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 […]
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A few weeks ago, I published a blog titled “8 Ideas Designed to Engage Students In Active Learning Online.” Several elementary teachers requested that I work on a similar blog focused on younger learners. Below are ten strategies I hope will help elementary teachers to engage their young learners online. #1 Create a Virtual Word […]
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When I work with elementary teachers, one of the biggest challenges they face is the wide range of reading skills in their classrooms. A first-grade class may have students who are struggling to decode while other students are reading at a third-grade level. This presents significant challenges as teachers attempt to support students below grade-level […]
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In my book Blended Learning in Grades 4-12, I shared the following elementary writing rubrics with my readers. Unfortunately, the short links I provided in my book have timed out, so I wanted to share these on my blog so any elementary teachers interested in using them have access! Feel free to make a copy […]
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In my last post titled “Create Small Learning Communities with the Station Rotation Model,” I provided a blended learning strategy that creates more time in the classroom for teachers to work individually with students. This week I was presenting on technology-infused reading strategies and resources for K-5 teachers and wanted to share them. They can […]
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Podcast Episode Episode Description In this episode of The Balance, Jessica Vance joins me to discuss her new book, Evidence of Inquiry: Exploring, Questioning, and Documenting with Learning Walls. We explore what it means to “follow your learners” and how inquiry shifts the way teachers engage students around the topics and concepts at the center […]
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Related Podcast Episode In my last post titled Differentiation Made Doable: The Teacher-led Station in the Station Rotation Model, I shared how small-group instruction can make tailoring a lesson to students’ needs feel more realistic for teachers. That post focused on one instructional model. This post takes a step back to explore differentiation more broadly. […]
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Related Podcast Episode Artificial intelligence (AI) is here and in many of the digital tools teachers already use for lesson planning, grading, and assessment. These platforms are doing much of the heavy lifting in designing instructional materials and assessments. If you already have a favorite tool that works for your context, you may not feel […]
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Podcast Episode Episode Description In this episode of The Balance, I chat with Sunil Gunderia, Chief Innovation Officer at Age of Learning, the company behind ABCmouse. Sunil is driving efforts to design AI-powered tools that personalize learning for young children while keeping safety and effectiveness at the center. We discuss how AI can support rather […]
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Podcast Episode Episode Description I discovered Evalaurene Jean-Charles on Instagram and was instantly drawn to her joyful, honest, and unfiltered reflections on life as an educator. Her posts tackle hard truths about teaching and school systems, but always with a sense of hope, purpose, and joy. In this first part of our two-part conversation, Eva […]
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Podcast Episode Episode Description Why are so many teens tuned out, stressed out, or just going through the motions at school? In this episode, I talk with journalist Jenny Anderson and education expert Rebecca Winthrop about their new book The Disengaged Teen, which breaks down four student engagement modes—Resister, Passenger, Achiever, and Explorer—and how each […]
Related Podcast Episode In this second post in the series following “Supporting Multilingual Learners with The Station Rotation Model,” we’ll explore how teachers can use their station to differentiate instruction and support. We will establish the benefits of a small-group instructional experience for our multilingual learners and explore practical, research-based strategies that educators can use […]