Laura Thomas | Lightnews

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · 15d

A good reminder for this Tuesday morning. #EduSky

Edutopia @edutopia.org · 15d

“You are human. You will make mistakes when teaching. Let your students share in that problem-solving experience, and don’t feel you need to hide those mistakes. By doing this, you are teaching students humility, risk-taking, metacognitive skills, acceptance, and most of all that mistakes happen and our classroom is a safe zone for making those mistakes.” —Jenessa D, Educator

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · 20d

More of this, please. When we follow children's interests, we teach them their questions matter, plus they build social skills, learn how to learn, and are ultimately more ready for more structured learning on down the road.

Edutopia @edutopia.org · 21d

“The pedagogy of emergent curriculum is grounded in the idea that when we use the children’s questions to guide their learning experiences, we honor the children’s intrinsic motivation and teach them that curiosity is a meaningful way to explore their world.”

#preschool #PreK

Using Questions to Encourage Emergent Learning

Understanding the importance of preschool students’ questions is key to guiding their learning experiences and fostering a spirit of inquiry.

www.edutopia.org

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · 20d

More of this, please. When we follow children's interests, we teach them their questions matter, plus they build social skills, learn how to learn, and are ultimately more ready for more structured learning on down the road.

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · 20d

Yes please! The more our students see themselves as scientists, the more likely they'll be to make good decisions for themselves and their children, if they have them.

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · 20d

When we start by asking people what they want to protect, we can find out what they're afraid of losing and (if possible) ensure that it's protected or if loss is inevitable, appropriately honored or replaced with the input of the folks who are going to miss it.

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · 20d

Can I add more more point? Ask teachers, staff, students, and parents what they want to preserve and protect. Sometimes much-appreciated processes, systems, rituals, and traditions unintentionally fall by the wayside during times of change.

Edutopia @edutopia.org · 21d

Here’s a way to help middle school students investigate the information around them! 🕵️

In this 60-minute lesson, students evaluate a few websites and short videos—learning strategies to identify misinformation and use evidence to defend their thinking.

#MiddleSchoolTeacher #MediaLiteracy #EduSky

Real, Fake, or Deepfake? This Lesson Helps Students Decide

Students examine videos and online information to investigate what is real and what is not in this engaging lesson.

edut.to

Edutopia @edutopia.org · 21d

“The pedagogy of emergent curriculum is grounded in the idea that when we use the children’s questions to guide their learning experiences, we honor the children’s intrinsic motivation and teach them that curiosity is a meaningful way to explore their world.”

#preschool #PreK

Using Questions to Encourage Emergent Learning

Understanding the importance of preschool students’ questions is key to guiding their learning experiences and fostering a spirit of inquiry.

www.edutopia.org

Antioch New England Education @auneeducation.bsky.social · 22d

There are lots of reasons students worry. Here are a few ways to help. #edusky

Edutopia @edutopia.org · Oct 11

Early-career teachers: Looking for classroom management tips, assessment ideas, and pointers for working with parents?

Our Starter Pack of Resources for New Teachers has it all! ✨

#EduSky #NewTeachers

A Starter Pack of Resources for New Teachers

We’ve gathered some of the best resources for new teachers in one place!

edut.to

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Oct 10

I’m at an actual in person conference today- presenting and sitting at a booth for Antioch University. It’s the fall instructional conference from @neanh.bsky.social A small but might group of educators meeting face to face. It’s absolutely DELIGHTFUL! #EduSky🍎

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Oct 4

I love my job- the people are amazing, I like the work, and generally we’re on the right side of history, organizationally speaking. Knowing I won’t get fired for posting wildly controversial things like “don’t zip tie children” & “facism is bad” is really just icing on the cake, you know?

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Oct 4

Nice

a woman wearing glasses and earrings says and that 's how it 's done

ALT: a woman wearing glasses and earrings says and that 's how it 's done

media.tenor.com

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Oct 4

I graded ALL the papers that came in this week!! #EduSky #Teachers

a woman wearing overalls is making a funny face with a pen in her mouth .

ALT: a woman wearing overalls is making a funny face with a pen in her mouth .

media.tenor.com

Edutopia @edutopia.org · Oct 1

⚡🎧 Our 2nd School of Practice podcast episode is out!

In this week’s show, we tackle a classic teacher dilemma: DESK LAYOUTS.

Is there one to rule them all?

Ep 2: A Flexible Seating Arrangement That Teachers Love

Is there an ideal desk layout—easy to adapt for most class sizes and learning activities?

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Sep 14

I’ve had a record number of these in my garden this year plus more bees than I’ve seen in years. Apparently tickseed and blue top vervain (I think that’s what that is?) are their favorites. 🌱

Monarch butterfly on a purple flower. Black eyed Susans in the background

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Aug 19

Everything in this vase started its life as a seed 🌱under my grow lights in February, which makes me inappropriately happy. #Garden

A vase filled with zinnias and lisianthus in pinks, oranges, and cream.

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Aug 7

Routines, language, events, projects, or processes that become part of the identity of your class. Sometimes they carry over from year to year, sometimes they’re unique to a single class.

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Aug 7

Speak to me of classroom rituals and traditions, #EduSky 🍎

What are your favorites?
How do you find time for them in when there's so much to do?

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 18

(Not that I’m condoning actual elephant eating. For these purposes, let’s consider this a life-size chocolate elephant.) 🐘

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 18

You know how to eat an elephant, right?

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 17

Big problems aren’t so hard if you break them into pieces.

Edutopia @edutopia.org · Jul 17

Educators @criticalskills1.bsky.social and Nelia Rath explain how to teach chunking as a skill to help students tackle messy problems: edut.to/3GrwlOD

#EduSky #PBL #MiddleSchool #HighSchoolTeacher

“Be they academic or social, the world is full of big, messy problems, and we want our students to be able to sort them out into manageable chunks. And when we as teachers make solving big problems a regular part of our classroom routine and culture, we’ll see students develop into humans who aren’t overwhelmed by the scope of a project or the complexity of a team.” —Laura Thomas & Nelia Rath, Educators

Edutopia @edutopia.org · Jul 17

Educators @criticalskills1.bsky.social and Nelia Rath explain how to teach chunking as a skill to help students tackle messy problems: edut.to/3GrwlOD

#EduSky #PBL #MiddleSchool #HighSchoolTeacher

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 15

I’m lucky to work with great people

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 15

I had so much fun writing this!!

Edutopia @edutopia.org · Jul 15

Teaching students how to break a project into manageable pieces can:

🤝 Build collaboration and problem-solving skills
🎒 Increase student ownership
🌼 Cultivate rich classroom community

@criticalskills1.bsky.social and Nelia Rath share a how-to guide.

#EduSky #PBL #MiddleSchool #HighSchoolTeacher

Teaching Students to Use Chunking to Tackle Complex Problems

Middle and high school teachers can show students how to break projects into smaller parts to support their ability to manage their work.

edut.to

Edutopia @edutopia.org · Jul 15

Teaching students how to break a project into manageable pieces can:

🤝 Build collaboration and problem-solving skills
🎒 Increase student ownership
🌼 Cultivate rich classroom community

@criticalskills1.bsky.social and Nelia Rath share a how-to guide.

#EduSky #PBL #MiddleSchool #HighSchoolTeacher

Teaching Students to Use Chunking to Tackle Complex Problems

Middle and high school teachers can show students how to break projects into smaller parts to support their ability to manage their work.

edut.to

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 14

Good morning 🌱
#Garden
#Herbs
#Heliotrope

Laura Thomas @criticalskills1.bsky.social · Jul 12

Flowers? Coffee? Chart pack? Must be kicking off week 2 of the ExEd Intensive @auneeducation.bsky.social! Up this weekend: Leading Inclusion in the Nature Based Classroom. #Edusky