Breaking It Down: The “R” in R.E.A.L.

Breaking It Down: The “R” in R.E.A.L.

R.E.A.L.® Discussion is a professional development program that empowers faculty to teach their students how to thrive in discussion – in the classroom, in the cafeteria, on the court, and in their communities. R.E.A.L.® gives faculty and students shared language and classroom routines  to make discussion come alive in their classrooms.  The whole system is…

REAL Teacher Feature: Erika Drezner

REAL Teacher Feature: Erika Drezner

Thank you to Erika Drezner for sharing her REAL life with us! Erika is the Upper School English department chair at the Berkeley Carroll School in New York. Here are her thoughts on discussion, R.E.A.L.®, and learning. Hometown: Ithaca, New York Current City, School, Teaching Assignments: English teacher and Upper School English Department Chair at…

Back to School with R.E.A.L.

Back to School with R.E.A.L.

Back-to-school season just might be our favorite time of year here at R.E.A.L.® Discussion. Why? We have spent the summer connecting a diverse group of educators across geographies, backgrounds, teaching styles, and career stages. Despite their differences, all share a commitment to teaching discussion skills to students growing up in a screenbound, polarized world.  R.E.A.L.®…

Understanding the “Organ of Learning” : Brain Science with Glenn Whitman

Understanding the “Organ of Learning” : Brain Science with Glenn Whitman

Glenn Whitman is the Executive Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St. Andrew’s Episocpal School, where he also teaches history. The CTTL’s mission is “to elevate teacher effectiveness, student achievement, and the whole child’s school experience using the most promising research and strategies in Mind, Brain, and Education Science.” What follows…

REAL Teacher Feature: David Barndollar

REAL Teacher Feature: David Barndollar

Thank you to David Barndollar for sharing his REAL life with us! David is the English department chair at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA. Here are his thoughts on discussion, R.E.A.L.®, and learning. Hometown: Houston, TX Current City, School, Teaching Assignments: English Department Chair at Shady Side Academy. Describe yourself as a student in…

Learning How to Talk: Action Research Exploring R.E.A.L. Discussion Instruction

Learning How to Talk: Action Research Exploring R.E.A.L. Discussion Instruction

One of the best parts of working at R.E.A.L.® Discussion is that we learn as much from the teachers who deploy our program as they learn from us. Callie Hammond, a middle school English teacher trained in the R.E.A.L.® method, recently shared her report “Learning How to Talk: How Teaching Middle School Girls the Steps…

Discussion Skills as Democracy Skills: One Educator’s Framework

Discussion Skills as Democracy Skills: One Educator’s Framework

Discussion skills are critical for learning and for life – and that fact has become even more glaringly obvious in our hyper-polarized world. At R.E.A.L. ®, we’re convinced that teaching today’s teens how to engage in thoughtful, respectful face-to-face conversations isn’t just good for their GPAs – it’s critical for our entire society. In our…