The linked tools and features reveal insights, perspectives, and strategies from educators and Agilists as they reflect on the values and strategies that impact learners and teams. Tools: Agilify your Lesson Plan and other Agile Instruction Tips Agile Learning Objectives and Effective “Story Writing” for ALL Teams Agile Self-Care Compass Team & Teen Toxins and … Read more
Why Fun & Games in Learning? It’s pretty obvious to children of every age that learning is hard work, and hard work is better when we’re having fun. In fact, researchers agree that games and play increase student engagement from K-12 through higher education, improving learning and achievment outcomes through interactivity (Oblinger, 2004). Kelsey Skaggs … Read more
Imagine the sounds of the summer in the Arizona desert… Crickets and birds chirping, coyotes howling like excited fans, children laughing and splashing, and also… Keyboards quietly clacking, calendar reminders pinging, and voices kindly chatting, because… …The quiet summer months are the perfect time for the behind-the-scenes projects that make schools work! All hands still … Read more
Why Teacher Appreciation? Do I even have to ask?Teachers do the most difficult and important work in the world, and in May, we all get to show our gratitude. As the school year approaches its end, teachers are working their hardest to help students succeed during that final push, all the while motivating, grading, closing … Read more
Why Team (Teen;) Toxins? Perhaps the better questions are: What ARE team toxins and why should we be proactive in overcoming them?To an Agilist, the idea of Team Toxins comes from the research of Dr. John Gottman and his observations of the Four Toxic Communication Patterns adapted for team communication settings (Hooper, et al., 2017). … Read more
Why FORCE? Undeniably, the forces of nature impact our lives, from climate to catastrophe and all the little things in between. To an engineer, Force is the very foundation of movement and dynamics, as forces are external agents of change, pushing and pulling on one another. To Agilists, FORCE is similarly foundational to effective team … Read more
Why Commitment? In welcoming a brand new year, many of us are making commitments to ourselves: to improve, to be healthier, to act with intention, to grow in some way. Discipline and commitment to goals and each other may very well shape the upcoming year for many of us, our teams, our students. Blueprint Education’s … Read more
Maneuvering through the seasons of life, we can get stuck if we don’t reach out for help. Sometimes we are juggling too many things at once, which can make us feel out-of-control. This link, which we are calling our “Success Toolkit”, has been designed to help support you and your family work through this season. … Read more