David Nikolas

I have to be back on this godforsaken platform because someone at the college providing my Alt Route cert thought this was the right platform for discussions.

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute A5: Kindness is a classroom non-negotiable: greeting kids at the door, quick shout-outs for quiet wins, “who helped you today?” punch outs (what I call exit tickets), & peer praise in group work. Small daily signals that "care counts as much as content." #TeacherEd #SafeSchools

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute A4 We move kids from bystanders to upstanders by teaching simple scripts (“That’s not OK,” “Come sit with us”), practicing scenarios, guaranteeing adult backup, offering anonymous reporting, and publicly praising real acts of courage and kindness. #TeacherEd #SafeSchools

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute A3: When a student reports HIB, I listen without judgment, thank them for speaking up, document details, and loop in counselors & admin per policy. I share reporting options, safety plans, and check back so they’re not carrying it alone. #TeacherEd #SafeSchools

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute A2: I’ve mostly seen social and verbal HIB—eye-rolling, exclusion, and group chats used to mock classmates. It shuts kids down: they stop speaking up, avoid certain peers/classes, and sometimes start dodging school altogether because it doesn’t feel safe. #TeacherEd #SafeSchools

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute A1 By making kindness and inclusion non-negotiables, explicitly teaching and enforcing HIB norms, partnering with counselors and families, and checking in on students’ online/after-school spillover, not just what I see in class. #AltRoute #TeacherEd #SafeSchools

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute David Nikolas, High School Business. #AltRoute #SafeSchools #TeacherEd

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute Tech has made PLC-style collaboration possible even when I’m the only business teacher in the building. Shared drives, Zoom, and online ed communities let me swap units, co-create assessments, and learn from colleagues’ complementary strengths in real time. #TeacherEd #EdTech

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute ParentSquare lets me keep families in the loop without overwhelming them: quick updates tied to learning targets, links to student work, and short polls to see what kids need. I aim for consistent, two-way check-ins instead of just broadcasts. #TeacherEd #EdTech

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute Biggest AI challenges I see: bad info if you don’t fact-check, equity of access, student privacy, and the temptation to let a bot do the thinking. I treat AI like a PLC partner: transparent with students, verify everything, and keep final decisions human. #TeacherEd #EdTech

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute I’ve used AI as a "planning partner": drafting lesson plans, generating practice problems, and quickly analyzing student data so I can target support instead of just grading. It saves me time and gives students more timely feedback. #TeacherEd #EdTech

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute I use tech to amplify good instruction, not replace it: Sheets for ouraccounting simulation, Forms for quick data-driven checks, and shared docs/Canva in Intro and Law so feedback is fast & work feels real-world. My entry/exits are framed as "Punch In/Punch out" on Classroom.

[David Nikolas @DNikolasAltRte]

@RutgersAltRoute David Nikithser, High School Business