Top Blog Posts for Teachers This Week

1. Why Teachers Need to Keep Going Even When It's Hard

This story of Vedran Smailovic is resonating with the heartbreaking weekend in France. Some teachers are letting me know they are sharing this story. His heroic music amidst the bombing of Sarajevo reminds us that as we deal with horrible things in our world, we each make music that makes a difference.

Also a shout out to Aussie teacher, Jennifer (don't have her last name), who helped me tweak and make this blog post more accurate. I appreciate Jennifer taking the time to help me make this blog post even better.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/why-teachers-need-to-keep-going-even-when-its-hard/ [/callout]

2. 10 Ways to Flip a Kid and Turn Their Day Around

Sylvia Duckworth made a sketch note sent this blog post traveling through teacher inboxes and tweets. It again reminds me that a great graphic helps noble messages spread further. Thanks, Sylvia.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/10-ways-to-flip-a-kid-and-turn-their-day-around/ [/callout]

10 Ways to Flip a Kid – Sketchnote by @sylviaduckworth was the top shared graphic this week from this blog.

3. Notetaking Skills for 21st Century Students

An essential guidebook in helping kids learn how to take notes that they REMEMBER!

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/note-taking-skills-21st-century-students/ [/callout]

4. 5 Ways to Encourage Gratitude in Your Classroom

Teachers are planning how to see thankfulness. I updated this post and reshared it to make it more current. I'm thankful so many of you are preparing lesson plans this week to help kids have gratitude.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/5-ways-to-encourage-gratitude/ [/callout]

5. 15 Best Google Drive Add-Ons for Education

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/best-google-drive-add-ons/ [/callout]

6. Top Education Tweets of the Week – November 14, 2015

Educators like these summaries of what is most helpful on Twitter the prior week. Just posted yesterday, showing up on the top list for the week is pretty amazing. We all must remember, not every educator can get on Twitter (for various reasons). But we can take Twitter to educators through summaries using Twitter analytics. The top tweets are calculated on clicks, retweets, and favorites so remember, if you are on Twitter, your vote counts.

I also poured out my heart about some things educators are sharing about the tears we are crying for France and all terror victims this weekend.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/top-education-tweets-of-the-week-november-14-2015/ [/callout]

7. 6 Reading Comprehension Problems and What to Do about Them by MJ Linane

This blog post was authored by educator MJ Linane and edited by me as a sponsored post. I work hard to show you practical classroom information as I share the best tools that work. If it is a sponsor of my show or a blog post, you can count on them being awesome. (I've got several new sponsors I'm excited to share with you this week!) Actively Learn, the sponsor of this particular post has a free demo anyone can use.

The infographic is worth sharing with all reading teachers.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/6-reading-comprehension-problems/ [/callout]

reading comprehension problems infographic to share

8. What to Do When Someone Hates You

It astounds me that this is on the list so many weeks. My heart breaks every time I see how many people are searching for an answer for dealing with personal hatred. (The other heartbreaking chart topper is #11 If I'm Such a Great Teacher, Why Do I Want to Quit?) Oh dear friends, I so understand the pain — not your personal pain, but my own as I struggle with hatred and struggle to keep going each day even when my heart breaks. You are loved, teacher. You are important. Encourage each other. We need each other to make it.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/what-to-do-when-someone-hates-you/ [/callout]

9. 19 Epic iPhone Apps and Tips

In this blog post, I include a quick 7-minute video showing all of the apps that are on my iPhone home screen and how I use them. I include several major productivity hacks that I've used through the years. It may seem old, but when we share our productivity tips, it helps others.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/19-epic-iphone-productivity-apps-tips/ [/callout]

10. 6 Ways to Motivate Teachers: Be the Hope

Helping teachers motivate themselves is a challenge. This post shares some things I've learned by watching great leaders and have seen work at my school.

[callout]Permalink: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/motivate-teachers/ [/callout]

Thank you, dear teachers, for just being you. Thank you to all of my new (and old) friends at Miami Device. Encouragement is a two way street. When a person stops me in person or sends an email and tells me that a blog post helped them, it means the world to me. I'm shaped by everything that you do.