Matt SmithThe importance of new teachers learning from seasoned veteransI’m currently in the midst of my 7th year of teaching, and as we move into a new year, I’ve been reflecting on my education career thus…Jan 7, 2019Jan 7, 2019
Matt SmithHooray for dialogue journals!This summer, I listened to an episode from the Cult of Pedagogy podcast in which the host, Jennifer Gonzalez, interviewed veteran teacher…Nov 22, 2018Nov 22, 2018
Matt SmithThe importance of evolving in educationThis week my parents introduced me to a new show on Netflix called Ugly Delicious, which stars five-star chef David Chang as he travels the…Jun 17, 2018Jun 17, 2018
Matt SmithClassroom discusion: wait time, affirmations and listeningAs my school year is now officially over, I have shifted into reflection mode so that I can process the previous ten months. One area of my…May 27, 2018May 27, 2018
Matt SmithThe last week of schoolI have five more days left with my students. Five more days. Teachers, myself included, are definitely guilty of beginning a daily…May 13, 2018May 13, 2018
Matt SmithFive things I know for sure about most middle school studentsIn less than a month, I will complete my sixth year of teaching. The first two of those years were in a 10th grade World Literature…Apr 30, 2018Apr 30, 2018
Matt SmithAll students need to read diverse books“I’d never read a book on my own before this year. I didn’t really like reading. I just finished my 4th book of the year in Mr. Smith’s…Apr 22, 2018Apr 22, 2018
Matt SmithExperimenting with restorative justiceWhile my students were working in small groups on Thursday, two students in nearby groups got into a verbal altercation that sounded like…Apr 16, 2018Apr 16, 2018
Matt SmithTaking an optimistic mindset into Professional Learning daysI won’t see my students tomorrow because our district has a designated Professional Learning (PL) day. I can already hear the collective…Apr 8, 2018Apr 8, 2018
Matt SmithUse Edpuzzle to enhance student engagementI use Youtube a lot in my classroom, especially when I’m introducing new concepts. It’s a great way to differentiate how I present content…Apr 1, 2018Apr 1, 2018