Category Archives: Best Practices

Articles that gives ideas or suggestions for best teaching practices.

Football coaches teach their players life lessons during “Manly Mondays”

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Two football coaches, Cody Gross and Steve Carter, from Athens High School in Athens, Alabama, are helping their players learn what they consider to be essential skills on how to be a man. The coaches conduct weekly lessons on topics ranging from how to give a firm handshake, how to tie a tie, how to change a tire, and how to make jewelry for their moms. They have dubbed these weekly sessions “Manly Mondays.”

Coach Carter describes the importance of these weekly lessons. “A lot of kids these days don’t have father figures,” he observes. “They don’t have people to show them things. I was blessed with a father that showed me how to do a lot of stuff.” Coach Gross agrees. “The big thing is, as coaches, we can have a big impact on young men,” Coach Gross explained. “That’s why I do what I do. When (last) season ended, I felt the need to be more intentional about some things we do. We try to model the behaviors we expect.”

To learn more about these amazing coaches, read the article here (written by Mark Heim and published online by Alabama Media Group). You can also watch the short YouTube video below, originally published by WAAYTV.com:

Kirkland Babin describes a powerful lesson in valuing yourself

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Kirkland Babin, a fourth grade teacher at Ellinwood Grade School in Ellinwood, Kansas, describes a lesson in valuing yourself which he taught to his class on the last day of school.

I saw this on Facebook yesterday. It appears to have been written by Kirkland Babin, a fourth grade teacher at Ellinwood Grade School located in Ellinwood, Kansas, in May, 2019. Such a powerful lesson for kids. Here’s what the post said:

“Today was bittersweet. My last day of my first year(semester) of teaching ever. My last day with my 4th graders. My last chance to leave an impact on them since unfortunately, I might not ever see them again. In order to hopefully leave an impression on them that would last a lifetime, I went to the bank last night and asked for the most crisp, without flaw, never been folded $100 bill they had. I would be using that $100 bill today in my final lesson of the semester. After our awards ceremony this morning, we returned to my classroom where I delivered my final lesson for this school year.

I took the $100 bill out of my wallet, held it up, and asked the class to tell me what it was. Obviously they knew what it was, who wouldn’t? I then asked them how much it was worth, to which they responded, “$100!” I began to explain how $100 is a lot of money, no matter how rich or poor you are in this world. I then asked them who wanted the $100. 14/14 students raised their hands before I could even finish the sentence.

The next part of my lesson required me to explain how a simple $100 bill can be related to our lives. I explained that this perfect $100 bill is like all of us when we’re born. No flaws, no imperfections, no negative thoughts being thrown at us by others. I had the students pass the $100 bill around and share something mean someone has said or done to them and how it made them feel using the $100 bill as visualization. If it was something minor, they’d fold it maybe once, if it was something more hurtful they’d maybe fold it a couple of times.

At the end, when all students were done sharing, I looked at the $100 bill(now crumpled, folded to what looked to be a million times) and held it up again. I asked my class “How much is it worth now?” They replied, “$100 still”. I asked, “Who wants it?” Again, 14/14 hands flew up. So I asked “Why? It’s all crumpled, folded, and it doesn’t even look like a $100 bill anymore.” I explained to them that no matter what anyone, or this world says about you, your abilities, your worth, your value or your flaws, you’re still worth something. The same as you’ve always been worth.

I ended my final lesson by saying this, “What you say and do to people matters. You may not see it, but I can promise you it matters. No matter how many times this $100 bill was folded or crumpled up, it’s still worth $100. It’ll still spend the exact same as to when it was brand new, with no folds or imperfections. That’s the same with all of you. You’re all still very valuable. My task for you is to find someone around you who doesn’t feel so valuable, pass on this lesson I’ve taught you, and be the difference. Be the difference you wanna see in this world. Be hope to those whose lives are far from easy.

By the end of it, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.”

Love it, Kirkland. Thanks for sharing! To see Kirklands Facebook page, click here.

Elementary teacher and 2018 Milken Award winner Chad Downs of Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Chad Downs

Elementary school teacher and 2018 Milken Award winner Chad Downs of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Our students are very lucky to have so many talented educators staffing our public schools. These hardworking individuals work tirelessly to develop innovative and effective instructional programs, and they genuinely care about their students. One of these is Chad Downs, a third and fourth grade teacher from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“I’ve wanted to be a teacher since eighth grade,” Chad confesses. “A lot of my family are teachers, so going to family get-togethers, there’s a lot of talking shop,” he says. “I spend a lot of time thinking about school and really making a difference and impacting students,” Chad reveals.

Chad earned his Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2003 from Eastern Michigan University, and his Master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University in 2008. He currently works at Ann Arbor Open School in Ann Arbor. An open school is defined as a public progressive school that offers an emphasis on the Common Core standards, building relationships with students and their families, and a focus on critical thinking skills.

In his classroom, Chad emphasizes project-based learning, real-life experiences, individually tailored instruction, and parent involvement. Chad encourages his students to direct their own studies and track their own progress. In addition, he invites guest speakers to come to his room and talk about their careers, and he organizes field trips to nearby cities and museums. He asks his students to write letters home every week that summarize their achievement and keep their parents informed. He also likes to play games with his kids.

Within his school, Chad has served in several leadership roles, including Co-Curricular Director and Athletic Director. He works on a committee that plans an annual professional development conference, an overnight event held offsite every March for the past 37 years. The conference, which is led by educators for educators, offers presentations by experts on topics of interest, and provides opportunities for conversation about struggles and successes.

The Milken Educator Awards have been described by Teacher magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to the $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 2,700 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country who work towards strengthening best practices in education. Chad is one of up to 40 educators, and the only one from Michigan, who received the Milken Educator Award for the 2018-2019 year. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.