Accelerating Learning

Brandi KellyBlog, Engage Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: This year is hard—sub shortages, dysregulated students and adults, and behaviors have made this year harder than 2020 or 2021. Growth happens when we are uncomfortable. Many are making decisions based on emotions as part of a trauma response. Teachers need to focus on how to accelerate the learning of their students. Give students ownership over their learning and … Read More

Science Better: Using Models

Teach Better TeamBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Grade Better, Innovate Better, Lesson Plan Better, Personalize Student Learning Better, Teach Further

TL;DR: Models are a great way to determine student understanding of content. Use exemplars to inspire students to do great things. Encourage students to let their passions fuel their creativity, and give them lots of loose parts to experiment with. Provide expectations, but let students determine how they rise to those expectations. Student Designed Models I am big on student … Read More

Using Infographics with Multilingual Learners

Carly SpinaBlog, Differentiate Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: Infographics are a way to show information visually to support multilingual learners. WIDA updated its ELD Framework to include viewing and visually representing. This better describes how we consume and produce information today. Infographics increase accessibility for students. They can also help educators collaborate quickly and easily. Infographics Infographics are a great way to visually and/or graphically represent information. … Read More

Remote Learning: Does Learning Space Impact Student Growth?

Steven WeberBlog, Differentiate Better, Lesson Plan Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: The pandemic has caused a gap between students from access to resources, support, and learning environments. Students’ circumstances impacted their ability to learn creating interrupted and unfinished learning experiences. There was a vast difference in what students’ learning spaces were like outside of the classroom. Reflecting on what students have gone through and how this translates into our classrooms … Read More

Engagement and Equitability with Easy-to-Use Canvas Quizzes (VIDEO)

Teach Better TeamBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lesson Plan Better, Manage Better

TL;DR: Canvas has an auto-grading feature to use for quizzes. These quizzes can be used at the end of lectures and encourage students to take good notes. If you offer enough quizzes, this can improve equity by allowing students to fail or miss quizzes and still be successful in class. The quiz auto-grading feature of Canvas can be used to … Read More