Mic Check, 1, 2, 1, 2… My Origin Story
Is this thing on? Let me first start by expressing how incredibly excited I am to be writing this post! What better way to introduce you to my blog than by telling you the origin story behind StuckOnEDU.
Everyone knows that mandatory parts of teacher training include student teaching, sleepless nights, a cute patterned lunch bag, comfy shoes, and Post It notes. So many Post Its. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the bright and fun colors of Post Its. Once I got my own classroom, I felt a new sense of ownership over my teaching experience. I was excited to liven up my classroom with Post Its while creatively engaging my students. It was around this time that Post It window art was popularand I wanted to find a way to translate that to the classroom.
One of the most important pillars of my classroom is the importance of reflection. In room 309, class either begins (after students have done a flipped lesson) or ends (on days when class is mostly direct instruction focused) with a “What Stuck With You?” question. Naturally, I had my students answer on Post Its, and that’s how my ‘What Stuck With You’ wall was born. Every student, teacher, and administrator that walks into my classroom is immediately drawn to our colorful archive of knowledge and progress.
Since the first week of school “What Stuck” has become an established routine in which students take out a Post It and write down their big takeaway from the day’s lesson. Giving students intentional time for purposeful reflection is a metacognitive strategy that guides students to develop independent study skills. After students have completed their “What Stuck,” I have them share aloud with each other and me before sticking the Post It on the board. The nature of this transparent reflection and kinesthetic learning experience has proven to be engaging and motivating for even the most reluctant of my special education students.
When it came time to create my #teachergram account, it only felt natural to connect my account name with my favorite part of my classroom. Making learning ‘stick’ and persevering through ‘sticky’ situations is what I’m all about. With the help of a creative friend, Stuck On EDU was born!
I love getting to share my wins, fails, ideas, and hot takes with you here. Stick around for more – there are plenty of freebies on the way and opportunities for private coaching sessions, too!
