“Our goal as teachers is not limited to being likable and approachable, though that can be very helpful. More important, it is to prioritize student capacity to grow as thinkers, learners, and scholars so that long after kids leave our classrooms, they believe strongly in their ability to be valuable contributors to their communities.” —Miriam Plotinsky, Instructional Specialist

More from @mirplo.bsky.social about empowering students to develop an academic identity: https://edut.to/4teJqhb

‘I’m Bored’: The Dreaded Student Complaint The key to not taking it personally is investigating the cause—the student may not be challenged by the work, or may not understand the work. There are strategies for overcoming these and other…

It’s natural to feel frustrated when you’ve worked hard to craft an engaging lesson and a student says they’re bored. The good news is, usually they mean something else.

@mirplo.bsky.social has ideas for supporting these students! 💡

#EduSky

Big news! My next book with @solutiontree.bsky.social is available for preorder!

6 Common Teacher Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them From rushing through prep to misjudging students’ readiness for a task to teaching the way they were taught, experienced teachers talk about some of the mistakes they’ve made.

Teachers tell students about growth mindset, but as @mirplo.bsky.social writes, “it’s harder to apply that same thinking to ourselves. But teachers do make errors, and they often follow familiar patterns.” 🪴

#EduSky

Thanks for sharing your story, Brett! 😊

6 Common Teacher Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them From rushing through prep to misjudging students’ readiness for a task to teaching the way they were taught, experienced teachers talk about some of the mistakes they’ve made.

Each anecdote in this @edutopia.org piece by @mirplo.bsky.social about learning from our mistakes in the classroom links to some specific strategy or resource.

One of the anecdotes is my own 😊

www.edutopia.org/article/comm...

6 Common Teacher Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them From rushing through prep to misjudging students’ readiness for a task to teaching the way they were taught, experienced teachers talk about some of the mistakes they’ve made.

Everyone makes mistakes—and though teachers may tend to fixate on them, it’s best to learn from them and move on (to other, newer mistakes…).

Does anything from @mirplo.bsky.social’s list ring a bell? 🔔

#EduSky

Getting Started With "Hover-Free" Teaching — Grow Beyond Grades Achieving a student-centered instructional model may be challenging. Miriam Plotinsky, author of the book Hover-Free Teaching , offers ways that teachers can foster a culture of shared responsibility...

Achieving a student-centered instructional model may be challenging, but it is well within the reach of teachers who are dedicated to elevating a culture of shared responsibility for learning. @mirplo.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/hover-f...

Want to share your story?

I'm writing an article for @edutopia.org about the memorable mistakes we make in teaching that ultimately pave the way for greater inspiration and success.

If you'd like to contribute, message me or comment below!

Hover-free Teaching w/Miriam Plotinsky — Grow Beyond Grades Miriam Plotinsky, author of Teach More, Hover Less , breaks down hover-free teaching, showing how teachers can free themselves from helicopter habits and allow students greater control of their own l...

In the culture of hovering, you're really relying on this grading system to do the management for you. And grades should never be about classroom management. @mirplo.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/episode-39-plotinsky

Winning the People: What Engagement Really Means — Grow Beyond Grades How do we move students from the appearance of engagement into something far more meaningful? Miriam Plotinsky argues that to “win the people,” we must include students in every stage of instruction, ...

I lean heavily into the notion that to ‘win the people,’ we must include them in every stage of instruction, including what occurs before anyone sets foot in a classroom. @mirplo.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/what-engagement-means

Habit Stacking Feedback — Grow Beyond Grades When teachers make incremental changes to their habits around providing feedback over time, the result is that students are able to focus more on growth than on grades. Building habits that show stude...

To get out of a vicious cycle, building short but powerful habits over time that transparently show students how they can be successful will yield better results. @mirplo.bsky.social www.growbeyondgrades.org/blog/habit-s...

3 Strategies to Increase Student Participation Many teachers report lower levels of participation in the past couple of years. These vocal and nonvocal strategies may get students to contribute in class.

Sometimes you want quiet in the classroom. Other times, you want to hear students talking! 💬 Try these activities from @mirplo.bsky.social to invite participation.

#EduSky

Small Steps to Simplify Lessons Can Have a Big Impact in the Classroom Cognitive overload—when the mental work of a lesson exceeds students’ abilities—can be reduced or avoided, helping to improve learning outcomes.

According to research on decision making, teachers make 1500 decisions a day. That’s about 3 decisions a minute—so how can you lighten your cognitive load? 🧠

This lesson planning approach from @mirplo.bsky.social can help you avoid burnout *and* improve learning outcomes.

#EduSky

The Prepared, Patient, and Persistent Instructional Coach For instructional coaches to succeed, they need empathy, adaptability, and a toolbox of actionable strategies. Miriam Plotinsky offers keys to being effective.

New: HOW CLASSROOM COACHES HELP TEACHERS SUCCEED.

Great coaching isn’t about authority—it’s about empathy, trust, clear goals and shared growth. When done well, it strengthens teachers, students, and schools, writes @mirplo.bsky.social. #edusky #educoach #T2Tchat

www.middleweb.com/52567/how-cl...

Thanks, Vicki! And love the pod! 😊

Build the Engagement Ladder: Habit Stacking for Classroom Participation Success Join us for an important conversation with Miriam Plotinsky as she presents actionable strategies from her latest book, Small but Mighty: How Everyday Habits Add Up to More Manageable and Confident Te

If you missed my webinar with @ascdofficial.bsky.social on habit stacking student engagement, check it out here!

ascd.org/webinars/bui...

Thanks Kristen! 😊

“Time is always a rare commodity, a reality that could not be more true for back-to-school night. With only minutes to connect with and inspire the people who are most influential in our students’ lives, every second counts. By moving away from logistics and celebrating instruction, we can seize this rare opportunity to show families and caregivers exactly what it’s like to be a student in our classrooms.” —Miriam Plotinsky, Instructional Specialist

@mirplo.bsky.social outlines a few back-to-school night tweaks to help you build strong partnerships with the people who know students best! edut.to/4lAmdBy

#EduSky

An Engaging Approach to Back-to-School Night Teachers have only a few minutes to begin to forge relationships with families. Try sharing classroom logistics in advance to save that time for high-level priorities.

Back-to-school night can be more than sharing basic logistics—it’s an opportunity to create a shared love for learning! 📙🧡

@mirplo.bsky.social shares ways to connect with families and open lines of communication for the upcoming year.

#EduSky

Today is the day! Join us as we talk about how to habit stack student engagement!

😊

ASCD Transformational Leaders Series A webinar series focused on elevating learning experiences.

Join me on August 20 as I present a webinar in collaboration with @ascdofficial.bsky.social for their Transformational Leadership Series!

Register here: information.ascd.org/webinars

Thanks for these ideas. I also really like that it gets people up and moving!

That sounds amazing, Alex! Any particular activities you like to use?

This is so cool, Chris! Thanks so much for sharing this!

Thanks so much, Brett! This is phenomenal!

I’m writing an article for @edutopia.org about making the most of Back to School Night. Teachers, share some of your favorite ways to show families and caregivers what it’s like to be a student in your class! Feel free to reply to this thread or DM. Thanks!

9 Habit-Stacking Tips for Low-Key Summer Prep Miriam Plotinsky outlines habit stacks that can set educators up for success in the approaching school year without taking away from the glory of summer break.

9 HABIT-STACKING TIPS FOR LOW-KEY SUMMER PREP

You need your break! Don’t fill your summer ruminating endlessly about lessons and classes to come. Instead try Miriam Plotinsky's “habit stacking” strategy to prep for next school year. #edusky @mirplo.bsky.social

www.middleweb.com/50960/9-habi...

Had a great time learning and chatting with colleagues at the @ascdofficial.bsky.social 2025 annual conference!