Teacher's Sharing
Message from the Chief Curriculum Officer
How do you motivate and inspire students in your classroom?
Matthew: “In my classroom, I focus on positive reinforcement. I make it clear to students where they’ve done well, so they feel seen and gain the confidence to keep improving. I avoid vague praise and instead highlight specific strengths—like clear structure in their writing, creative thinking, or strong collaboration with classmates.”
“I’ve also found that small-scale competitions are especially effective. Friendly challenges motivate students to push themselves, and they bring more energy and team spirit into the classroom. Timed tasks, warm-up debate games, or contests to find the strongest argument all help students stay engaged and build a sense of purpose.”
Matthew: “In my classroom, I focus on positive reinforcement. I make sure students know exactly what they did well, so their efforts feel seen and their confidence grows. I avoid vague praise and instead highlight specific strengths like clear structure in writing, creative ideas, or strong teamwork.”
“I’ve also found that small-scale competitions are especially effective. Friendly challenges motivate students to push themselves, and they bring more energy and team spirit into the room. Timed activities, warm-up debate games, or contests to find the strongest argument all help students stay engaged and build a sense of purpose.”
Mary: “I believe it’s important for students to feel accepted and to genuinely enjoy the learning process. I want them to see that I’m not just their teacher, but in some ways also a friend. The key is to maintain authority while still being warm and approachable.”
“I like to bring humor into the classroom and sometimes even use memes to catch their attention. It makes the lessons more engaging and helps create a learning atmosphere that feels relatable to the Gen Z mindset.”
Mary: “I believe it’s important for students to feel accepted and to genuinely enjoy the learning process. I want them to see that I’m not just their teacher. In some ways, I’m also a friend. The key is to maintain authority while showing warmth and approachability.”
“I like to bring humor into the classroom and sometimes use memes to catch their attention. It makes the lessons more engaging and helps create a learning atmosphere that feels relatable to the Gen Z mindset.”
Tom: “I try to start from what students are interested in and what they already know. Children are often very observant of the world around them, but they may not yet have the right words or concepts to express their thoughts. If I can teach in a way that connects to their lived experiences, they usually feel more confident and are more willing to keep learning.
Tom: “I try to start from what students are interested in and what they already know. Children are often very observant of the world around them, but they may not have the right words or concepts to express their thoughts. If I can teach in a way that connects to their everyday experiences, they usually feel more confident and are more willing to keep learning.”
How do you build a classroom culture that encourages student engagement and fosters meaningful growth?
Teacher Matthew: "I value discussion and feedback, whether it comes from me or my students, because it helps them reflect and continue to improve. My favorite moments are when I see students who were initially completely uninterested or even a little impatient suddenly light up in the middle of class because a concept has touched them. That transformation from resistance to genuine engagement is the most authentic evidence of growth. For me, the learning environment must be warm and responsive. When students feel they are participating in something meaningful, they often grow without even realizing it."
Matthew: “I place great value on discussion and feedback, whether it comes from me or from classmates. It helps students reflect and continue improving. My favorite moments are when a student who was originally uninterested, even a bit impatient, suddenly lights up in class because a concept resonates with them.”
“That shift from resistance to genuine engagement is the most authentic sign of growth. For me, a learning environment must be warm and responsive. When students feel they are part of something meaningful, they often grow without even realizing it.”
Mary: “I’ve found that a strong hook activity makes a big difference in student engagement. It adds fun and helps the lesson stick. For example, when teaching how advertising creates false demand, I designed a Shark Tank–style challenge where students had to pitch a product to me based on my personal preferences and needs.”
“I created a humorous customer profile with my interests, goals, and weaknesses. Students had to tailor their ideas to win me over. The room was filled with laughter, and everyone was fully engaged. That lesson became the most memorable and well-loved part of the entire intensive course.”
Mary: “A good hook activity is incredibly effective for boosting engagement. It brings fun and helps students remember the lesson. For example, when teaching how advertising creates false needs, I designed a Shark Tank–style activity where students had to pitch a product to me, tailored to my personal preferences and needs.”
“I created a humorous ‘client profile’ that listed my interests, goals, and weaknesses. Students had to come up with creative ideas based on those traits and design a product that would win me over. The whole process was full of laughter, and the students were completely immersed. That lesson ended up being their favorite and most memorable one in the entire intensive course.”
Tom: “In a positive learning environment, the most important thing is building trust. That’s why I take time at the beginning to help students feel safe with me and with one another. I want to create a space where they can try new skills without fear of making mistakes. When students feel that learning is safe, they become more open to growth and more willing to learn from themselves and from their peers.”
Tom: “In a positive learning environment, trust is everything. At the beginning of each course, I take time to help students feel safe with me and with one another. I want to create a space where they can try new skills without fear of making mistakes. When students feel secure, they are more willing to take risks and learn not only from themselves but also from their peers.”
Please share a moment when you witnessed a student’s breakthrough or growth. How did that experience inspire you?
Matthew: “What moves me most is that moment when a student suddenly enlightenment and they begin using what I’ve taught in their own way. Progress doesn’t always come in big leaps. Sometimes it’s subtle, like a quiet student suddenly asking questions, or someone who’s been struggling finally sharing a brilliant point during a debate.”
“These small breakthroughs remind me that they’ve been absorbing all along. They just need time to process and slowly build the confidence to apply what they’ve learned. Seeing those changes makes me feel that my teaching truly has impact. That’s what keeps me going and drives me to grow into a better teacher.”
Matthew: “What moves me most is that moment when a student suddenly enlightenment and they begin using what I’ve taught in their own way. Progress doesn’t always come in big leaps. Sometimes it’s subtle, like a quiet student suddenly asking questions, or someone who’s been struggling finally sharing a brilliant point during a debate.”
“These small breakthroughs remind me that they’ve been absorbing all along. They just need time to process and slowly build the confidence to apply what they’ve learned. Seeing those changes makes me feel that my teaching truly has impact. That’s what keeps me going and drives me to grow into a better teacher.”
Mary: “During one semester, I coached a group of younger elementary students for SPAR debate. They started with almost no background and were unfamiliar with the structure of debate. But throughout the semester, they participated actively in every class and never backed down, even when faced with challenging topics.”
“When they signed up for the debate competition, I was honestly nervous.Their opponents were very strong. But in the end, they earned high praise from every judge and won first place in their age group. In that moment, I felt incredibly proud, as if they were my own children.”
Mary: “During one semester, I coached a group of younger elementary students for SPAR debate. They started with almost no background and were unfamiliar with the structure of debate. But throughout the semester, they participated actively in every class and never backed down, even when faced with challenging topics.”
“When they signed up for the debate competition, I was honestly nervous.Their opponents were very strong. But in the end, they earned high praise from every judge and won first place in their age group. In that moment, I felt incredibly proud, as if they were my own children.”
Tom: “Recently, I coached a group of students who had some prior exposure to debate but weren’t very interested. I focused on using a variety of exercises and games that allowed them to build different skills and truly experience the joy of making progress.”
“Two of them went through a remarkable transformation in just two weeks. What sparked their growth was the moment they recognized their own potential. That realization gave them the drive to challenge themselves even more.”
Tom: “Recently, I worked with a group of students who had some experience with debate but weren’t very interested in it. I focused on designing exercises and games that allowed them to develop different skills and truly feel the joy of making progress.”
“Two of them went through a remarkable transformation in just two weeks. What sparked their growth was the moment they recognized their own potential. That realization gave them the motivation to challenge themselves even more.”
How does ThinkTank's teaching and operations team support you so you can grow and enjoy your teaching journey?
Matthew: “Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do now without the support of the teaching and operations team at Ascent. The administrative staff, especially the front desk team, keep everything running smoothly. They are one of the main reasons why teaching here is such an enjoyable experience.”
“They are efficient, quick to respond, and always genuinely helpful. That makes my work easier and a lot more fun.”
Matthew: “To be honest, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do now without the support of the teaching and operations team at Ascent. The administrative staff, especially the front desk team, keep everything running smoothly, and they’re a big reason why teaching here is such a joy.”
“They’re efficient, responsive, and always genuinely helpful. That makes my work not only easier, but also more enjoyable.”
Mary: “The Ascent Academy team has been incredibly supportive. The leadership puts real effort into organizing team-building activities and workshops, giving us the chance to connect with colleagues from different Branches and build meaningful collaboration.”
“Each semester, we hold reflection and kickoff meetings where everyone openly discusses what went well and what could be improved. I’ve seen steady progress in both teaching and operations, and it’s clear that the entire team is genuinely committed to creating a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and happy.”
Mary: “The Ascent Academy team has been incredibly supportive. The leadership puts real effort into organizing team-building activities and workshops, giving us the chance to connect with colleagues from different Branches and build meaningful collaboration.”
“Each semester, we hold reflection and kickoff meetings where everyone openly discusses what went well and what could be improved. I’ve seen steady progress in both teaching and operations, and it’s clear that the entire team is genuinely committed to creating a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and happy.”
Tom: “During my time teaching at Ascent Academy, I’ve learned a great deal from collaborating with other teachers and observing their approaches. One thing I truly appreciate about Ascent is how much it values each teacher’s ability to teach in a way that aligns with their own strengths and style.”
“Our team includes educators from diverse backgrounds, each with a distinct teaching voice. Ascent gives us a high level of trust and autonomy, allowing us to teach in ways that feel most natural and effective. This freedom not only makes teaching more flexible and comfortable, it also helps us better understand and respond to our students’ needs. It’s an environment that supports teachers—and in doing so, creates the best conditions for student learning.”
Tom: “During my time teaching at Ascent Academy, I’ve learned so much from collaborating with other teachers and observing their unique approaches. What I appreciate most is how the school values each teacher’s strengths and personal style.”
“Our team includes educators from diverse backgrounds, each with their own teaching voice. Ascent gives us the trust and freedom to teach in ways that feel authentic and effective. This flexibility not only makes teaching more comfortable and responsive, it also helps us better connect with students and meet their real needs. It’s a supportive environment for teachers, and an ideal one for student learning.”