Courtney Elliott

Maslow Before Bloom Before the lessons and the tests, Before the grades that deem who’s best, We must remember first to see, The roots beneath the learning tree. A child hungry, tired, or cold, Cannot grasp the stories told. No formula or history chart, Can reach a wounded, aching heart. Safety, love, a place to rest, Come first before we learn or test. For minds can’t flourish, dream, or bloom, In a heart that’s trapped in gloom. So feed the spirit, calm the fears, Dry the eyes, and lend your ears. Build the trust and light the way, Then knowledge will find room to stay. When Maslow’s needs are met with care, Then Bloom can follow anywhere. But first, we nurture, heal, and tend, For true growth starts where basics mend.

We may not raise a test score when we show empathy for a student… but our compassion can change a kid’s life.

Important! 🙌

That’s a wrap on the 2024 school year. Onto a new adventure teaching 5th grade in Rutland city next year! 💕

A second grade favorite this year!

@AlexSVenet Some I’ve done :Soft start choice bins, no class jobs, choice of what academic task to do for indp practice what I want to try- S help choose order of daily schedule

We zoomed with the ground hog of all groundhogs today!

The learning experience for kids ❤️ is a vital aspect of our school climate and culture. “As an educator or school leader seeing students smiling and laughing is some of the best feedback you can get.” #NextLevelTeaching on Amazon - a.co/d/9CkCdCQ #DBCincBooks

This 🙌❤️

The relationships between teachers and students form the backbone of the classroom. Beyond morale, they impact academic performance, behavior, and the overall atmosphere. Positive connections are key to a successful & productive learning environment. #Relationshipsbeforerigor

IF THEY CAN'T LEARN THE WAY WE TEACH, WE TEACH THE WAY THEY LEARN. #education #teachers #school #leadership #autism #sped #satchat #sped #teachertwitter

When teachers build an understanding of #trauma, we start to see our students, our classrooms, and our own teaching a lot differently. #traumainformed #traumainformedinstruction #thebodykeepsscore #teacher #education #edchat #edu

Classroom management is focused on control. But we don’t control people, we lead them. So focus less on control of behavior & focus more on leadership. Building essential R's (respect, relationships, responsibility, & relevance). We want students committed not just compliant.

Effective teachers don't center their approach on rules, but rather on relationships, routines, & expectations. Prioritizing these over rules means spending less time enforcing them. When you invest in relationships, routines, & expectations, rule enforcement becomes less needed

It was heart warming to see the students with the community @NWPPLC @ILoveRutlandVT @RHSBillOlsen @RobBlissVT

Student Pushing Your Buttons? Try These De-Escalation Strategies sbee.link/trua9dyg7n via @weareteachers #teachertwitter #teacherlife #k12

An unusual #professionaldevelopment is "I Wish my Teacher Knew" bc the book tells the story of the hashtag with Ss' responses & provides a guide for teachers. Quick read and worth it. #teachertwitter

Let's not penalize kids for being kids. When they're stuck in desks for too long, it's no wonder they get fidgety or chatty. While there's certainly a time and place for focused learning, we must also provide more opportunities for them to play, move, socialize, & be childlike!