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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer


Hello everyone,

Today, I would love to hear your teacher perspective on how to use ChatGPT to create groups for stations, collaborative work, or differentiated activities.


We all know that creating groups can quickly become a real challenge. We are often trying to juggle so many things at once:

• student levels

• language needs


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Laura McGahey
Laura McGahey
May 25

Hi Dunja, I haven't had the need to fully develop one personally, but rather came across the idea in searches. It stuck with me and I thought of it when reading your initial post.

If someone is interested in the idea, then I suggest exploring with ai of their choice (mine for this is Gemini, free version). Plug in details that are relevant to them. This could be great for end of school year wrap-up activities.


Gemini says:


If you want a board built instantly, just fill in these blanks:

"Create a tic tac toe choice board for [Grade Level]. The main goals are [Objective]. Please include  9 activities that are [High-tech / Low-tech / Outdoors].

You can get more specific or have your choice board refined after initial draft. In the least, it will spur ideas.


Aimée Skidmore
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Supportive Peer

Join 3 or more different InTA groups to expand your network and learning impact.

Connector

🪦Most of us have a strategy graveyard 🪦

You know the one.


The brilliant protocol from a PD session.

The reflection routine you meant to try.

The discussion structure you saved in a folder somewhere.


Great ideas, sitting there like clothes in the closet with the tag still on.


And honestly, it makes sense.


32 Views
Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

This weekend, I met with a few teacher friends.

 And one sentence stayed with me.


“ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF TEACHING RIGHT NOW… IS HOW DEPENDENT STUDENTS HAVE BECOME.”


They told me about lessons where, even after explaining a task several times,

 students still ask:

“What are we supposed to do?”


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Yesssss. And I’d add one thing: a lot of “What do we do?” isn’t confusion. It’s a habit of waiting. Students have learned that if they pause long enough, the teacher will carry the next step.


The shift that’s helped me most is treating “What do we do?” as a ROUTINE problem, not a student problem.


A few small moves that work in real classrooms:

  • Put the first step where they can’t miss it (board, slide, paper) and point, don’t repeat

  • “Ask 2 then me”

  • Build a 30-second “start protocol” they do every lesson before questions are allowed

  • When they ask, bounce it back: “Where did you look?” “What did your partner say?” “What’s your best guess?”


It’s not about being harsh. It’s about shifting the cognitive load back to students so support becomes intentional again, not endless triage.

Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

Bribing students

Good morning,

I hope your first week went well.


Yesterday, I read an interesting post about bribing students. It was saying that it is especially efficient with Middle School students because it activate quick compliance without requiring understanding, trust, or intrinsic interest when attention is low. It ended by asking who uses it in their classroom.


It made me think. In my classroom, I use reward. For example, when students perform well in a task, I give them a “free homework pass” that they can use anytime. For example, if they did not have time to do a homework, if they did not like a homework, or if they just wanted a break.


I realise this is an extrinsic motivation, which can shift attention away from meaning, curiosity, and effort and risk teaching students that learning is something done for a reward target than because it matters.


What is your…

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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

What Is Classroom Management, really?

Classroom management is often misunderstood as being “strict” or “controlling.” In reality, it’s about creating the conditions where learning, well-being, and relationships can thrive — for students and for teachers.


At its core, effective classroom management is the balance between:

  • Structure

  • Safety

  • Engagement

  • Autonomy


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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

“Reward your kids with things they get to do instead of things they get to have.”

This quote is a powerful reminder that experiences often have a deeper impact than objects, not only for children at home, but also for our students in the classroom.


In teaching, rewards are often stickers, points, or small items… but experience-based rewards can be far more meaningful:

✨ a special classroom job

✨ a moment of one-on-one time with the teacher

✨ choosing an activity

✨ picking their partner for a task


27 Views
Mohamad Ali Chehade
Nov 18, 2025

Very interesting :) My name is Mohamad-Ali, and I work as a Mindfulness-Based SEL Resilience Specialist with training in mindfulness and psychology. I support students, athletes, educators, and parents in reducing stress, improving emotional well-being, and reconnecting with themselves through breath, movement, and reflective practice. My passion is building school communities where everyone feels seen, supported, and able to grow with resilience and compassion.

Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

Let’s Talk About Work Refusal in the Classroom!

We all know that moment when a student refuses to do the work… and it can feel frustrating, confusing, or even personal. But what if we step back and see it as a signal rather than a problem?


Edutopia recently shared some research and strategies on this topic, like:


  • Offering choices to increase student ownership

  • Breaking tasks into smaller steps

  • Building strong teacher-student relationships

  • Teaching self-regulation skills


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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

Active Listening. More Than Just Hearing Words

Active listening is more than just hearing words. It’s about being fully present, understanding meaning, and building deeper connections.


You know those moments when a student feels really heard?

When you paraphrase what they’ve said, or pause long enough for them to find their own words, and suddenly, you see it in their eyes: they feel seen.


Active listening can transform those moments. It teaches empathy, reflection, and patience, qualities we all want to nurture, both in our students and in ourselves.


Here are a few simple ways I like to weave it into lessons:

  • Paraphrase what my students say and invite them to do the same.


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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

Making space for silence

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the quiet moments in the classroom—the ones we sometimes rush to fill.


But what if silence isn’t a gap in learning… but where the learning actually settles in?


Silence gives students time to think, process, form their own questions, and build confidence before they speak. It’s where ideas take shape. And yet, it can feel uncomfortable—for them and for us.


I’m trying to lean into that discomfort a little more. To count to ten before rephrasing a question. To resist jumping in with a prompt. To allow students to sit with their own thinking.


Have you noticed the power of silence in your own teaching?

How do you create room for those quiet moments of reflection?


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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

FINDING CALM IN THE CLASSROOM BUZZ

Last week I asked different teacher what is the most difficult part of their job as a teacher. The top response was noise.


Classroom noise is a natural part of active learning, but when the volume tips too far, it can leave both teachers and students feeling overwhelmed.


So how do you strike the balance between buzz and calm?

What strategies help you manage noise without shutting down student energy and engagement?

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Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

What if our words were shaping our students’ future?

Every day in the classroom, our words leave a mark.

A word of encouragement can become a lifelong source of motivation.

A hurtful comment can leave scars for years.


What if, for just one week, we committed to practicing impeccable speech?

Not to be perfect, but to be fully aware of the power we hold with our words.

Not to control our students, but to strengthen trust, connection, and mutual respect.


6 Views
Dunja Chamberlain

InTA Team

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Supportive Peer

Classroom management

Hi everyone,

Let’s take a moment to reflect together:


Classroom management isn’t about power — it’s about partnership. When we shift from reacting with punishment to responding with connection, we create classrooms that feel safe and empowering for all students — especially those with trauma, disabilities, or regulation challenges — feel safe and valued.


Connection isn’t the easy way, but it’s the strong and sustainable one. It’s where real growth begins.


What are some ways you build connection in your classroom? What’s worked well — or even surprised you?

Drop your thoughts below — let’s learn from each other.


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