episode, I share my reflections from August 10-15, 2026. Check out the WHOLE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I put together with all the listens mentioned below: >>> bit.ly/E272FreshAirAtFivePlaylist <<< 11th: Check This Out E168 “Did We Just Become Best Friends?” 12th: SEL in EDU E100 “One Caring, Consistent Adult: What It Means to Be a CASA with Dr. Michele Ogden” 15th: SatCast E5 “Are Grades Getting in the Way of Learning? (8/15/26) - SC0

What if students could start high school or college without immediately feeling like every grade defines their future? An ABC News article about the University of Michigan's approach to grading incoming freshmen sparked this conversation between Chris Nesi and Dan Kreiness, but the discussion quickly becomes much bigger than one university. Grades are supposed to communicate learning. But what happens when students become more focused on earning the grade than actually learning? What happens w