With a new school year comes a new school-wide initiative. Depending on how many years of teaching you have under your belt, you may remember these terms making the rounds. Cloze reading. Chunking and scaffolding. Differentiation. Flipped classrooms.
*Comes closer and whispers*
Asynchronous learning.
While there’s nothing wrong with a new term gaining popularity, buzzwords tend to follow a certain pattern. A school leader hypes up a new word or initiative in a brief PD session. Despite very little (and in some cases, inadequate) training, teachers are expected to put the term into practice immediately. Posters are made. Committees are born. Then, the term is either a) repeated ad nauseam without providing teachers the time, resources, and other supports to actually practice it, b) turned into something it was never intended to be (I’m looking at you, growth mindset), or c) never brought up again.
On Reddit, teachers are guessing this year’s buzzwords after reading this invitation from user @misterdudebro:
Let’s play: Guess this years new buzz word/catchphrase/initiative etc… from Teachers
There were the old standbys:
Rigor, accountability, and responsibility.
Giving grace (note: to students, not yourself).
Grit, growth mindset.
The more recently “rebranded” terms:
Fidelity.
More fidelity!
Expert.
And some new guesses for this year:
Grading reform.
A worthy discussion, so let’s hope it doesn’t end up in the buzzword graveyard.
Universal Design for Learning.
Vertical articulation.
A return to “positivity.” Oh boy.
Learning loss.
Invisible co-teachers.
Quality first and metacognition.
This year, I hope you remember my helpful acronym for success: United. Grit. Growth mindset. Grading reform. Giving grace. Higher-order thinking skills.
Otherwise known as UGGGGH.
I’m making T-shirts.
What are your best guesses for this year’s education buzzwords? Let us know in the comments.
