Consistency Over Intensity

The Friday Five

TGIF Teacher Newsletter #161

Become a Supporter

First off, I’m excited to share the first Why Edify Podcast Interview. Check out this engaging conversation with Brian Carpenter, an experienced educator who shares "earned wisdom" from his teaching journey.

This was great fun and I look forward to conducting more interviews like this. Let’s connect if you are interested. Everyone has a story to tell and a lesson to teach.

In this episode, Brian discusses:

• His journey from research scientist to educator
• The significance of building strong student relationships
• His work with the Ministry of Education on AI integration
• The successful transformation of his school's newsletter program
• The importance of educator self-care and maintaining work-life balance

Reflection Questions:

1. Given the research on high grading standards, how might you need to adjust your current assessment practices to support long-term student success better while maintaining fairness and equity?
2. Considering the contagious nature of student engagement patterns, what specific changes could you implement in your classroom management and seating arrangements to optimize student attention and participation?
3. In light of the analog wellness trend, how can you incorporate more balanced, non-digital learning experiences in your classroom while still taking advantage of the benefits of educational technology?

The Friday Five

1 - High Standards

Research shows that high grading standards have a significant positive impact on student performance across all racial and ethnic groups, particularly in Algebra I and subsequent math courses. Teachers who maintain rigorous expectations not only improve students' immediate academic performance but also enhance their long-term success, increasing the likelihood of them graduating from high school.

Schools serving more advantaged students typically maintain higher grading standards, highlighting potential equity issues in educational expectations. Meanwhile, widespread grade inflation in U.S. high schools has diminished the reliability of grades as indicators of student knowledge and skills, though evidence shows that maintaining high academic standards leads to better educational outcomes.

Here are three actionable steps teachers can take to leverage high expectations across all subjects:

• Maintain rigorous, consistent grading practices
  • Establish clear grading criteria that reflect genuine content mastery
  • Resist grade inflation to ensure grades accurately reflect student knowledge and skills
  • Use detailed rubrics that outline specific expectations for excellence
• Establish high expectations for all students
  • Set challenging but achievable academic goals regardless of student background
  • Communicate clear belief in every student's ability to succeed
  • Hold all students to high standards, as this significantly increases their odds of completing high school
• Focus on long-term academic growth
  • Design coursework that builds foundations for future academic success
  • Emphasize mastery of fundamental concepts within your subject area
  • Connect current learning to future academic milestones to demonstrate relevance

2 - It's Contagious

Student attention patterns can be contagious within a classroom environment. In a study involving 180 college students in a lecture hall, researchers planted actors who exhibited either high focus or clear disengagement.

The findings revealed an interesting imbalance: while attentive behavior did not spread to neighboring students, disengaged behavior showed significant contagion effects. Students seated between two unfocused individuals demonstrated decreased attention, reduced note-taking behavior, and lower quiz performance.

While this study focused on college students, the findings are likely even more applicable to K-12 students, who are often more susceptible to peer influence. This highlights the importance of strategic seating arrangements in the classroom. Regularly rotating seating assignments and carefully distributing highly engaged students throughout the classroom may be beneficial.

Given that one student's disengagement can impact nearby peers, it is essential to create an environment that promotes and sustains active engagement.

Here are three strategies for increasing classroom engagement:

Interactive Learning through Think-Pair-Share

• Research in cognitive science shows this method increases participation by 50-75%.
• Provides structured opportunities for all students to engage with content.
• Builds confidence through peer discussion before sharing with the whole class.

Strategic Movement Integration

• Studies demonstrate that physical activity breaks improve focus and retention.
• Even brief 2-3 minute movement activities can reset attention spans.
• Particularly effective during longer instructional blocks.

Real-World Problem-Based Learning

• There is a 30-50% higher engagement when content connects to authentic scenarios.
• Increases both emotional and cognitive investment in learning.
• Leads to better long-term retention of core concepts.

3 - Analog Wellness

The analog wellness trend represents a shift away from constant digital connectivity, with 2025 predicted to be the year of "great logging off" as people seek more intentional, tactile, and social experiences.

This movement goes beyond simple digital detoxing, emphasizing engagement in analog activities like chess clubs, sewing classes, and phone-free events. Even Gen Z is embracing older technologies like flip phones and vinyl records.

Rather than completely rejecting technology, analog wellness aims to create a "retro-futuristic" balance where people can utilize technology's benefits while restoring human connection and reducing negative impacts like reduced attention spans and excessive screen time.

Although I will continue to enjoy many digital conveniences, I do acknowledge the need for balance and the benefits that come with it.

Here are three actionable tips to embrace analog wellness in your daily life:

• Join a Local Hands-on Activity Group: Look for in-person clubs focused on analog activities like chess, sewing, running, or dance classes. These activities are typically affordable, social, and help you disconnect while building real-world connections.
• Use "Calm Tech" to Manage Screen Time: Start with apps like ScreenZen or Forest that help you control your digital usage. These tools can help you pause before opening distracting apps and set healthy time limits for your screen time.
• Replace Digital Activities with Tactile Ones: Instead of defaulting to screen-based entertainment, engage in more hands-on, creative pursuits. This could include vinyl listening, taking up crafts, or joining pasta-making classes - activities that promote both creativity and social connection.

4 - Unplug

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott

5 - Teacher Commuter Playlist - Like a Ship by Leon Bridges and Keite Young

Choose Your Own Adventure

• The rise of AI in writing essays undermines critical thinking and the value of humanities education, as students increasingly rely on technology for convenience rather than engaging deeply with knowledge and developing their own ideas.
• Anyone else's desk look like this?
• Here's some teacher advice in six words or less.

Why Edify Recommendation

• Book - Balance Like a Pirate: Going Beyond Work-Life Balance to Ignite Passion and Thrive as an Educator (*ad) by Sara Johnson, Jessica Johnson, and Jessica Kabin (from the Bryon Carpenter Interview).

❤ Enjoy this Newsletter?

🍵 Show Your Support and 🤗 Share It