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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Episode 107 Description In this episode, I chat with Robert Barnett, co-founder of The Modern Classrooms Project and author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Learners Can Succeed. We dive into the power of self-paced learning—even for young students—explore how digitizing direct instruction can free teachers to focus on deeper connections with […]
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Episode Description In this episode, I chat with Dr. Michelle Ament, the co-founder of the Human Intelligence Movement. We discuss why it’s essential to move beyond content coverage and standardized testing to prioritize creativity, empathy, and critical thinking—skills that empower students to succeed in a rapidly advancing AI-driven world. AI-Generated Audio Transcript Catlin: Well, I’m […]
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Episode 100 Description In our 100th episode of The Balance, I sit down with educator and bestselling author Matt Eicheldinger, whose heartwarming and relatable stories about small, everyday moments as a teacher have gone viral on Instagram and TikTok. Matt shares his journey from classroom teacher to published author, offering insights into how these seemingly […]
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At this point in the school year, you have had time to establish classroom routines, nurture your relationships with students, and design and facilitate entire units of study. It’s the perfect time to ask your students for feedback. Employing a simple feedback strategy like “keep, start, stop” helps you quickly take the temperature of the […]
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When Dr. Novak and I started writing our new book, Shift Writing into the Classroom, we anticipated that teachers outside of English Language Arts would take one look at the title and assume that the book was not intended for them. Yet, we both passionately believe in the power of writing across the curriculum and […]
Who decided that grading and assessment should be the exclusive responsibility of teachers? Why do we sideline students when it comes to assessment? Self-assessment is a powerful strategy that encourages students to become more invested in their learning journeys. It is a process where students evaluate their work, reflecting on what they’ve learned, how well […]
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Part V: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part five of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my last blog in this series on using the “Claim-Evidence-Question” routine. To recap, metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider their thought patterns, approaches to learning, […]