Dr. John Spencer @spencerideas Twitter profile

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

Unpopular opinion but I’ll share it anyway: principals have been amazing this schoolyear. Thankless job. Angry parents. Constantly changing directives from politicians. Staff feeling beat down. Kids in crisis. And they showed up amid the chaos and did their best.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

The day after Halloween should be a nationwide teacher holiday.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

It’s not selfish for educators to bring up concerns about exposure to COVID-19. It’s not even self-care. It’s basic self-preservation. And that’s often motivated by the human desire to be alive for our loved ones. Saying, “I want to live” shouldn’t be a controversial stance.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

I'm concerned sometimes about the martyr narrative about teachers giving everything they have and sacrificing themselves along the way because they owe it to the students. Um, actually, kids need well-rested teachers. They need teachers who have a life outside of teaching.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

A thought on teacher agency and autonomy. 💭

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

Teaching is an exhausting gig. It's okay to take a break in the summer. Read a book. Watch movies. Go hiking. Swim. Binge watch Stranger Things. Kick the soccer ball around with your daughter. You've poured your heart and soul into this gig. You shouldn't feel guilty for resting.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

I'm not opposed to the free market. But if there's a sub shortage, a teacher shortage, a bus driver shortage, and a special education aide shortage? That's a supply and demand issue pointing straight to the need for higher wages and better treatment.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Quick clarification: schools aren’t “shutting down” amid Coronavirus spikes. They’re going virtual. Teachers will be working tirelessly to make distance learning happen because a school isn’t about a building. It’s about relationships. Always has. Always will.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

Teaching is awesome but it's also hard. Admitting it's hard doesn't make you a bad teacher. It makes you human. It's not negativity. It's authenticity.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

I imagine the North Pole has a team of retired first grade teachers who decipher the handwriting and spelling and the elves treat them like the phonetic code breaker geniuses they are.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

My son had to read Fahrenheit 451 for English. Read it in 4 days. Loved it. Wrote an essay on it and loved it more. Found out he has to do a close reading journal with 90 quotes and reflections from the book. Now he hates it.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

Here’s something new teachers don’t always know: you can be an amazing teacher and still have a few kids who can’t stand you / your style / your approach.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Normalize rest. Normalize restoration. Normalize putting the papers away and not grading all weekend. You can be a great teacher and choose not to work all weekend.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

In a few days, I'll be releasing a free set of 100+ visual prompts (plus another 30+ video prompts). Here's a quick preview on the style.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

A quick reminder. Rest is good.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

Graphic novels *are* novels. They aren’t “less than” or “easier.” If a kid has fallen in love with a graphic novel series then they’ve fallen in love with reading.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

2 years

I’m seeing some discouraging things around ChatGPT: 1.Schools blocking it 2. New apps promising to determine “cheating using ChatGPT Can we move past surveillance and rethink what school means in an age of AI?

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

If you're going for a run or taking your dog for a walk, remember to remain 10 feet away from others. If you're wondering how far that is, picture a Bears wide receiver and then imagine where Trubisky actually threw the pass. That distance is about 10 feet.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 months

A few years ago, I met a chef and asked him, "So, bay leaves? Do they even have a point? You can't taste them. You have to take them out. They seem to get in the way." He shook his head and said, "Nah, it's the opposite.” "Wait, what?" I asked. "They're the invisible heroes of

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

I asked a group of former cohort members what we, as a university, could have done better to prepare students for the being a teacher. One student's answer stuck with me. "I wasn't ready for the loneliness. As a cohort, we were a community. You played a small role but it was

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

7 months

I saw a few videos on TikTok where a few teachers mocked certain "bad Christmas presents" like dollar store trinkets, cheap mugs, or hard candy. And I watched with a mix of sadness and anger as they carelessly unboxed their stashes of gifts. When a child thinks of you enough

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

Tomorrow's the first day back which means there might just be . . . ice breakers. I'm an introvert. I don't break the ice. I like the ice to melt slowly over hours or days or maybe even months.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

Every family should have an Introvert Recharge Room for all holiday gatherings. Just a space to hang out alone and read a book or do a puzzle.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I have a hard time with the way people frame burnout as a "self-care" issue rather than "employee care." It's a systemic issue. Instead of asking, "how can we prevent teacher burnout?" leaders and policymakers should ask, "how do we stop burning teachers out?"

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

As someone who taught reading intervention at middle school in a school that focused on a phonics-centric Science of Reading approach, here are a few concerns I see with this new trend and how it might be applied to older students: 1. I worry that we will focus so much on skill

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

School leaders: you can't tell teachers to experiment and "fail forward" during a pandemic and then continue to use the same teacher evaluation tools. The "permission to fail" has to include changes to policies and protocols.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

I know parent-teacher conferences are important but if you're doing them via Zoom why do so many places require teachers to be in the physical building? Why not make home an option? As a parent, I don't mind seeing a teacher's puppy pull a cameo. It feels more human.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

We often hear phrases like "never give up" or "never quit," but I actually think kids should be learning to ask "When do I quit and when do I continue? When do I pivot on a project? When is it okay to abandon an interest and try something new?"

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

The “kids wouldn’t be destroying school property if we built relationships with them” argument is a really bad, overly simplistic take that potentially demonizes teachers who are working tirelessly to connect with students during a really hard school year.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

As someone who has taught reading intervention, I’m pretty quiet on the reading wars except to say that when you use the term “war” you will end up with casualties. You’ll dehumanize. You’ll create enemies in a way that prevents dialogue. Phonics matter. Blending matters.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

I cringe a little at the common "noisy equals better learning" mantra. Sometimes quiet is the answer. Sometimes solitude. Sometimes a gentle hum of work. Not just for introverts but for all students. In a culture of noise, sometimes relevance isn't more noise. It's quiet.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

2 years

One of the hardest elements of fully scripted curriculum is that so much of teaching is dynamic and unscripted.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I love that so many teachers are providing flexible deadlines and resubmissions because of the chaos and trauma kids are facing right now. I would also encourage teachers to extend this practice once things are "normal," because chaos and trauma aren't isolated to the pandemic.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Last night, we brainstormed a schedule together as a family. Half the day is free time but for 4 hours we're doing scheduled, choice-based options. Here's what we came up with. I'm sharing this recognizing that every kid and every family is different.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I mentioned putting candy bars and chocolate in the refrigerator and my colleagues looked at me like I had lost my mind. Please tell me I’m not alone in doing this. It’s somewhat normal, right?

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

The difference between cooperation and collaboration

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

A former student of mine wrote this and it’s spot on:

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

2 years

There's tired and there's teacher tired. I've been in higher ed for 7 years now. I've taught three 4-hour classes a few times in a day. Still not the same as the first week of school with 8th graders (who I loved teaching). The cognitive demand on K-12 teachers is intense.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

I often hear people say, "When I'm super stressed, I go running." Um, when I get really stressed, I eat a bag of Cheez-Its. To each their own, I suppose.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

For any teacher dealing with flossing in class . . .

Bleacher Report

@BleacherReport

6 years

Backpack kid dance on another level 💯 (via @CFBONFOX )

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

I posted a pro-LGBT+ article on my Facebook page and lost 20 followers in 2 minutes. My thought? Good riddance. I believe that love is love. If that’s too much for you, feel free to leave.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

I know there are sub shortages but teachers need the freedom to take the personal days they've earned. It's not their job to own a systemic failure. If they have to do extra coverage for others, it's not selfish to say, "I need a day to step away and recover for a moment."

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

7 years

Teachers, please stop assigning projects over Thanksgiving break. Let kids rest, play, and spend time with family.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I'm not a fan of teaching a class where half the students video conference in and half the students are in person. Don't get me wrong. It works but it doesn't work well. It's the instructional version of a spork.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

2 years

Earlier I tweeted my disappointment with Neil deGrasse Tyson over his tweet about teachers. I failed to consider his experiences as a black man and a former student. I failed to consider the role of race and schooling in his original intent in his tweet. And I’m sorry.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

It’s April 1st, the one day a year when people intentionally practice information literacy and double check their sources before clicking “like” or “repost.”

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

2 years

I see the annual ice breaker wars are breaking out on Twitter. I have a small suggestion from an introvert -- make it optional. Let the ice melt slowly over days or even months. Some of us take longer to thaw but the end result is a long-lasting relationship.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

Those memes that mock gifts from parents feel mean-spirited. I was once that kid who brought in a dollar store mug full of crappy hard candy and a folded up drawing I’d spent hours on. If teachers had mocked my gift, it would have been soul-crushing.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

December 25th: Christmas December 26th: Introvert Recovery Day

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

8 years

Just a thought on homework.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

My son's baseball coach had his team practice striking out gracefully on their first day of practice. He said, "It's okay to fail. It's part of baseball." Some might say that he had low expectations. But they won the championship in part because they weren't afraid to mess up.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 months

One that comes to mind for me is actually humor. Being goofy had some massive advantages for me in the middle school and it turns out this matters in higher ed as well.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

In ten years, most of your classroom technology will be obsolete. But you know what will still be awesome? Mr. Sketch markers. Just putting it out there.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

There’s a high-profile educational leadership thought leader shaming folks for taking mental health days and engaging in preventative self-care. Nope. Take those sick days and personal days. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

One of the oddest parts of adulting is that I get ridiculously excited about a clean house. Every weekend, when we get everything cleaned up and I look around at the house, it leaves me with a level of joy that one usually experiences when their sports team wins a championship.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

My son has a great writing prompt idea: You just became friends with the Kool Aid Man and he keeps breaking through walls at the worst times. Write the awkward conversation where you tell him things need to change.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

One of the first things I notice when I go to observe one of my student teachers is whether or not the school has artwork on their hallway walls.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

In baseball, there's an entirely useless statistic called Runs Batted In (RBI). When I was a kid, we would often hear about the RBI leaders and I immediately noticed two trends in RBI leaders. 1. They nearly all played for teams with a really good offense. 2. They nearly all

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

American public in April: Teachers are saints. Look how amazing they’ve been during the pandemic. Yay, teachers! We love you! America public in July: Teachers are awful and selfish if they aren’t willing to risk their lives to teach in-person. Do it for the children.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

I taught a course that was largely self-paced. The first time I taught it, we had no due dates but I did provide a general roadmap of how long things might take. Students hated that. The second time, we had deadlines and due dates but no penalty for late work. Students loved it.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

So, I just defended my dissertation via video conferencing. Feeling relieved.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I can’t stand the snarky memes mocking students for failing to finish online assignments. How about we recognize that everyone is doing their best? Parents aren’t the enemy. Kids aren’t the enemy. Teachers aren’t the enemy. A global pandemic is the enemy.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 months

Unpopular opinion: not every great teacher can be a good principal and there are great principals who were decent but not great teachers. It’s a different skill set. I was a solid middle school teacher. I would have been an awful principal.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

Yes, STEM is great. But let's not forget the critical value of HAM (Humanities Arts Music)

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Next week will be Distance Learning Spirit Week: Monday: Pajama Day Tuesday: Pajama Day Wednesday: Pajama Day Thursday: Pajama Day Friday: Pajama Day

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

A teacher friend told me her district is asking teachers to keep pets away during Zoom meetings because of distractions. Um, have they been in a school and seen how often the intercom interrupts lessons?

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

“Whatever it takes.” Um, no. Boundaries matter. Teaching isn't a superpower. It's hard work and hard work deserves rest. Take a nap. Have coffee with a friend. Quit wearing busy like a badge of honor.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

If you, as a teacher, had walk-up songs as you started class, entered the staff lounge, etc. what would it be?

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

8 years

This.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

Quit wearing busy as a badge of honor #rest

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

I’m gonna be vulnerable for a moment and point out that my amazing mother in law is an phenomenal K-8 principal who suffered a massive heart attack after ridiculous battles over masks, vaccines, and accusations of “promoting Critical Race Theory.” And it breaks my heart.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

1 year

Over twenty years ago, I got lost in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I was with my fellow American college students, and we were supposed to meet back together at noon, but then my watch stopped working. I'm dating myself, I realize. We had no phones at the time, and the six of us were all

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

8 years

This one might be my favorite sketchy video so far: We Need a Bigger Definition of Creativity #createchat #makered

We Need a Bigger Definition of Creativity

► Please Subscribe to My Channel Here - http://bit.ly/spencervideosWhen you the word “creative,” you might think of a painter or a playwright or an author or...

www.youtube.com

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I used to rail against worksheets and packets but then I realized that some kids love that stuff. Not out of compliance or brainwashing or whatever. They legitimately love the progression of skill-based work. And that's okay. (pt 1)

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

As a dad and an educator, I really don’t care about “learning loss” during this pandemic. I’m more concerned about mental health amid social isolation and also pretty relieved to see their self-direction and soft skill development.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

What happens when kids engage in authentic PBL?

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

I don't care about being Apple Certified or Google Certified but if @MrSketchScented ever creates a Mr. Sketch Certified Teacher program, I'd be all over that. Seriously, the best. #smellymarkers #nostalgia #vintageinnovation

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Teachers need a Genius Hour, too.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

2 years

The scapegoating of teachers over NAEP scores is disgusting. Trauma impacts student achievement. The issue was systemic - subs being gone, kids being out for days on in, families dealing with deaths, parents losing jobs. None of these have anything to do with teacher quality.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

Every time I see someone using Reply All.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

At some point, a sociologist is going to study why junior high boys insist on wearing gym shorts even when it’s below freezing outside.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

If you're a teacher tomorrow and you're planning to talk about today's events, please avoid bringing in "both sides" or using safer terms like "protestors" when they are terrorists and violent insurrectionists. Treat it like the tragedy that it is. It is an attempted coup.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

Thought #1 : If I were a school principal, I would find a way to use a t-shirt cannon to distribute the staff handbooks. Thought #2 : And that's another good reason I'll never become a school principal.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

The hidden advantage of introverts.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

Students should be engaging in self-assessment on a regular basis.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

We can incorporate lo-fi tools, play, and creativity.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Distance learning doesn't have to mean 8 hours in front of a computer. It should include the physical, the lo-fi, and the tactical. It should involve movement and play and social interaction. It should embody a #vintageinnovation approach of both/and.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

Also . . . I made another #BernieMeme

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

6 years

Criticism isn’t the same as hating. It’s an issue of trust, intent, and empathy. This is a grid I use with students as we think about the critical friends approach.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

Unpopular opinion but I prefer Google Classroom so much more to Canvas.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

My wife just said, "the haters are going to hate" and "shake it off" when talking to my daughter about neighborhood drama. I don't even think she realizes she was quoting Taylor Swift.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

Each summer, I do a small creative project that has nothing to do with education. Tomorrow, I’ll be starting my 2019 project - a comic strip from the perspective of a rescue dog who thinks he exists to train his new family.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

10 months

About 4 year ago, my friend Chad told me that he thought his treatments weren't ultimately going to be effective and he would die from cancer. We sat there in a brewery after talking about sports and kids and life and he said, "John, I wrote out a living eulogy for you." Tears

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

5 years

One of the myths I constantly run into is the notion that veteran teachers are less innovative than new teachers. I don't buy it.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

A thought on remote learning.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

3 years

So many of my teacher friends are feeling December Teacher Tired in late September. The fatigue is real.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

I'm not buying into the false dichotomy. I can support student mental health and be genuinely concerned about social isolation but also support schools shifting back into virtual / remote learning. I can care about mental health and physical health at the same time.

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Dr. John Spencer

@spencerideas

4 years

This is why, as a teacher, I opted out of reading completions, reward systems, and Accelerated Reader and chose choice-based silent reading instead.

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