John Thomas

@flyfish29.bsky.social

Grades 1-2 teacher, ADHD, Dyspraxic, Dysgraphic, LEGO EDU Ambassador, Edutopia Facilitator & Blogger, recovering principal, former stay@home dad, hiker, kayaker, gamer, KC sports and MIZZOU fan

I've worked for 3 principals who respected the expertise in the room, and it resulted in glorious working conditions! I've also worked for an administrator who went out of their way to make me feel like the newbie (as a 14-year veteran of that particular school) by changing everything, almost daily.

Edutopia@edutopia.org · 2mo ago

At your next weekly meeting, look around at all the expertise in the same room. Then start sharing it. 🌟 #EduSky #SchoolLeaders #Principals

Sometimes it’s tough to grasp major literary themes from mere words on a page. 📃 Try doing a hands-on activity with your students like mapping, sketching, or sculpting their thoughts—it can give them a new lens on what a story is about. #ELATeacher #EnglishTeacher #EduSky

3 Visual Thinking Exercises To Try in English Class

Activities like mapping, sketching, and sculpting can help students clarify ideas—and deepen their literary analysis skills.

edutopia.org

I use Unifix cubes like the colored cups assessment. Students keep the cubes in their pencil box and show red, yellow, or green on their name tag with the top cube showing how they feel. I can also do a quick emotion check-in at any time. 

Edutopia@edutopia.org · 2mo ago

Discover 13 formative assessments you can use tomorrow! These quick, low-stakes checks give teachers immediate insight into student thinking—and with minimal setup they can provide lessons with a dynamic feedback loop. 🔁 #assessment #EduSky

As a recovering administrator, sustainability is #1 in my book. This is a great article. It's all too easy to see a shiny new initiative and try to jump on that train. However, it's so important to see a school's current successes, and only make changes where they're needed, with the staff on board.

Principal Project@principalproject.bsky.social · 3mo ago

By prioritizing compassionate leadership, schools can create more sustainable environments for their teachers. Here’s how: https://edut.to/4fyZK8x

What it takes to retain teachers in high-needs schools. By Katy Myers Allis