by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Students need to do more than memorize facts. They’ll write papers that give them an opportunity to analyze information and present their own conclusions. They’ll analyze important historical or scientific moments of our culture. They’ll give oral... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Emotion is where real authentic learning both begins and ends. For a teacher, providing relevant learning connections to what is being taught is the key to making learning stick. Getting an emotional response in learners comes from showing them how what we teach is... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Have you ever considered the idea of reinventing homework? Easier said than done, of course. That said, one resource to start with is Kathleen Cushman’s book Fires in the Mind. She asks students critical questions about education from their point of view.... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Asking meaningful questions is a cornerstone of learning and living because it’s a practice we use every day. In fact, the majority of our success in life depends on asking the best questions followed by making the best decisions. In education, the... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
The Essential Fluencies are a solid foundation for effective modern learning. They cover all the bases of the skills students need for success beyond school. Developing these Fluencies in our students is a critical thinking journey in itself. That’s why... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
When it comes time to grade assignments from your learners, anything can happen. From incomplete or unlabelled work to chronic illegibility and partial referencing, it’s all on the table. To that end, this list of useful assignment checklist questions will help... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Teachers know it can often be difficult to keep students’ attention, especially in a more traditional classroom. Learning styles, personal technology, and the collaborative spirit are some of the things teachers are adjusting to. Thus, as our learners have... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of our original article on essential questions examples featuring new links to useful EQ tools and more. So many essential questions examples, so little time. Grant Wiggins once said, “The big-idea questions signal that... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Self-reflection presents some of the most powerful instructional opportunities in our classrooms and workplaces. Its potency is in how it exercises multiple skills. We’re talking about the skills that make our students successful, such as critical thinking,... 
by Lee Watanabe-Crockett | Essential Questions
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of the article featuring an all-new shareable infographic courtesy of the gang at Venngage. When students become active learners, they learn that there might be more than one correct answer to a question and whether an...