I have a soft spot for the station rotation model. It was one of the first models, along with the flipped classroom, that I could employ in my low-tech classroom. In the early days of my transition to blended learning, I had one Chromebook, which I received after writing a Donor’s Choose project. I thought, […]
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In my blog post titled “3 Ways to Build Student Agency into Your Lessons,” I encouraged teachers to design lessons that allow students to make key decisions about their learning. Student agency is one of the easiest ways that teachers can begin to personalize learning. If students are invited to make decisions about the subject […]
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Although many teachers recognize the importance of making students active agents in the classroom, it is easy to overlook student agency when we plan our lessons. However, the ability to make key decisions about their learning is a powerful motivator for students. If they are invited to tailor the learning to their interests, decide how […]
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Podcast Episode Episode Description In this episode of The Balance, I chat with educator and author Trevor MacKenzie about how inquiry-based learning creates accessible entry points and personalized pathways that build student agency, curiosity, and deeper engagement. Trevor shares practical strategies, unpacks the phases of the inquiry process, and offers guidance for aligning inquiry with […]
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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 […]
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Podcast Episode Episode Description In this episode of The Balance, I sit down with Ruba Abi Saab, Instructional Coach and Teaching and Learning Coordinator at Al Rayan International School in Accra, Ghana. Ruba shares how concept-based inquiry shapes her work with teachers and students, encouraging deeper thinking, empathy, and purposeful action. We talk about her […]
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Facilitating meaningful discussion in a physical classroom is challenging enough. For educators working partially or entirely online, engaging students in academic discourse can feel exponentially more difficult. During online and remote learning, students may be tempted to turn off cameras, feel disconnected from peers, or experience feelings of isolation as they learn from home. Despite […]
Guest Blog by Jeff Hennigar The evolving needs of our students demand innovative solutions. With Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as our goal, we can create inclusive learning environments to help all students be successful in school. While powerful AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT can enhance teaching practices, they often lack the structure and […]
By Noelle Gutierrez I recently collaborated with teachers on station rotation lessons, and a few asked how I have incorporated social-emotional learning into the stations I’ve developed. Teachers can include various SEL activities in their stations that focus on the CASEL Framework‘s five competencies, and Catlin provides several strategies for each of the five competencies […]
As someone who regularly works with teachers on topics like blended learning, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and student-led learning, one recurring theme I encounter is control. There’s a pervasive fear among educators when it comes to releasing control and allowing students to take more ownership and responsibility for their learning. This begs the question: […]
Why Would a Teacher Use the Flipped Classroom Model? First, let’s establish the value of the flipped classroom in case you have never used this blended learning model. The flipped classroom was designed to invert the traditional approach to instruction and practice/application. Instead of spending precious class time transferring information live for the whole group […]
Part II: Transitioning from Whole Group to Small Group to Achieve Equity in Education The first blog in this series, “Time Efficiency vs. Equity in Education,” explored two major barriers teachers face when shifting from a whole group, teacher-led, teacher-paced approach to instruction to student-centered blended learning models. Time and control are powerful enforcers of […]