Reposted by Amir Taron AyresLaura DeMars @laurademars.bsky.social · 02/09/2026How are student voices being centered in this conversation. I’d love to know. Thank you, @amirtaron.bsky.social , for starting this conversation. ✨ 121
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresTeacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Amir T asks: "Educators have strong opinions for and against AI use in schools, but how do students feel?" Share your thoughts here: www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...edutopia.orgEducators have strong opinions for and against AI use in schools, but how do students feel?There’s been some great (and sometimes polarizing) dialogue around AI use in education this summer—both here at Teacher2Teacher and on the T2T Facebook page. 👉 Stacy K’s question led a discussion abou... 041
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresMarcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 12/08/2026One of my favorite things about this collection: It isn't just finding things that immediately work (though those are there!) but more so how many of them offer mirrors to things I already do—and make me consider my own choices/systems and, potentially, make needed improvements. For example... 173
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Be sure to check out @Edutopia.org’s Back-to-School Starter Pack. Start the year strong with these valuable reads *and* share with a colleague or three. 😏 I’m grateful to share that one of my articles is included in the Starter Pack. 🙌🏾🙌🏾 (Link in replies.) www.edutopia.org/package/back...edutopia.orgBack-to-School Starter PackA roundup of Edutopia favorites to help you kick off the school year strong, with ideas for classroom design, family communication, community-building, routines and norms, and classroom management. 143
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Educator friends, tap in! 👇🏾 @edutopia.org is hosting two big back to school @teacher2teacher.bsky.social Jam Sessions *at the same time.*🔥 🤔Ask what’s on your mind. 💪🏾Share what you’re planning this year. 👀Take a look at what others are doing. Links to both sessions are in the replies. 272
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresTeacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Teacher educators, Alex V. is updating their syllabus and would love your input. Lend a hand on T2T: www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...edutopia.orgTeacher educators: what’s on your syllabus this fall?This one’s for all of you who teach teachers! What’s your favorite reading on your syllabus this fall? Any classic articles that your students get excited about every year? Or new readings you’re goin... 074
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 18/07/2026“Use the first week of school to get to know your students.” Great. But how? In this @edutopia.org podcast, @marcusluther.bsky.social provides some easy-lift, very specific ways to begin building the kind of culture every classroom can benefit from. www.edutopia.org/podcast/how-...edutopia.orgPodcast: How to Jumpstart Belonging in Your Classroom From Day OneThe first week of school can set the tone for the entire year. Teacher Marcus Luther shares powerful yet simple routines that build trust, help students feel known, and strengthen the classroom commun... 1117
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 16/07/2026More slides don’t equal more rigor. @amirtaron.bsky.social explains how to challenge your students in a way that actually builds their skills. #ITeachHistory #EduSky edutopia.orgFewer Tasks but More RigorAdding more steps to a social studies project doesn’t necessarily make it more rigorous—there are better ways to appropriately challenge students. 032
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresMarcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 09/07/2026"When I first started teaching, I would create Sisyphean projects for my kids to work on for days at a time." So appreciate this piece for naming how the quantity and cumbersome-ness of what we assign students often is perceived as "rigorous" when, in fact, there is a much, much better way. 2193
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 08/07/2026As a new teacher, I often created cumbersome class projects. I felt like the more tasks kids had to complete, the more I was challenging them. 💪🏾 However, my strategy was flawed. 👀 Here is my latest with @edutopia.org on a better way to create rigorous projects. www.edutopia.org/article/incr...edutopia.orgFewer Tasks but More RigorAdding more steps to a social studies project doesn’t necessarily make it more rigorous—there are better ways to appropriately challenge students. 3167
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 23/06/2026I’m excited about presenting at @isteofficial.bsky.social next week. Here’s the article I wrote for @edutopia.org last year that inspired my session. This piece targets some easy ways to shift AI use from mere task delegation to effective thought partnering. www.edutopia.org/article/ai-t...edutopia.orgUsing AI as a Thought Partner, Not a ShortcutEngaging in a back-and-forth with AI programs to refine the prompt and the output can help educators generate high-quality learning materials. 152
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 27/05/2026“Purposeful circulation allows us to gather the most useful, high-leverage data we can to help all students achieve the goals of the lesson,” @amirtaron.bsky.social writes. Here’s what that looks like. 👇 #EduSkyedutopia.orgWhat Purposefully Circulating Through the Classroom Looks LikeClose observation during tasks helps teachers correct misunderstandings and celebrate when students are getting things right. 042
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 24/05/2026Veteran teacher and instructional coach @amirtaron.bsky.social gives advice about how to strategically move around the room—like a chessboard! ♟️ #EduSkyedutopia.orgWhat Purposefully Circulating Through the Classroom Looks LikeClose observation during tasks helps teachers correct misunderstandings and celebrate when students are getting things right. 071
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 15/05/2026What happens after the ‘I do’ and the ‘We do’? What do *you* do? My latest with @edutopia.org is all about purposefully moving through the classroom when students are released to think and work though a task. www.edutopia.org/article/movi...edutopia.orgWhat Purposefully Circulating Through the Classroom Looks LikeClose observation during tasks helps teachers correct misunderstandings and celebrate when students are getting things right. 141
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 27/04/2026It’s that time of the school year again. 💆🏾 Vacancies. 📃 Resumes. 👩🏾💼 Interviews. Are you being intentional and strategic about recruiting a diverse team of teachers to fill your vacancies? I wrote this @edutopia.org article to share how I’ve done it. www.edutopia.org/article/recr...edutopia.org5 Ways to Recruit a Diverse Team of TeachersBy thinking strategically about the interview process, school administrators can attract a diverse pool of strong candidates. 262
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 18/04/2026“Mannnnnnn, I can’t wait to do some worksheets today!” said no child ever. Worksheets can feel like busywork, asking students for compliance instead of demonstration of learning. So how can you transform the ready-made worksheet into an engaging & vibrant lesson? @amirtaron.bsky.social explains. ⬇️edutopia.orgTurning a Boring Worksheet Into an Engaging LessonA worksheet is like off-the-rack formal wear—it might be OK, but it needs a little tailoring to really fit your students and your learning objective. 065
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 17/04/2026Worksheets are not inherently bad. But in order to effectively engage kids, these materials need tailoring—strategy, structure, and facilitated interaction. I wrote this for @edutopia.org to share how I’ve learned to make boring worksheets pop in the classroom. www.edutopia.org/article/maki...edutopia.orgTurning a Boring Worksheet Into an Engaging LessonA worksheet is like off-the-rack formal wear—it might be OK, but it needs a little tailoring to really fit your students and your learning objective. 032
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 27/03/2026First year teachers: The struggle not to just put on a video for the whole class is real. Here’s what @amirtaron.bsky.social suggests instead. 📺 #EduSkyedutopia.orgAn Effective Strategy for Teaching With VideosRather than showing long videos, teachers should design lessons that use clips as resources to spur class discussion. 663
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 25/03/2026Instructional supervisor and Edutopia community facilitator @amirtaron.bsky.social explains how to integrate videos into your classroom *and* keep students engaged. 📺 #EduSkyedutopia.orgAn Effective Strategy for Teaching With VideosRather than showing long videos, teachers should design lessons that use clips as resources to spur class discussion. 074
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 20/03/2026👨🏾🏫📽️ Teaching effectively with video requires far more than simply pressing play. I wrote this piece for @edutopia.org to share how I do it. 📼📺 Thank you for reading and sharing. 🙏🏾 www.edutopia.org/article/usin...edutopia.orgAn Effective Strategy for Teaching With VideosRather than showing long videos, teachers should design lessons that use clips as resources to spur class discussion. 143
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 18/02/2026“The best classroom management affirms a committed relationship with intellectual engagement,” writes @amirtaron.bsky.social. Here’s the strategies he uses to set expectations and engage students. 🌟 #ClassroomManagement #EduSkyedutopia.orgStudent Engagement as an Aspect of Classroom ManagementAn educator whose class rules once ‘looked like the Ten Commandments’ has found that fostering intellectual engagement is much more effective for maintaining order. 153
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 15/02/2026Classroom management is all about intellectual engagement, says veteran teacher and Edutopia community facilitator @amirtaron.bsky.social. Here’s how he norms learning activities as a way to set expectations for his classroom. 💫 #ClassroomManagement #EduSkyedutopia.orgStudent Engagement as an Aspect of Classroom ManagementAn educator whose class rules once ‘looked like the Ten Commandments’ has found that fostering intellectual engagement is much more effective for maintaining order. 042
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 12/02/2026Effective classroom management is not just about rules and behavior. Check out my latest with @Edutopia.org on stirring intellectual engagement into the management mix by norming learning structures.👇🏾👇🏾 Thank you always for reading and sharing. 🙏🏾 www.edutopia.org/article/stud... 011
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresMarcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 11/01/2026Thoughts on the term "warm demander"? I have quite a few, which is why I am really excited to be a part of this conversation with @edutopia.org. Quick Sunday morning question: 👍 or 👎 on that term? 5122
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 11/01/2026Ready to talk about the warm demander approach to classroom management? Jump into our January Jam Session: edut.to/3Zc6sb2 Join us, @marcusluther.bsky.social, @amirtaron.bsky.social, @jessicacabeen.bsky.social, and @alterishea.bsky.social for tips, resources, and advice you can use right away! 0135
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 11/01/2026I’m co-facilitating an @edutopia.org Jam Session this week with @alterishea.bsky.social. If you or anyone you know faces challenges with classroom management or if you are skilled as a Warm Demander, jump on the space and get active with us. #EduSky www.edutopia.org/ask-and-answ...edutopia.orgJanuary 2026 Jam Session: The Warm Demander Approach to Classroom ManagementHere’s how to join the chat: Drop your questions, share a challenge you’re facing, or post a strategy about balancing high expectations with deep care—the heart of the warm demander approach. Welcome!... 043
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 22/12/2025Time is currency. Every school leader should internalize this concept as a core value. 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 12/12/2025This is a must read for school leaders. “Want real change in schools? Start by subtracting things.” www.ascd.org/el/articles/...ascd.orgThe Power of Doing Less in SchoolsWant real change in schools? Start by subtracting things. 100
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 12/12/2025“When the system isn’t working, and the people in the system are exhausted and overwhelmed, you can’t fix those problems by adding more things to the system and making it more complicated,” professor Justin Reich wrote for ASCD. Here’s how schools can subtract instead. #SchoolLeaders #EduSkyedutopia.orgWhy Schools Should Stop Adding and Adopt a ‘Subtraction Mindset’When trying to solve problems, we rarely think of what to take away. As schools face new crises, is subtraction the secret weapon to getting them back on track? 081
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 06/12/2025Want your students to push themselves in the classroom? Veteran educator @amirtaron.bsky.social says the answer is to start with how the material connects to their lives. 🖇️ #EduSkyedut.toLooking to Increase the Level of Rigor? Start With RelevanceMaking sure students see the connection between the material and their own lives cultivates curiosity and interest, allowing a deeper understanding of content. 032
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 04/12/2025“I use relevance to cultivate curiosity and interest so we can then dive deeply into the material. In other words, relevance opens the door and ushers student thought into the realm of rigor.” 🚪 Here’s how that plays out in @amirtaron.bsky.social’s classroom: #EduSkyedut.toLooking to Increase the Level of Rigor? Start With RelevanceMaking sure students see the connection between the material and their own lives cultivates curiosity and interest, allowing a deeper understanding of content. 021
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 04/12/2025It pains me that the same system that benefits one population simultaneously and often severely cripples another. In affluent schools an IEP creates a competitive edge. In the lowest achieving schools, an IEP can lead to 13 years of basic skills and disproportionate discipline. 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 21/11/2025Relevance opens the door for rigor. When students can relate, we can push them further. Rigor without relevance is boring…at best. Thank you, @edutopia.org for giving me space to write about this. #EduSky #TeacherEducation www.edutopia.org/article/crea...edutopia.orgLooking to Increase the Level of Rigor? Start With RelevanceMaking sure students see the connection between the material and their own lives cultivates curiosity and interest, allowing a deeper understanding of content. 131
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 29/10/2025AI is not a silver bullet. If you are an educator who is content to plop a prompt into Chat and accept the first thing that comes out, I’m just letting you know…there is a stain on your shirt. #EduSky #AIinEducation 010
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresTeacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 22/10/2025Your high expectations can be transformative, reminds educator Kareem Farah: 032
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresEdutopia @edutopia.org · 22/10/2025Next time you launch a new unit, try this: engaging students with big, exciting themes instead of going straight to vocabulary! @amirtaron.bsky.social explains how. 🚀 #EduSky #MiddleSchool #ITeachSocialStudies #HistoryEducationedut.toSetting Up an Engaging Launch for a New Unit in Middle SchoolBy encouraging students to think deeply at the beginning of units, teachers can help them see why the material is relevant to their lives. 042
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 20/10/2025When engagement and relevance break bread together, kids generate electricity. #EduSky 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 18/10/2025Teachers and admin: as we approach a new marking period and new unit, check out my new @edutopia.org piece on launching into deep thinking from day one. #EduSky www.edutopia.org/article/them...edutopia.orgSetting Up an Engaging Launch for a New Unit in Middle SchoolBy encouraging students to think deeply at the beginning of units, teachers can help them see why the material is relevant to their lives. 011
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 04/10/2025A deficit mindset will always rob you of contentment and peace of mind. 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 26/09/2025Frustration is a thief of progress. When you are a problem solver, understanding your locus of control is a necessary skill set in order to nullify the inevitable moments, people, and systems that can frustrate your work and your purpose. 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 25/09/2025#aiineducation is bigger than time saving and reducing workload. The question is, are you using AI to maximize your effectiveness as an educator? I recently had a great discussion with @classtechtips.com about this. #EduSky check it out. classtechtips.com/2025/09/23/a...classtechtips.comAI Strategies from an Instructional Supervisor with Amir Taron Ayres - Easy EdTech Podcast 338 - Class Tech TipsElevate lesson planning & leadership with Amir Taron Ayres! Explore practical AI strategies to design lessons & support diverse learners. 110
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresMonica Burns @ClassTechTips @classtechtips.com · 23/09/2025NEW today! #EduSky 🎧 How can AI support teachers and streamline lesson planning? 🧠 Amir Taron Ayres (@amirtaron.bsky.social) shares practical strategies in this Easy EdTech Podcast episode. 🎙️ Perfect for educators and coaches looking to use AI with intention. classtechtips.com/2025/09/23/a... 011
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 23/09/2025I recently had the privilege of speaking with Monica Burns (aka @classtechtips.com) about AI strategies for educators on her Easy EdTech Podcast. You can listen on the web or on any podcast app. Be sure to listen and share your thoughts. 🙏🏾 Stream right here: classtechtips.com/2025/09/23/a...classtechtips.comAI Strategies from an Instructional Supervisor with Amir Taron Ayres - Easy EdTech Podcast 338 - Class Tech TipsElevate lesson planning & leadership with Amir Taron Ayres! Explore practical AI strategies to design lessons & support diverse learners. 111
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 26/08/20251/2: I read a social media post today on another app that said, “teachers should not have to sacrifice rigor for relevance.” This is a false dichotomy. Rigor and relevance are not at odds. No such trade off is necessary. #EduSky 100
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 08/08/20251/ Two words that don’t often bode well for me on educator resumes: “Title I” as in, “Teacher at Title I School” or “Title I Teacher.” What does this even mean? Is this an indicator to Black and brown schools that you are qualified to teach these “Title I” students? #EduSky 100
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 17/07/2025Looking forward to this #ISS session. Mixing and Mastering 101. #InnovativeSchoolsSummit #EduSky 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 12/07/2025Today is a Fela Kuti day. Conduct your playlist accordingly. 000
Amir Taron Ayres @amirtaron.bsky.social · 02/07/2025Was just discussing this idea in the world of secondary ed w/ a colleague. Educators use AI to lighten their workload. Students do the same. Yet, the same educators disparage student AI use. The goal for our students should be AI fluency. #EduSky #EduSkyAI 000
Reposted by Amir Taron AyresMike Kentz @mikekentz.bsky.social · 18/06/2025New research raises red flags about long-term #LLM use (and confirms what most educators already knew)... A 206-page study out of Boston tracked student writing across three modes: 1. ChatGPT 2. Google 3. Brain-only #cognition #AIinEducation #EduAI #AIinEdu #EduSky arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872arxiv.orgYour Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing TaskThis study explores the neural and behavioral consequences of LLM-assisted essay writing. Participants were divided into three groups: LLM, Search Engine, and Brain-only (no tools). Each completed thr... 172