THE TWO-IN-ONE TEACHER
Hybrid teaching requires you to be two teachers at once: one for your in-person students and one for your Zoom students. After three days of hybrid teaching, I’ve learned a few tricks and am still looking for advice with this balancing act.
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HYBRID TEACHING: DAY 1
When quarantine started over a year ago, I naïvely thought we’d be teaching remotely for two weeks. Little did I know distance learning would continue over a year and that we’d have an intermediate stage to distance vs. in-person teaching: the “hybrid” teaching scenario. Today was day one back at school for me. It was…
ECONOMY OF LANGUAGE
“Economy of language” is a term I learned in grad school and I wish they taught it to all working adults, especially those who end up sending a lot of emails. A counter-example of economy of language is precisely what I’m doing now. A good example of economy of language: Economy of language is saying…
PLAN WITH ME: PREPPING AFTER FEBRUARY BREAK
In my first few years teaching, I’d dedicate a few days of break to prepping for the next chunk of the school year. Now I’ve got it down to a science, and it just takes me a few hours. The further I get into teaching, the more I know ACTUAL BREAKS ARE IMPORTANT. Otherwise we’d…
Hydrodynamics + Field Theories?
How are hydrodynamics and field theories related? If you’d asked me early last week I wouldn’t have much to say. However, after hearing Pavel Kovtun’s talk at the Caltech Physics Colloquium last Thursday, I now see that they’re pretty deeply related. I’ve always seen hydrodynamics as equivalent to fluid mechanics, which I dismissed as “an…
FEBRUARY 2021: NEED A LITTLE LOVE?
This November, I’m striving to take a step back and remind myself of all the things I’m grateful for. ‘Tis the season of thanksgiving, and in lieu of not seeing my family for the holidays, I’ll focus on gratitude (and Black Friday shopping, of course!). We’ve just come off the very long month of October,…
Executive Functioning
Teaching is a profession which requires you to be ULTRA organized. You have crazy weird time constraints (“second period starts at 9:34 and ends at 10:29, at which point you only have three minutes to use the bathroom and make it to the third floor of the building”). You have weird location requirements (“fourth period…
NEUTRINO GEOSCIENCE
Neutrinos fascinate me. Their history is particularly interesting: they were one of the first particles hypothesized by theory and then found experimentally. They were once thought to be massless, but now we know they have a very, very tiny mass. They have antiparticle counterparts (which at first blush is confusing, considering they are electrically neutral).…
WHY YOU NEED A WACOM FOR ZOOM TEACHING
I LOVE me a good doc cam. Considering I started my teaching career with only a blackboard – no projector, no whiteboard (and this was 2014!!) – I’ve been on the path to find the perfect, cheap classroom tech that works best for me and my students. For in-person teaching there is seriously nothing better…
QUANTUM: EVEN & ODD FUNCTIONS
Perhaps in high school Algebra 1 or 2 you first learned about even and odd functions. The idea seemed simple and pointless at first: an even polynomial function had an even degree, and an odd polynomial function had an odd degree. Like many students, you may have thought, “Duh. Who cares?” Ah, just like almost…
PLAN WITH ME: WOULD YOU SURVIVE ON MARS?
So I’m a BIG fan of Andy Weir’s The Martian. The book is beyond excellent and because he originally published it chapter-by-chapter, he had many fans and scientists check the science. It’s pretty much all correct. As a fan of sci-fi but also TRUE SCIENCE, I appreciate this. Also, he has some clutch JPL and…
“NEW” YEAR: JANUARY 2021
Most people are in the thick of setting new year resolutions. As a teacher, you’re probably soaking up those last sacred days of winter break. You made your resolutions and updated your goals and habits in August or September – the true “new” year. However, it’s actually good to jump on the “New Year New…
PROGRAMMING, REPL.IT, GRAPHICS
As you know, programming has quickly become one of my favorite classes to teach. This year I’m reusing many of my materials from last year, so I actually have the time and mental space to fix things, change assignments, and tackle more intense projects. One of those projects is teaching the students some basic graphics…
TIPS FOR VIRTUAL PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
We hosted our virtual parent-teacher conferences two weeks ago. Luckily, our conferences in the spring were also virtual, so I knew what to expect. But I have some general tips and some new ones for you this time around! 1. Have an agenda. This doesn’t have to be a formally written agenda, like you might…
NOVEMBER 2020: SEASON OF GRATITUDE
This November, I’m striving to take a step back and remind myself of all the things I’m grateful for. ‘Tis the season of thanksgiving, and in lieu of not seeing my family for the holidays, I’ll focus on gratitude (and Black Friday shopping, of course!). We’ve just come off the very long month of October,…
WHY OCTOBER IS THE LONGEST MONTH OF THE YEAR
During my first year teaching, I thought that October was rough because I was still going through the growing pains of being a brand new teacher. But then my mom told me that October is always the roughest month for my dad, a newly-retired teacher of 30 years. That first year, I didn’t fully understand…
PLAN WITH ME: PYTHON PROGRAMMING
This summer I talked a big talk about creating a scope and sequence, developing your curriculum, and making creative warm-up’s. Now it’s time to show you how I walk the walk. I want to share this with you to illustrate one main thing: I used to have to spend a LOT of time prepping outside…
Google Forms Must-Do’s
Google Forms have worked well for my distance learning classes. I used them almost daily in my Algebra 1 and Physics classes in the spring and now I use them daily for every class, for my warm-up at least.
A NEW TEACHER NIGHTMARE
In the spooky spirit of October, I want to share a scary story with you. Remember those school nightmares you used to have growing up? You forgot your locker combo. You had a final but didn’t study. Well, teachers also have school nightmares. One of my nightmares was often a reality: we had one printer/copier…
OCTOBER 2020: LONGEST MONTH OF THE YEAR
Ah, October. It’s fitting that my dad, a social studies teach for 30 years, is retiring this month. He once told me that October is the longest month of the year for teachers and it is SO true. October is the time to lock down routines and procedures, revisit curriculum plans, and devote some solid…
Example Warm-Ups: Programming Fall 2020
You may know, I love a good 5-minute warm-up to start each class. I’ve ALWAYS used these in my Algebra 1 classes, but when I heard we’d be entirely remote again this fall, I thought it’d be good to do warm-ups in all of my classes and it’s totally paid off.
“COLBAORATORY” – CODING WITH GOOGLE
In my Programming exposé post, I described how coding went from being one of the scariest things to teach to one of the funnest. I also mentioned that this year I’m using Google’s interactive Python notebook, Colaboratory, as the coding environment for my students. If you’re familiar with Python programming, it’s Google’s version of Jupyter…
SEPTEMBER 2020: THE VERY BEGINNING
It’s here! You’re either already back at school, like me, or just about to start. The summer prepping and dreaming is over. It’s time to talk the talk and walk the walk. I’ve already been surprised by all the things I forgot about remote teaching, but I remain optimistic that I’ll do a better job…
Programming Class ’20-’21
This year I’m teaching Python Programming for the second time at my current school. I’ve actually taught programming/computer science ever since my first year teaching but this year and last were the most rigorous. Before I tell you all the details about this year’s class, I have to share a secret with you…
DISTANCE LEARNING 2020-2021: WEEK 1 THOUGHTS
Week 1 done! This week my school just did 1/2 days with students Wednesday through Friday. We did some whole-school meetings, as well as short individual classes. I’ve been thinking so much about school all throughout summer, it’s funny too realize all the things I forgot about until actually starting again!
CREATIVE WARM-UP IDEAS
I used to dislike the idea of beginning class with a warm-up or “do now,” or a “bell ringer,” as they’re sometimes called. It seemed like a waste of time or a way to force compliance from kids from the first second of class onwards. Then, in my third year of teaching, I had a…
Digital Physics Labs
This year I’ll be teaching two sections of distance learning physics. I LOVE physics – it’s been my favorite subject since my sophomore year of high school (hence why I majored in it!). The trickiest part about teaching physics remotely, however, is how to still do labs!? Luckily, I’ve rounded up a few great digital…
STUDENT OUTCOMES
As I’m getting into the nitty gritty of my planning for this fall (TWO WEEKS TO GO AH!), I’m starting to think about what student outcomes I want this year. I already reflected on last year and revisited my teacher “why.” Before I think about what I envision for myself professionally this year, I want…
END-OF-SUMMER TO-DO LIST
I’ve got two weeks until school starts, so it’s now time to really dig in and get some prepping done. Many things are still up in the air, so I’m doing what I can now to help future Julia.
August 2020: New School Year… Who Dis?
Are you ready for this upcoming school year!? I’ll be honest, I’m definitely not ready yet. School starts on August 17th for me and I purposely put off any concrete planning until now. I was hoping that would help quarantine summer actually feel like a vacation. Now it’s time for me to jump in and…
Summer Reading 2020
I distinctly remember this fear I used to have in grad school: that given my average pace of reading I could only read about 600 more books in my life. So I had to choose carefully and really make them count. I now realize it’s a silly fear, but it explains a lot about how…
Webinar Replay: Backwards Planning – Creating a Curriculum from Scratch
Learn the 6 steps you need to create a curriculum from scratch!
Google Calendar Tips
I LOVE a good calendar. I could talk about all the different calendars I keep, but for today let’s just focus on Google Calendar. I’ve tried many different calendar-type tools for lesson planning – physical print outs with notes scribbled all over, post-it notes, and online ones like Chalk or Planboard. But I finally found…
Your Class Scope & Sequence, plus examples!
A scope and sequence for any class is a list of each unit name and the name of each lesson underneath that, in the order you want to teach them. It’s often required by school administration but I find it SUPER USEFUL to keep me on track during the year.
Webinar replay: Making a Great Syllabus
If you’re looking for even more planning tips and tricks, grab a copy of my ’20-’21 Teacher Planning Workbook!
What to include on your syllabus
The syllabus might be the most underrated document in teaching. It’s often SO boring, but it can be SO useful. Personally, I believe the key to a having a great syllabus is to make it short. Your syllabus should reference the key information for your class, and it should tell students and parents exactly what…
Defining your Curriculum
What is a curriculum? In short, it’s what you teach. Ok so you’re good to go plan it now, right!? Let me take you through the steps I use to create my curriculum each year.
Summer 2020 Teacher Prep Ideas
“I don’t know what the fall is going to look like so what can I even prepare now!?” – all teachers everywhere.
Virtual Teacher Interview: Kindergarten, Atlanta
I have SUCH a great interview for you today! We’re hearing from Khalia Murray, of Ms. Murray’s Corner, today. I met Khalia through our grad school network (the Relay Graduate School of Education, which has campuses all over the country). She’s a kindergarten teacher in Atlanta, Georgia.
IT’S HERE!! Introducing the ’20-’21 Teacher Planning Workbook
The ’20-’21 Teacher Planning Workbook is now LIVE on Amazon. Get your copy today! This workbook outlines the exact process I go through each year when I plan for the upcoming school year. If you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed, stop thinking and worrying and just get the workbook! It takes you through every step to…
End-of-Year Cleaning
Last week I went into school to clean up my classroom a bit. It was in pretty good shape considering it hasn’t been used for 3 months! I have a few tips of what you can do now to prep for the fall (whatever that might look like).
Sneak Peak! ’20-’21 Teacher Planning Workbook
TOMORROW my ’20-’21 Teacher Planning Workbook will be live on Amazon! I created this workbook because it’s what I want to use to plan for next year. It’s full of meaningful reflection questions and space for planning everything from your classroom set-up (if we’re in-person), to supplies, to calendars, and even clubs.
Reflecting on the 2019-2020 School Year
I’ve been on summer break for a few weeks now, so I’ve decompressed enough to start unpacking exactly what happened this spring! Needless to say, THIS. YEAR. WAS. CRAZY. While I was in the thick of remote teaching, I honestly felt a lot like I did my first year teaching…
Define Your Teacher “WHY”
What is your Teacher “Why”? What even IS a Teacher “Why”? Your Teacher “Why” is a few sentences or a paragraph about why you first became a teacher, and what keeps you in teaching year after year. Teaching isn’t just a job, it’s a profession with a clear impact. And for many teachers it’s their…
MUST-HAVE Teacher Supplies
I LOVE school supplies, but what teacher doesn’t? I think the hardest thing for teachers (especially those in their first year) is HOLDING BACK from buying ALL the supplies. So I’m going to share my bare bones list with you.
Virtual Teacher Interview: elementary school art, Arizona
In today’s interview, we’re hearing from Lianna. She and I went to high school together and she is SERIOUSLY one of the most talented artists I’ve ever met! The fact that she’s now teaching youngsters how to “art” makes me so happy and so excited for the future of humanity! Julia: Tell me about your…
Virtual Teacher Interview: high school computer science, Maryland
When I first got to college, I’ll admit I was nervous, just like most students are! I was 3,000 miles away from home and I didn’t know a single person who went there or had gone there before. My closest relative was a 5-hour drive away. Mom and Dad helped me unpack and set up…
Virtual Teacher Interview: grade 7 math/science, Toronto Canada
Guys. GUYS. This is big. I have a special treat for you for today’s interview. We’re hearing from Pamela Depooter, a grade 7 math and science teacher in Toronto, Canada (yes, we have to say “grade 7” not “7th grade” because that’s what the Canadians say!). What Pam doesn’t know is that she’s been my…
Virtual Teacher Interview: elementary school art, Brooklyn
During my first and second years of teaching I was also going to grad school each night and every Saturday to get my MAT in Mathematics. During the weeknights I had classes with k-12 teachers from all over NYC. Sometimes we’d practice delivering instruction or directions and I remember whenever the kindergarten or early elementary…
Virtual Teacher Interview: high school English, Bay Area California
Today’s interview is from fellow Bay Area high school teacher, Katharine Keigher. I met Kat through our mutual friend, Rachel, because we all love crafting! Cross Stitch, knitting, sewing, you name it! Fun fact: Kat has the most ADORABLE Etsy shop. I think you’ll find Kat’s interview enlightening, particularly in the ways teacher tech literacy…
Virtual Teacher Interview: 5th and 6th grade music, Texas
I would consider myself quite a bit of a classical music nerd back in high school. I played French horn, while my twin sister played flute. One of our friends, Megan Garza, also played flute and became a music teacher – SUCH a cool gig! When Megan agreed to be interviewed, I was beyond psyched…
Virtual Teacher Interview: high school ELA, the Bronx
I’ve been SO curious to hear how other teacher’s experiences were with these first few months of distance learning. My former coworker, David DeWitt from the Bronx (once a Bronx Compass teacher, always a Bronx Compass teacher!), gladly shared his experiences teaching high school ELA at the DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx. (I…
Virtual Teacher Interview: middle school social studies, upstate New York
Being a teacher is in my blood: most of my grandparents were teachers, some of my extended family taught, and my dad is currently finishing up his 30th year of teaching. My dad teaches middle school social studies in a public school in upstate New York. He’s seen a thing or two in his day,…
How Distance Learning Will Impact Teach for America’s Summer Trainings
With quarantine halting all travel and vacation plans for this summer, I’ve gone through a highly accelerated period of decompression and am already onto brainstorming for the next school year. My brainstorm usually starts with reflecting on the past year, which inevitably makes me think about my first year of teaching, which got me thinking…
COVID-19: End of ’19-’20 School Year Thoughts
Our school year is over. I’ve taught via Zoom for 12 weeks. That’s 55 days, for a total of 241.5 hours, which is 14,490 minutes. I wanted to summarize my thoughts from these past 12 weeks and my hopes for the future.
COVID-19: What Other Schools Are Doing
Being a teacher is in my blood: most of my grandparents were teachers, some of my extended family taught, and my dad is currently finishing up his 30th year of teaching. My dad teaches middle school social studies in a public school in upstate New York. He’s seen a thing or two in his day,…
COVID-19: Why Distance Learning IS Working for My School
Week 3, here we are. I can’t lie, remote teaching is TOUGH. The days feel weirdly longer and shorter than usual. I honestly feel like a first year teacher all over again. So much is different than regular classroom teaching. With that said, after talking with my dad this weekend, who’s also a teacher (7th…
COVID-19: My Tips for Transforming Materials into Google Forms
I’ll admit, as a teacher I use a LOT of paper. I’d say I average about 5 sheets of paper per student per class. I agree it’s good for humanity to “go green,” but when it comes to effectively learning math I strongly believe that students need to write things down, and try new methods,…
COVID-19: Giving Math Feedback on Google Forms Submissions
Now that my first week of distance learning is done, I feel pretty good about most of my class structures. The one thing I couldn’t solve was how to give feedback to students on their written/diagrammatic work. But just today I explored a solution I think will work: the comment feature on Google Forms.
COVID-19: Is Remote Teaching Easier or Harder than Regular Teaching?
After day three of remote teaching, I’ve decided it is neither easier nor harder than regular teaching. It’s certainly incredibly different than regular classroom teaching, but for each thing that is easier, there’s another aspect which is more difficult.
COVID-19: Zoom Tips
EVERYONE is using Zoom now. It works well for all types of meetings, but there are some features of Zoom which are especially useful for teachers and students.
COVID-19: The Basics of How to Teach High School from Home
Today I officially started teaching all of my classes via Zoom. My school is a small private school in California’s Bay Area, so we’ve been prepping for the inevitability of distance learning for a few weeks now. While I certainly don’t have it all figured out yet, I wanted to share the quickest, most basic…
Julia Ziac 