Fire Your Mentor, Hire Your Idol

One of my biggest struggles in my early years of teaching was the lack of help and direction from experts in the field (veteran teachers, administrators, etc.). I attended all necessary training for new teachers, followed all protocol, and even asked questions whenever I could to whomever would listen. But, I still had major growing…

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The Inside Scoop on “Looping” with your Students

Administrators are always trying to find innovative ways to increase teacher efficacy and student achievement in the classroom [see my last post on the departmentalizing model of instruction.] Looping tends to be another popular strategy to also address those two important levers. What is ‘Looping?’ There comes a time in a teacher’s career where they…

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Online Modules

As an educator, I have been providing professional development to teachers for over a decade. I finally found a way to empower even more teachers without the obstacle of travel. The online modules below are hosted on Teachable, an online course platform. Click the images below to gain access to these instructional sessions. Getting the…

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About Gretchen

Hi, I’m Gretchen!                                        Author, Speaker, Teacher Coach & Trainer Over the last two decades, Gretchen has passionately taught elementary students, mentored and coached educators, led professional development experiences for school building staff, written three books, and…

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5 Myths of Student Engagement

Student engagement is the art of keep students’ attention while simultaneously involving them in the process of their own learning. Teachers find student engagement to be an inviting challenge year after year as student interests and pop culture change. To be successful in engaging students during a lesson, a teacher has to know their content,…

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Summer Learning Playlist for Educators

Summer is the perfect time for teachers to relax and recharge. It’s also a great chance to explore fresh ideas—without the stress. The Summer Learning Playlist is a handpicked mix of short podcasts, quick videos, and easy-to-read articles. Each one offers new ideas for teaching and professional growth. You don’t need to take notes or…

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