Welcome to the Duck Pond Blog!
Your go-to source for all things education, trauma-informed, leadership, and beyond!
Our experts share some of their favorite tools, strategies, resources, and suggestions.
Are you a dinosaur? And what to do if you are.
Way back in 2011, as part of an every seven years legislative requirement, Kansas Department of Education Consultant Don Gifford started the process of reviewing the state social studies standards. But instead of simply updating some language, adding some new resources, and calling it good, Don led the writing committee down a completely different path.
Rather than asking the committee to create a list of required content items, Don pushed the committee to look at the research and come up with something that went beyond the simple memorizing of historical facts. The result? A set of standards that focused on creating a balance of content and critical thinking skills. A lot less memorizing and a whole lot more application and process.
Connections
When we ask students to see connections, we're doing more than just covering the content. You're asking kids to understand the world around them, an interconnected web of stuff that all works together. You're supporting critical thinking and problem-solving. What's not to like?
UR(RY)
Education is a vibrant world filled with challenges that educators, school districts, and communities constantly navigate. To thrive in this landscape, a clear dedication to purpose is essential. We don't just embrace this dedication; it lives by it through a powerful mantra: URRY, which stands for "You are our why." This simple yet powerful phrase drives our mission to support educators, foster leadership, and provide services and products that enhance schools and communities.
5 Habit-Forming Rituals to Start & Grow Your Trauma-Informed PBL This School Year
Most times when we start down the path of Project Based Learning, we take it slowly, tackling 1-3 projects in our first year. That’s a great idea because it gives us a chance to run a project, reflect, retool, and go again, without overwhelming ourselves or our students. But often, I’m asked by go-getter teachers what should/could be done in those in-between times. They recognize that kids gain skills, knowledge, and general “want-to” attitudes the more we offer great PBL opportunities.
To the Mr. E’s of the World
Gratitude is such a strange and powerful concept; that by merely expressing kindness and appreciation toward another, the act of gratitude happens to also produce so much personal satisfaction. A person can “accidentally” make themself feel good by intentionally making someone else feel valued. Considering how blessed my life has been and what a joy it brings me, I don’t dole out gratitude nearly often enough.
What is Woke?
Educators have an extremely difficult time engaging in some really hard, important, and electrified conversations due the public nature of our jobs and lives. The “woke” buzzword has been around for more than a century but has gained popularity over the past 23 years.