This challenging school year has made it clear that educational institutions and educators must be flexible and willing to adapt to a changing educational landscape. This will be easier to do if school leaders harness the talent on their campuses and create systems that encourage teachers to learn with and from each other. Professional learning […]
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When I began my career in education, I believed the value I brought to the classroom was my subject area expertise cultivated as an English major at UCLA and my pedagogical expertise honed while working on my teaching credential and Masters in Education. I operated under that misguided assumption for years. I remember feeling intense […]
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When I ask teachers, “How would you describe a successful online or blended learning course? What would that look like?” Most teachers include some form of the word “engagement” in their answers. So, it makes sense that teachers are frustrated when they feel like students are not engaging. The pandemic is presenting new barriers to […]
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Teachers all over the country are being asked to teach “concurrent classrooms” in which some students attend class in person and others attend virtually. The teacher in a concurrent classroom attempts to meet the needs of the students in class and online simultaneously. This is the most challenging scenario I can imagine in our current […]
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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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The last couple of months have been exhausting on a lot of levels as teachers and students shift to online learning. I would venture to guess that everyone is ready for a much-deserved summer break. Teachers looking for creative ways to end the school year may want to consider a “What are YOU curious about?” […]
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When teachers introduce tasks or assignments in the classroom, they often provide both text and verbal directions. They have the luxury of holding up papers or projecting online assignments to show students exactly what to do. Teachers working with younger learners who may not be strong readers or teachers who are introducing a complicated or […]
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In the book, Blended Learning in Action, my co-authors (Tiffany Wycoff and Jason Green) and I created the PAACC Hallmarks of Effective Practice as a guide to ensure that blended learning puts students at the center of learning and helps them to develop future-ready skills. We think of the PAACC framework as a compass so […]
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As the fall semester comes to a close, many teachers are thinking about final exams or end of the semester summative assessments. Often those semester exams cover a lot of information. The prospect of preparing students for those exams can be daunting. I work with a lot of teachers who spend hours creating review activities […]
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For the last two years, I have published several blogs detailing my journey away from traditional grading and assessment practices. The purpose of this shift was three-fold. I wanted to shift the conversation from points to the development of skills. I wanted students to take ownership of their progress and skill development. I do not […]
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In my last blog post titled, “Stop Taking Grading Home,” I explained how I use the Station Rotation Model to provide students with real-time feedback as they work instead of taking grading home. I had one teacher ask me what I do when a student arrives at my teacher-led station and has not done the work required. […]
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One of the benefits of the Station Rotation Model is how easy it is to design activities at different levels to meet the diverse needs of a group of students. I spend a lot of time tailoring activities to support students who need additional scaffolds, but it’s important to challenge the strong students in our […]