In the newest episode of The Balance, I chat with Ben Cogswell and Jenn Dean about their new book, EduProtocol Field Guide: Primary Edition. These two are a powerhouse of passion when it comes to educating young learners!
Ben is a kindergarten teacher in Salinas, California. He was awarded Teacher of the Year, Computer Using Educators (CUE) Blended and Online Educator of the Year, CUE’s Gold Disk Award, and KSBW’s Crystal Apple Award. Ben has also been featured in The New York Times and has appeared on MSNBC for his work in his kindergarten classroom.
Jenn is a first-grade teacher at Desert Sands Unified School District. She has her M.A. in Early Childhood Education and an M.S. in Instructional Technology. Jenn is a certified Google Trainer and Seesaw Certified Educator. In addition to teaching, Jennifer serves on the Board of Directors for CUE. She is an original member of Equity in Action CA, which strives to create learning spaces rooted in diversity as well as implement strategies to design welcoming spaces for belonging and inclusion.
I was thrilled when these two inspiring educators provided me with an early copy of their book and asked if I would read it and write the forward. I jumped at the chance! I work with so many early elementary teachers eager to add instructional strategies to their teacher toolbelts. I also field a lot of questions from elementary teachers who are curious about how they can integrate technology into their lessons in a meaningful and developmentally appropriate way.
What are EduProtocols?
Eduprotocols are instructional strategies initially developed by Jon Corippo and Marlena Hebern. They are designed to combine educational technology with specific teaching protocols that promote active learning, student engagement, and collaboration in the classroom. These protocols are structured activities with clear guidelines and time limits to keep lessons focused and maximize their impact. The goal is to streamline the teaching process while maximizing student participation, understanding, and skill development.
In our conversation, Jenn and Ben discuss some of their favorite Eduprotocols for little learners. They share how Emoji Writing can be a fun and engaging way to get students focused on writing about a specific topic and creatively surfacing their ideas. This EduProtocol encourages students to be critical and creative thinkers. They also develop their writing skills and confidence as learners, building their vocabulary and practicing speaking and listening skills. In the book, Ben and Jenn share their approaches to using this EduProtocol with kindergarten and first-grade students, using online and offline tools. If you want to learn how to use emojis to teach phonics and get kids excited to write, tune in to listen to our episode and pick up a copy of their new book!
Wrap Up
The best part of these EduProtocols is that these learning activities are replicable, so they cut down on planning time and are easy to reuse. Teachers can change the content, images, or focus within the established container of the protocol, allowing them to create fresh and engaging lessons without starting from scratch each time. This can help teachers create more balance in their lives when designing lessons. Jenn also points out that it eliminates the need to drag papers home because students get immediate feedback in the classroom!
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