I vividly remember the first time I was surrounded by National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) because the difference in this group was palpable. Complaining was low, celebrating was high. Negativity was low, positivity was high. For the first time I could remember, I was in a group of teachers who talked—seemingly endlessly—about innovation in their classrooms and schools. They were clearly leaders in their field: speaking, writing, mentoring, and presenting to audiences la

Leading a student-centered class can be scary. For an instructor used to being the star of the show in a lecture-style class, relinquishing control to students can feel like letting go of the wheel on the highway. However, dipping your toes in the water can be as easy as starting each class with a dynamic warm-up—that is, a simple, 5 -10 minute activity done at the beginning of class, which obligates students to do three things: 1. Use language to focus on meaning 2.