Ideas for Starting the new school year

September 5, 2023August 21, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth 1 Comment

It seems that summer passes by so quickly every year. We are so busy throughout the school year and sometimes miss out on trying new ideas or exploring new tools. However, we have the summer break to reflect and explore new experiences and it is an opportunity to take time to recharge. Before we know it, we are back in our classrooms and looking for some new ideas and ways to engage students in learning.

There are so many resources out there to explore for educators and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to find something that works well. Or, you want to create some new learning experiences for students and help them to develop a variety of skills beyond just the content area that we are teaching.

With the start of a new school year, I think it’s a great time to explore some new ideas. We need ideas that not only help students to build their skills in the content area but also help them to develop essential social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, learn about the world around them, and be prepared for whatever the future may bring.

As the summer draws to a close, it’s the perfect opportunity to set the tone for a successful academic year. Let’s explore a few ideas for back-to-school that will help us to kickstart the year.

Building relationships

It’s important that we get to know our students, their interests, and what their specific needs are. A fun way to do this would be to encourage students to select a topic of interest from the PebbleGo Library and then use PebbleGo Create to share what they know about the topic and also to include some information about themselves. This is a great way to get to know our students and for students to get to know each other. When we do this, it helps us to build a successful and thriving learning community. You can also check out the lesson plan for “Making a New Friend” and explore the different articles available!

We want students to be successful and at the start of the year, it’s a good opportunity to set up some structure to help students set learning goals. Work with students to establish a clear vision for the academic year by setting personal and academic goals. Encourage students to think about what they want to achieve and how they plan to get there. Guide them to create realistic and achievable goals, and work with them to review progress throughout the year. When students set goals, it can help to motivate them, promote greater focus, and build valuable skills like time management and self-discipline which are essential SEL skills.

It’s always a great opportunity to start a new school year to have some fun getting to know each other and build those relationships. In the new school year or new class, students are often curious about what they will be learning. What better way than to use the Curiosity Game to get students excited about learning and then share that learning with classmates!

We want students to develop a love of reading and what better way than to create a book club in your classroom. Students can explore the diverse range of resources available from PebbleGo on so many different topics. We can have book talks in our classes and students can use PebbleGo Create to share a little about their book. These opportunities will foster critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. It will also get students excited about reading!

An activity that is a lot of fun because we get to learn about students and their interest is genius hour. With genius hour, students choose a topic or an area of interest and then research it and create something to share with everyone else. It gives them a chance to share their genius. A great way to do this is by using the lesson plan available through PebbleGo. Students choose their research topic, have time to explore and then they can create with PebbleGo Create to share that learning and their excitement with their classmates. An activity like this also helps students to become more independent in learning which is a valuable learning experience as we want to prepare them for the future and develop student agency.

Back-to-school can sometimes bring feelings of anxiety and stress. We can help students to learn about health and wellness and create using PebbleGo Create to share tips for others! It is so beneficial for students and ourselves when we introduce mindfulness and stress-relief activities into our daily routine. It will help students cope with the challenges that can arise with academics and provide them with ways to deal with stress, or improve focus, concentration, and their overall well-being. Understanding their emotions is important for academic success.

You can even have students create something simple to reflect what they have learned and share it in class. So many wonderful options available to explore! Just choose one to start and then add in the others throughout the year to mix things up a bit, boost student engagement and spark curiosity for learning.

With so many already in or heading back to school, these ideas can offer a bit of a different approach to start the academic year with excitement, enthusiasm, and purpose. By fostering a positive and engaging learning environment, helping students with setting goals, encouraging peer interactions, and incorporating interactive methods, students and educators can experience a rewarding educational journey.

Starting with these ideas can help students to build relationships, be mindful of their well-being, focus on their academic growth and enjoy learning! It can help with making this academic year one to remember. Happy back-to-school!

About Rachelle

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915.

Looking for PD for your school? I provide in-person and virtual training on the following topics. If you want to learn more about and explore AI and ChatGPT, contact me to schedule! Rdene915@gmail.com

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

About the Author

Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. Rachelle teaches Spanish and STEAM: What’s nExT in Emerging Technology at Riverview Junior Senior High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. She is a Consultant and Speaker, owner of ThriveinEDU LLC Consulting. She is an ISTE Certified Educator and currently serves as the past -president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network and on the Leadership team of the Mobile Learning Network. At ISTE19, she received the Making IT Happen Award and a Presidential Gold Award for volunteer service to education. She is also a Buncee Ambassador, Nearpod PioNear, and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert.

Rachelle is the author of seven books, “In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU” (EduMatch), and “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” Rachelle Dene’s latest book is with ISTE “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World.” True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us, Your World Language Classroom: Strategies for In-Person and Digital Instruction and Things I Wish […] Knew.

Rachelle is a blogger for Edutopia, Getting Smart, Defined Learning, and NEO LMS.

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU https://anchor.fm/rdene915.

Navigating AI Together! EduMatch Conference!

August 29, 2023August 29, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

EduMatch Invites You to Dive into AI: Conference Highlights on October 7th

In an era marked by rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is taking center stage. The possibilities of AI in education are as endless as they are intriguing. To explore these potentials, EduMatch is hosting a one-of-a-kind virtual conference on Saturday, October 7th, 2023, from 12-4 PM Eastern Time. Here’s what to expect.

Uncover the Many Faces of AI

The EduMatch AI Exploration Conference offers an opportunity to explore AI from various angles:

AI & Ethics: Delve into the ethical considerations surrounding AI, a critical topic in our evolving digital age.
AI in Education: Discover how AI is revolutionizing the classroom experience, offering tailored learning and new teaching methods.
AI Literacy & Training: Learn about training resources and strategies to equip educators with the know-how to use AI responsibly.
The Impact of AI: Explore how AI affects daily life and work, shaping the world as we know it.

Join the Conversation: Call for Presenters

Are you passionate about AI and education? We invite you to submit a proposal and present at our conference. Submit your proposal here by September 8th.

Engage with a Community: Flip Discussion

Share your thoughts, insights, and questions on AI with other participants through our Flip discussion platform. Engage in the dialogue here.

An Inclusive Approach: Pay-What-You-Want

In line with our commitment to inclusivity, we’re offering this conference on a Pay-What-You-Want basis. Any contribution you make supports the EduMatch Foundation’s mission to foster global collaboration among educators and students.

Why Attend?

Networking: Connect with educators, administrators, and AI enthusiasts from around the world.
Knowledge Sharing: Learn from fellow educators, for topics relevant to you.
Community Building: Be part of a community that shares your interest in the intersection of AI and education.

Conclusion

The EduMatch AI Exploration Conference is more than an event; it’s a stepping stone toward a future where AI and education coalesce to create enriched learning experiences. Whether you’re an AI novice or an expert, there’s something here for you.

About the Author, Dr. Sarah Thomas, Founder of EduMatch

Sarah Thomas, PhD is a Regional Technology Coordinator in a large district in Maryland, and the founder of EduMatch, an organization that empowers educators to make global connections across common areas of interest. She has spoken and presented internationally, participated in the Technical Working Group to refresh the 2017 ISTE Standards for Educators, and is a recipient of the ISTE Making IT Happen award. Sarah is a co-author of the ISTE digital equity series, Closing the Gap, and the winner of the 2023 Maryland Society for Educational Technology Outstanding Leader Using Technology award.

En Francais:

Sarah Thomas, PhD est une <<Regional Technology Coordinator>> dans le comté écoles publiques de Prince George dans le Maryland aux États Unis. Elle est aussi certifiée Innovator et Entraîneuse de Google et la fondatrice du mouvement EduMatch, un projet qui permet aux éducateurs d’établir des connexions mondiales à travers les zones d’intérêt commun. Elle a présenté au niveau international, participé au Groupe de travail technique pour rafraîchir les normes 2017 ISTE pour les éducateurs et est récipiendaire du prix ISTE Making IT Happen de 2017.

En español:

Sarah Thomas, PhD es Coordinadora Regional de Tecnología de las escuelas públicas en el Distrito Prince George. Cuenta con los certificados de Google Certified Innovator, Google Education Trainer. Fundadora del movimiento EduMatch, proyecto que empodera a los educadores a tener conexiones globales de sus áreas de interés. Se ha presentado internacionalmente, participado en el grupo Technological Working para actualizar los Estándares Educativos de ISTE para 2017, es ganadora del premio 2017 ISTE Making IT Happen.

About Rachelle

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915.

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

How a Successful WBL Program Improves Student Outcomes

August 25, 2023August 18, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

Guest post: Education is Killing Its Golden Egg-Laying Geese

August 22, 2023August 22, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

It threatens the entire education system

Guest post by Jay Schroder, author of Teach From Your Best Self

Million Dollar Duck Trailer | Disney Video

When I was a kid, my parents took us to the drive-in theater to see Mary Poppins. This was the first movie I ever saw that wasn’t on our 19-inch living room television. After Mary Poppins, completely happy, I thought we were going home. But no. This was a double feature. The back of my head blew off. I could barely comprehend the outrageous good fortune of being able to watch two movies back-to-back, and in the process, completely demolish my bedtime.

The second movie was one I’d never heard of. It was Disney’s retelling of the fable “The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs,” called The Million Dollar Duck. This masterpiece of cinema was one of only three movies that film critic Gene Siskel walked out on during his professional career and Roger Ebert described it as “one of the most profoundly stupid movies I’ve ever seen.”

Well, there is no accounting for a 5-year old’s taste in movies because I absolutely loved it. What I especially loved was the relationship between the young boy in the movie, Jimmy, and the golden egg-laying duck, Charley. When faced with the avarice of the adults, Jimmy was the only one who protected Charley.

I identified with Jimmy and even as an adult, I find myself wanting to protect and support the golden egg-laying ducks and geese in the world.

In the actual fable, there is no Jimmy—just a man and his wife whose goose lays one golden egg every day. The couple becomes rich, but they want even more. Surmising that this goose must have dozens and dozens of golden eggs inside of it, they decide to slaughter the goose and cut it open and become instantly rich beyond their wildest dreams. Of course, when they cut open the goose, there are no golden eggs inside.

Who Are Education’s Golden Egg-Laying Geese?

The moral of the story, don’t kill your golden egg-laying geese, is easily grasped by first graders. However, the adults in charge of education reform seem confused. So, I will lay it out as simply as I can.

In education the goose is not the textbook, it’s not the technology, it’s not the curriculum, and it’s definitely not the standardized test. It’s not even the students.

If you put 30 students in a room by themselves and supply that room with textbooks, computers, and learning materials, it’s extremely unlikely for anything resembling constructive learning to occur. Learning only happens when you bring in a teacher.

In education, teachers are the golden egg-laying geese.

Because, for decades, education has been taking advantage of, undervaluing, and exhausting its golden egg-laying geese, the whole system is on the verge of collapse. Across the nation, teachers are quitting. Some of them are posting celebrative, or heart-breaking, videos about it on TikTok.

Every time a good teacher is driven to quit, it’s a needless tragedy.

How “A Nation at Risk” Led to Education at Risk

Education reform was supposed to make education better, however, since the report A Nation at Risk was published in 1983, education reform has been focused on standards, rigorous testing, and a succession of new initiatives to implement.

Rather than giving teachers a voice, reforms have increasingly marginalized and deprofessionalized teachers. Low test scores are blamed on teachers, so teachers are perpetually told they need to do more, apply new strategies, new techniques, new instructional methods, and new technology, all while under the gun of ever tighter micromanagement.

This myopic focus on making teachers do more and controlling what they do is based on the false notion that if teachers could just do enough, and do the right things, then test scores would increase, classes would run smoothly, and schools would finally be successful. In fact, this approach exhausts teachers and makes them want to quit.

Sacrificing Teachers to the Test Score Gods

Maybe sacrificing teachers to the test score gods could be justified if those sacrifices actually led to better test scores, but these human sacrifices aren’t working. Trends in national data show that 12th-grade math skills in 2019 were the same as in 2005 while reading skills in 2019 dropped seven points compared with 1992.

We’re killing our golden egg-laying geese, and students aren’t even benefitting.

When teachers enter the profession, they aren’t thinking about quitting. They are thinking about helping a young person grow and fulfill their potential. They are thinking about making a difference.

They know it isn’t an easy job. They expect challenges. However, most are not prepared for the onslaught of too much to do and not enough support. They aren’t prepared for the pressure that over-stressed administrators put on teachers to raise test scores in the face of a surge of mental health issues in students.

They aren’t prepared to be micromanaged, nor are they prepared for the way opportunist politicians are seizing on every excuse to interfere with, attack, and undermine the work that teachers do while beating a steady drum of disinformation that creates chaos and villainizes educators. How could they be?

Teachers are a finite resource of which, in 2021, 27% were reporting symptoms consistent with clinical depression, and 37% reported symptoms consistent with generalized anxiety.

In response to what is rapidly becoming a national teacher shortage, teachers are exhorted to take better care of themselves—eat right, exercise, get a hobby, and take a bubble bath. We are asking the abused and exploited golden egg-laying geese to do a better job taking care of themselves, so they can continue to be abused and exploited.

The Starting Place for Education Reform That Actually Works

Here is what I can be sure of, good teachers are not expendable.

Unless we begin to prioritize teacher wellbeing, and actually factor it into each new policy decision, the education system is doomed and the whole country will go down with it.

In the meantime, we teachers need to learn to teach in ways that are less expensive to our health and well-being.

I have spent my 24 years in the classroom finding ways to teach that doesn’t eat me alive.

Now I want to help you do the same. I wrote Teach from Your Best Self: A Teacher’s Guide to Thriving in the Classroom because I wanted to create a resource that gave educators a way to thrive in this messed up education system.

As more educators see the value, not only for themselves but for their students as well, of prioritizing their own well-being, we can join our voices to turn schools into communities of learning that support the best of every teacher, learner, school employee, administrator, parent, and volunteer who steps into the building.

Teaching is one of the hardest jobs in the world. To do it well, we need each other.

Jay Schroder has taught high school English and social studies for 24 years. He’s the author of Teach from Your Best Self: A Teacher’s Guide to Thriving in the Classroom and received both the OCTE, and NCTE, High School Teacher of Excellence Awards. He’s an affiliate faculty member of Southern Oregon University and a Southern Oregon Regional Educator Network Implementation Coach focused on well-being and resilience. To learn more about Jay and Teach from Your Best Self go to http://teachfromyourbestself.org/.

About Rachelle’s Blog

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915.

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

2 Techy Tools That Help Students Catch Up, Keep Up, and Get Ahead

August 15, 2023August 9, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post by laura steinbrink,

I STUDY NUCLEAR SCIENCE

Ever wondered what tech tools are out there that can maximize learning as we enter the era of Artificial Intelligence? Worried about reading or math gaps as we continue post-covid? In every district I have taught in, for the most part, there is a short period in the schedule, daily or 4 days a week, where students can catch up on work or receive intervention. While that is always a great idea, the reality is much different. Effective use of that extra shorter class period for intervention or to help students keep up with their classwork can be very challenging.

I LOVE MY CLASSES

One of the biggest issues with a study hall type/intervention class period or time slot during the day is the additional work added to teachers with little to no additional accountability for students. Introducing Microsoft’s (MS) Learning Accelerator tools for students, specifically, Reading Progress and Reading Coach within Microsoft Teams. Not a Microsoft school? No problem! I’ll walk you through what the MS Learning Accelerators, Reading Progress, and Reading Coach, can do to help students improve their reading, and how to use your school Google accounts to create free Microsoft 365 Education accounts to get started!

I GOT A CRAZY TEACHER

You can use Teams for Education from most web browsers or by downloading the application. To download the Teams for Education app on mobile or desktop, visit the Microsoft Teams web application. You and your students can sign in with your school email and password. Before you try this with students, contact your school’s IT administrator to make sure you have access or contact IT if you do not have access to Microsoft 365 Education or Microsoft Teams for Education. Schools in which teachers, administrators, or other staff members who have Windows computers, laptops, or tablets will already have Microsoft Accounts, which are most likely the school email accounts, set up. Sometimes all the IT person has to do is add your students to the product or web tool, so start there.

HE WEARS DARK GLASSES

Now, let’s get back to how the MS Learning Accelerators, Reading Progress, and Reading Coach, can help us with those study hall/intervention times many schools have built into their daily schedule. Reading Progress and Reading Coach combined help students work independently on their reading fluency. Why is this important? Students who can read fluently have more available cognitive load capacity to comprehend the complexities of the text they are reading than students who are not skilled in reading fluency. In most districts, at least that I’m aware of in the United States, learning to read ends in the third grade. Generally, by the fourth grade, students are now reading to learn, whether they’re ready to do so or not. As a high school teacher, I am often frustrated with my inability to help students who are testing below grade level in reading (Microsoft).

THINGS ARE GOING GREAT, AND THEY’RE ONLY GETTING BETTER

I teach students how to analyze what they read, not how to read, so I was thrilled when I learned about MS Reading Progress and Reading Coach. Then, when I found out that the amount of oral reading practice in high school is correlated with reading achievement gains more closely than the amount of in-class silent reading practice, I was hooked (Stallings, 1980). According to the National Research Council report, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998), it states “Adequate progress in learning to read English (or, any alphabetic language) beyond the initial level depends on sufficient practice in reading to achieve fluency with different texts” (p. 223). This is how using Microsoft Teams with Reading Practice and Reading Coach can help us use those study hall/intervention periods during our daily or weekly schedule to help students without causing undue burden on teachers. Using AI, Reading Progress gives students and teachers valuable data on their reading fluency, and Reading Coach selects the top 5 words that the student struggled with while reading for some additional work on those words. Students can work independently, get immediate feedback, and the data is invaluable to teachers (Microsoft). Here’s how that works.

I’M DOING ALRIGHT, GETTING GOOD GRADES

Once you have a class Team ready to go, or perhaps you already use MS Teams with students, create a practice assignment with Reading Progress through assignments. To do this, click on the Assignments channel (on the left), and then click Create button on the lower lefthand side. Click “New Assignment,” fill in a title and basic (or specific) directions, and then fill out the options on the right. Select the due date and time, the Team it is to be assigned to, which students get the assignment (this is where customizing for individual students is easy because Reading Progress practice assignments can be assigned to specific students or the whole class), point value, etc.

THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT, I GOTTA WEAR SHADES

Now click the paper clip icon to “Attach” a file. At this point, you will see the Reading Progress option. Select it. You can use your own Word or PDF file or you also have the option to select a passage by browsing the sample library. If you’re using the sample library, select the grade level first, then you can choose by non-fiction or fiction, the Lexile level, and/or the word count.

I GOTTA WEAR SHADES

If you are uploading your own file, make sure you know what the reading level is because the level you enter here will be tracked in Insights, so consistency will provide more meaningful data. You will select the genre, decide how many attempts students will have for this practice, whether or not there is a time limit (Student performance will only be calculated for words read before the time limit), and what you want for the pronunciation sensitivity. To limit frustrations from your students (I recommend you try one yourself as a student), I suggest starting with the “less sensitive” option when you choose how sensitive the Auto-detect (preview) should be when listening and estimating errors. You can always manually edit errors for accuracy when looking at the report after students complete the practice, so you can reassure any student who is unhappy with their results at first.

WELL I’M HEAVENLY BLESSED AND WORLDLY WISE

The last two things you must decide prior to completing the assignment are whether or not you want Reading Coach turned on, and whether or not you want to require the assignment to be completed as video or audio only. Reading Coach identifies students’ 5 most challenging words and provides support for independent practice. This is great for helping students work on their reading fluency independently. As for the video option, most of the time it is best to use it with this option turned on. I have had students with IEPs (Individual Education Plans) or other documentation that prevents them from being on camera or video for any reason, so in those instances, turning that off and using audio only is a great option. That’s it! Now the magic happens.

I’M A PEEPING-TOM TECHIE WITH X-RAY EYES

If you are able, use the study hall/intervention time for Reading Progress practice. If your building uses a testing platform to gauge reading levels, students who are below their grade level in reading can work on 2 or more practices a week. A separate study hall or intervention is not necessary. However, if it is already set up that way, this gives the teacher data that can be used to help the students show improvement and eventually move back to a regular study hall class once they reach their grade level for reading fluency. Students and the teacher can access the data, track student goals, and prepare to see improvement. With the new Expression view, teachers can now see expressive and monotone reading, missed punctuation, excessive pausing, and more. When looking at the data provided for the student once they’ve completed the assigned practice, teachers also have the option of returning the full report, a simple report, or a customized report to the student.

THINGS ARE GOING GREAT, AND THEY’RE ONLY GETTING BETTER

With this amount of data available, the ability to customize the reading practices for each student, and the independence that the AI-generated feedback facilitates, this is a game changer for students who always feel like they are behind their peers when it comes to reading. We owe it to our students to do our very best to help them be successful once they graduate, and Microsoft Reading Progress and Reading Coach are valuable free tools that can help us all do our very best for our students. If you have a study hall or intervention period already set up, give this a try. If you don’t, pitch the idea to your administration, and don’t forget to talk with your technology department. Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll show you the mind-blowing power of Microsoft’s Immersive Reader. For more ideas on how to use Microsoft Teams as a Google School, see my post on using it for blogging with students.

REFERENCES

Microsoft Education Blog. (2023, June). Building reading foundational skills: A guide to reading progress and reading coach in Teams for educators. Retrieved July 30, 2023, from https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2023/06/building-reading-foundational-skills-a-guide-to-reading-progress-and-reading-coach-in-teams-for-educators.

Snow, C. E., Burns, S. M., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Stallings, J. A. (1980). Allocated academic learning time revisited, or beyond time on task. Educational Researcher 9 (11):11–16.

SUBHEADINGS ARE PARTIAL LYRICS FROM TIMBUK 3’S THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT, I GOTTA WEAR SHADES.

About Rachelle

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915.

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

Promoting collaboration in the classroom

August 11, 2023July 19, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Updated from prior post on Defined Learning

“Collaboration is being open to each other’s ideas and benefiting from each other’s perspectives in an open way.”

Alan Menken

Preparing our students for the future means that we need to continue to learn more about the types of jobs that are in demand and create opportunities for our students to develop a variety of skills that are transferable to many types of work. As we have experienced over the past few years, being able to collaborate whether in person or remote, was critical. We all faced challenges in our practice, especially in being able to connect with our students and create learning experiences that fostered the building of relationships and collaborative skills.

For our own professional learning, being able to facilitate instruction with students, and working with colleagues in the absence of being together in the physical space, we had to explore and learn what worked the best. By leveraging the right digital tools and spaces, whether in-person or virtual, we kept learning going and continued to build our own professional skills.

There is tremendous power in collaboration and if we want to best prepare our students with essential skills they need, being able to collaborate and work as part of a team are two of the top skills required by employers. There are a variety of ways that we can foster collaboration in our classrooms which are beneficial to our own learning and growth, but more importantly, for our students.

Benefits of Collaboration

When we collaborate, it not only impacts our growth as educators, it amplifies the learning potential for our students. In an article by Lily Jones, “The Power of Teacher Collaboration”, research showed that teacher collaboration helps to raise student achievement. They found that when teachers had more conversations that focused on the content area, that it helped to provide more for students. By modeling collaboration, students will see and experience the benefits of collaborating with classmates and even beyond our own classroom and school. Building relationships is important for social-emotional learning (SEL) and future preparedness, especially for having a system of support in place. Finding methods and tools that foster collaboration between students and teachers in the same school or school district as well as on a global scale, will provide many benefits.

When educators collaborate, it enables us to stay relevant and current with teaching methods and digital tools, and we have access to more feedback that helps with our professional growth. For our students, collaboration needs to be a priority so that we can provide the most beneficial learning experiences for them. When students work together on a common goal and share responsibility for creating a product of that learning, there are many benefits beyond just learning the content.

As students collaborate, they are building relationships and their own learning network. They can bounce ideas off of each other, provide peer feedback, work through learning challenges together and build SEL skills throughout. Through collaboration, students build their comfort and confidence in the classroom.

Here are three ideas to explore for promoting more collaboration:

Brainstorming spaces: Using a variety of digital tools, we promote collaboration beyond our classroom space. Whether through Google Jamboard, sharing ideas in a Wakelet collection, or posting on a Padlet board, everyone can contribute from wherever they are. With some of these options, audio or video can be added, which enhances the learning experience by feeling more connected to classmates and teachers. When students need to work together, they often need a way to collaborate beyond the school space. These options create a space for students to work as a team and feel more connected whenever they cannot be in the classroom working together. For students to explore and brainstorm ideas on their own, try Ideamapper for mind-mapping.
Methods: When we bring in methods like project based-learning, we provide many benefits for students. They can work together to solve a problem being faced in the world, for example, by learning about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PBL is also a good method that will help students to develop SEL skills, especially in self-management and decision-making. Game-based learning is always a good choice to not only build content area skills but also for promoting collaboration and boosting student engagement. Through the digital tools available, students can collaborate on teams and build teamwork skills while using the games to become self-aware of their growth and set new goals for learning. Some of my students’ favorites are Gimkit and Quizizz. Providing opportunities for summer learning and STEM exploration is another way to keep learning going and spark curiosity! Check out Lobee Learning and how they provide STEM and PBL experiences for students.
Feedback and reflection tools: Just as educators need feedback and opportunities to engage in conversations and collaborate, students also need to learn how to track their growth over time. Being able to identify strengths and also areas where they may want to focus on improving is important. Having a small group to collaborate and reflect with can help students not only become more self-aware, but also develop supportive relationships in the classroom. Some ideas for collaborating to help each other grow are to write a collaborative blog, launch a podcast, or even use collaborative spaces where students can share their progress and provide feedback. With Flip, students can record videos to reflect on their learning experiences and share these videos with the teacher or collaborate with classmates to reflect and give feedback to each other. Sharing a blogging space, even using Microsoft or Google tools, where students can write and collaborate would be beneficial. We also use Spaces EDU which offers individual, class, and group spaces, all great for collaboration at different levels. For teacher-to- student, the individual space helps students to build confidence in sharing their learning with teachers and the group spaces for working together on activities like a scavenger hunt, discussion, or PBL for example. In using formats like blogs, podcasts or even portfolios, students will not only develop skills for collaborating, but also skills of self-awareness and self-management which are vital for now and the future.

Each of these methods and tools offer a lot of ways to promote collaboration for students and teachers. Collaboration is an essential skill for everyone. Being able to ask for help, provide support to others, and work as part of a team, are transferable skills to any area of work and life. With a variety of methods and the use of different digital tools to facilitate them, we can foster collaboration and the other essential skills needed that are needed for future careers and success.

About the Author:

Rachelle Dené is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s nExT in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle is an ISTE Certified Educator and serves as the past president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. She was named one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021.

She is the author of seven books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU”, “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us” and her newest book “Things I Wish […] Knew” is now available at bit.ly/thingsiwishedu.

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915

I am available for PD sessions in-person and virtual on a variety of topics. Key focus areas are AI, ChatGPT, AR and VR, SEL and STEM.

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

Dyslexia and Technology, Using Digital Tools in the Classroom

August 8, 2023July 19, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post by Robert Abraham, opinions expressed are those of the guest author

Dyslexia is a condition that primarily affects the ease with which a person reads, writes, and spells. It is typically recognized as a learning disorder in children. Students with dyslexia find it more difficult to read and spell words, and it can have a major impact on their educational performance in school. Twenty percent, or ONE in FIVE students deal with dyslexia. Fortunately, technology companies like Microsoft and Google are helping in the fight against dyslexia by creating tools to help students deal with and overcome this challenge. Microsoft has developed a suite of tools, and some of these include Immersive Reader and Reading Coach. Google has some extensions for Google Chrome that are beneficial for students with Dyslexia and other vision impairments.

Immersive Reader is a free Microsoft tool available that helps users read and comprehend text. It allows individuals to customize features such as text layout, size, style, font type, and spacing. This makes it an improved and personalized reading experience for individuals with dyslexia and other visual issues. Immersive Reader also employs a text-to-speech feature, which allows users to hear the text read aloud, helping them decode challenging words and improving comprehension. In addition, the tool has a picture dictionary as well as the ability to break down words by syllables, like we used to do by clapping in the classroom. Here are some of their available tools:

Another Microsoft tool that assists students with dyslexia is Reading Coach. Reading Coach is an interactive and fun tool for students that helps teamwork on and improve their reading speed and accuracy. While Immersive Reader helps students with written text, Reading Coach is a tool to help students with oral fluency. It uses a virtual assistant to listen and correct children’s reading mistakes by providing them with personalized practice word lists. It also provides feedback to help improve their reading. Reading Coach, which is built into Immersive Reader also creates focused practice exercises for each student. Students can track their progress, and the tool provides cumulative stats that help identify areas they need to improve.

Google Chrome extensions are programs that can be installed into Chrome in order to enhance the browser’s functionality. They can be found on Google Chrome’s Web Store and most of them are free although some have both free and premium versions. There are many helpful extensions available but I am going to mention a few that students with Dyslexia can use to enhance their learning experience.

Read&Write is a very robust extension that offers teachers and students many helpful tools. There is a free version with limited tools but those are still very helpful for people with vision disadvantages. There is also a free version available for teachers with all of the features available. This allows teachers using interactive whiteboards or screens to use the tools with small groups or full class. There is also a yearly subscription per student as well as a bulk price for schools.

Read&Write has many tools available including opinions for text, content, display, and colors. Students can change the size of text on websites or pdf documents as well as change the font and line spacing. Read&Write can also read web pages to students by page, paragraph, or word and allows for changing the pitch and speed of the spoken text. There are also tools for page translation, a built-in dictionary, and page magnification. It offers Dyslexia tools including ruler, specific dyslexia-friendly fonts, color blindness adjustments and focus tools.

Read&Write is a complete solution but only the full paid version (or free teacher option). There are other Google Chrome Extensions that have some of the options of Read&Write but at no cost. Speakit is a free extension that offers text-to-speech so students can have web pages and documents read to them. It is a simple-to-use extension found on the Google Play Store. Another useful fee extension is Postlight Reader. Postlight Reader strips away many of the busier elements on a website which allows students to focus on the text with less distraction. Here is an example of a webpage without Postlight Reader and the same page with Postlight Reader:

https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2022/10/celebrate-dyslexic-thinking

In conclusion, Microsoft has developed great tools and inclusive technologies such as Immersive Reader and Reading Coach, with the goal of making reading and writing accessible to everyone, including those with dyslexia. These tools help improve reading accuracy, speed, and comprehension. They also empower individuals with dyslexia to achieve academic success. Microsoft offers other effective tools including Microsoft Translate, Reading Progress and Flip, formerly known as Flipgrid. Google has useful extensions to their Chrome browser and many of them are very beneficial to students with visual differences including Dyslexia.

About the Author

Robert is an Instructional Strategist at Teq and an experienced technology coach in education with a passion for helping educators integrate technology into their teaching practices. A former NYC Department of Education teacher with almost 30 years of experience in the field, Robert has worked with teachers and administrators to develop technology-rich learning environments that engage students and enhance learning outcomes. Currently, Robert works for Teq, a technology education company in NY. Teq offers schools and districts a complete solution from planning and purchasing educational products to in-person and online professional development as well as follow-up support. In addition, Teq also offers Project Based Learning solutions, called iBlocks, which are beneficial to teachers in the classroom and in STEM labs as well.

About Rachelle

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915.

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

Learn to Help Students Correct Science Misconceptions by Producing Instructional Videos

August 1, 2023July 13, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post By Reggie Grant, Twitter @media4literacy

This project was presented at the FSU-Teach STEM Teaching Mini-Conference at Florida State University on June 28, 2023.

“While we teach, we learn.”

These words are attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca and are the inspiration for a classroom project that I recently developed with my former colleague Brian McClain. “In what scientists have dubbed ‘the protégé effect,’ student teachers score higher on tests than pupils who are learning only for their own sake,” according to a 2011 Time article.

As a longtime high school science teacher, Brian has encountered various common science misconceptions that students hold, some of which are directly or indirectly related to photosynthesis. In an article published in the 2015 issue of the European of Teacher Education, researchers say misconceptions like these must be confronted and corrected to prevent them from stunting students’ future understanding.

“Misconceptions operate to distort new learning. …learners’ existing misconceptions will hinder future-related learning,” the article says. “Before new concepts can be understood, misconceptions must be dispelled.”

Brian and I designed this media project to help students use research and credible evidence to correct some of these common science misconceptions. The project guides students in the production of a short instructional video presentation that sets the record straight about a chosen misconception.

This “Set it Straight!” video project is similar to another project I developed a decade ago when I was teaching high schoolers. In that project, students taught others the correct use of a commonly misused set of words. Examples include there / their / they’re, affect / effect, and farther / further.

The process of creating a media product to teach others develops critical thinking, problem solving and creativity – three of the top five skills necessary for today’s workplace, according to the Future of Jobs Report 2020 produced by the World Economic Forum.

Using media this way in the classroom is endorsed by the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton University. SERC recommends teachers use media technology to engage students in more meaningful and deeper learning experiences. It should be used for more than delivering PowerPoint presentations and showing videos.

“Media can also be student-generated,” the SERC website said. “This approach asks the student to step into the role of the teacher and create content that will engage learners and help them to master concepts.”

“Involving students in creating media encourages collaboration, accountability, creativity, and mastery of ideas and concepts,” the SERC website said. “Importantly, one does not need a large budget, fancy studio, or advanced degree to create original media that is informative, entertaining and educational.”

The Project

The “Set it Straight!” video project is guided by a series of prompts.

For example: “What is the common misconception you researched?”

“Why do you think this is a common misconception?”

“Identify and list two or three important facts necessary to correct this misconception.”

The questions require students to restate the questions and answer them clearly and briefly. Limiting the number of sentences students can use in their answers is important. Short answers require students to really understand the concept. Clarity and brevity are the keys to effective media production.

After feedback has been provided and final revisions have been made, the questions/prompts are removed and the answers/responses become the script.

Students record themselves reading the script.

Accompanying visuals (photos/charts/graphics) are created and/or identified and downloaded.

Then, the visuals and narration are edited together for the video, which will be no longer than about three minutes.

The steps above are detailed in this document with accompanying links.

“Nutrients in the soil are the primary source of the mass increase in plants during their lives.” This misconception is corrected in this example video that we produced.

Conclusion

Making sense of a complex concept by creating media products is empowering for students. It is an effective way to actively involve students in their own education by teaching others.

And by teaching, they learn.

If you have any suggestions for this project, please send them to mediaforliteracy@gmail.com

Reggie Grant teaches journalism and mass communications at Tallahassee Community College. For 11 years, he taught media production — introduction to mass communication, photography, video production, and graphic design — at Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Florida. He blogs at https://mediaforliteracy.wordpress.com and can be found on Twitter @media4literacy.

Looking for some PD for your school? I provide in-person and virtual training on the following topics. If you want to learn more about and explore AI and ChatGPT, contact me to schedule! Rdene915@gmail.com

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

Advice from an elementary teacher about summer learning

July 25, 2023July 19, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post by Ashley Cooley @ashleyecooley

Next year will mark my twenty-fifth year to be an elementary teacher. Parents ask me a lot of questions about how to keep their child learning during the summer. The best thing is to of course enjoy summertime and get in all the family time that school schedules get in the way of. Here are some ideas that I recommend and used with my own children.

Check out recommendations from your local librarian.
Review math facts (addition, subtraction, and multiplication) with flashcards or play “war” with a deck of cards or dominos.
Visit museums, children’s theatres and check out ideas from DFW Child… My favorite in the DFW area are the Dallas Museum of Art, The Modern, and the Dallas Children’s Theatre
Review math and science workbooks that were sent home! If your child had an educational platform like Seesaw, review the assignments.
Have your child write letters to grandparents. They will write back! Letter writing is a lost art that children need to bring back.

Go to a baseball game and let your child keep a record of runs, outs, hits, steals, etc. Then make a bar graph at home to show the info.
Cook together! Cooking with your child is a valuable life skill that teaches children about nutrition and food safety while building math, science, and literacy skills.
Going on a road trip? Take these math wrap-ups with you and challenge your child to go faster

Take your kids to the grocery store and have them keep a running total of what’s going in the cart.
Keep a gratitude journal. It will keep your child writing and focused on the positive things in their lives. View the journals that were sent home (along with more workbooks, folders, and supplies). Children’s writing is so innocent and sweet, you will love reading what they wrote.
Visit your local library and encourage them to start a series. My first graders LOVED the “Humphrey” series.

Find inspiration from this list and make it work for you. Learning over the summer doesn’t have to be complicated or require long hours of planning. Have fun with it and give your child ownership in their learning. Wishing you a very happy summer full of learning.

My first-grade class helping me celebrate earning teacher of the year!

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

About Rachelle

Ozobot: Overcoming Challenges in Bringing STEM to the Classroom

July 19, 2023July 19, 2023Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

In collaboration with @Ozobot

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in classrooms has become increasingly important to prepare students for the future. We know that these skills are highly in demand and there will be an increase in the number of STEM-related jobs available by 2025. STEM learning is essential, however, educators often face several challenges when implementing STEM initiatives. It helps to first identify the challenges and brainstorm possible solutions to overcome them. There are many resources available for classroom use, however, Ozobot offers a variety of options that are great for any classroom and that do not require educators to have a level of expertise!

Theme 1: Lack of Teacher Confidence and Training

In my own experience prior to teaching a STEAM course, I did not see how I could bring STEM activities into the language classroom. This feeling is common among educators today. Many educators share that they do not know enough about STEM or even lack confidence in teaching STEM concepts in their classroom. There are ways for schools to help with this such as:

Provide professional development programs that focus on enhancing STEM pedagogy and content knowledge.
Leverage teacher talent and have time for experienced STEM educators to guide and assist their colleagues.
Use online platforms such as Ozobot Classroom, which offers training materials, lesson plans, and interactive tutorials to build teacher confidence and expertise in STEM education.

Theme 2: There is not enough time or it does not fit in the curriculum (Time Challenges and Curriculum Constraints)

Time is always a factor for teachers when there are so many tasks that make up our day. Finding enough time to integrate STEM activities into their curriculum can be difficult. Class schedules do not provide enough time perhaps or there are specific guidelines and timelines to be met with the curriculum.

Possible Solutions:

Incorporate cross-curricular integration, where STEM concepts are integrated into existing subjects rather than taught as standalone lessons. For example, using robotics to explore math concepts or engineering challenges within science topics.

Explore the versatile resources offered by Ozobot. It is quick to get started using the activities and challenges that come with each robot, and these can be easily integrated into different subject areas and grade levels, which saves time and promotes interdisciplinary learning.

Theme 3: Access to the Right Resources and Materials

One of the biggest areas of concern is that resources are limited in schools or a lack of funding makes it tough to decide which resource is the best and most versatile option. Accessibility is a significant challenge for teachers who want to implement STEM-focused activities in their classrooms. Questions that I get are often around the time involved to find resources and funding for bringing them into schools.

Some ways to work through this are by seeking grants to obtain STEM resources. Ozobot offers a free Grants & Funding tool that provides guidance on these topics.

Explore the resources from Ozobot which are affordable and provide everything that educators need to implement STEM in their classroom. The robots and lesson plans are designed to help educators to engage students in learning about coding and robotics and hopefully spark interest in a future career in coding. My students have enjoyed learning about coding and creating with Ozobot.

I definitely recommend exploring all of Ozobot’s resources. A great option is the Ozobot Classroom Kit, which offers everything all in one with curriculum-aligned resources suitable for various STEM activities.

Theme 4: Engaging Diverse Student Populations

We want all students to have opportunities to explore STEM but the reality is that not all students have access to the resources to explore STEM-related learning. Engaging students from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented groups in STEM, can be challenging due to varying interests, learning styles, and prior experiences.

Some ideas to explore are to incorporate culturally relevant STEM projects and examples that reflect the students’ backgrounds and experiences, promoting inclusivity and increasing engagement. Additionally, Ozobot offers MetaBot – a free AR experience hosted on the Evo App that allows students to virtually build and execute Blockly programs with Evo.

By bringing in project-based learning (PBL) and hands-on activities that provide opportunities for collaborative problem-solving, allowing students to contribute their unique perspectives and skills and also foster the development of SEL skills.

Theme 5: Integration of STEM Across Subjects

For some educators, the idea of STEM may not seem like something that can be brought into a class that does not fall under the “STEM” subjects. Finding ways to bring STEM concepts into classrooms can be challenging, especially for classes that are traditionally perceived as non-STEM related.

The best option to bring STEM into all classrooms is through cross-curricular collaboration. Not only is this beneficial for students, but it also encourages collaboration between teachers of different grade levels or content areas. They can work together to create interdisciplinary STEM projects that incorporate concepts from their courses and provide more meaningful, real-world learning experiences for students.

Project-based learning: Implement project-based learning approaches that encourage students to apply STEM knowledge and skills to real-world problems across different subjects.

Ozobot as a solution: Highlight Ozobot’s versatility in integrating robotics and coding across various subjects, fostering cross-curricular connections and enhancing student engagement.

Bringing STEM to every classroom can be a powerful and transformative learning experience for students which will equip them with the skills needed to be successful now and in the future. By asking educators what their concerns and challenges are, we can work together to find solutions. With the support of a comprehensive platform like Ozobot, educators can design dynamic and engaging learning environments that spark student curiosity for learning, build critical thinking skills, and foster interest in STEM fields.

About Rachelle

Rachelle Dené is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle is an ISTE Certified Educator and Community Leader and served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. She was named as one of the 150 Women Thought Leaders to Follow for 2022 and one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021.

She is the author of seven books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us” and her newest book “Things I Wish […] Knew” is available at bit.ly/thingsiwishedu.

When it comes to professional development for your school, Rachelle offers both in-person and virtual training on a variety of topics. Don’t miss the opportunity to schedule a session by contacting her at Rdene915@gmail.com.