Blog Archives

June Resource of the Month: Reflect and Rest!

5/9/2022

You made it to June!! School's out (or going to be out soon) so let's keep it simple.

Before you take a well deserved break take 5 minutes, and use the graphic to guide your reflection on the following:
1. In what ways and areas of blended, personalized learning did my practice evolve this past school year? What am I proud of?
2. How were my students impacted by my changing professional practice in blended, personalized learning?
3. What key areas do I want to focus on for next year? (You don't have to do anything right now- just get it out of your head!)

Put your reflection away for a couple of weeks- it will be there when you are ready. Now it's time to take an all important break, decrease your stress levels, relax and renew! Research even supports it! Taking A Break From Work (And Why You Need It)

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May Resource of the Month: Give Choice to Optimize Instruction/Learning For Students

5/2/2022

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We don’t have to be convinced that one size does not fit all. With advancements in technology, access to free, open educational resources, and digital content and apps, why are we still left feeling like giving students choice is a daunting, impossible task? Is it the workload? Possible impact on classroom management or grading? Maybe it’s a feeling that we have to give choices everywhere or not at all? At connectingEd, we are all about baby steps. Instructionally, the use of choice is ONE way to optimize learning opportunities for students, and there are many ways to start. Once you start, keep going!

Overview: Study the Continuum of Choice by Bray and McClaskey. The further to the right this progression gets, the more we educators dig our heels in, right? Probably for the reasons mentioned above. But what if we baby-stepped our way through this continuum and allowed ourselves time to evolve over several years?

Reflect using these guiding questions. Don’t rush it.

Where am I along this continuum?
Am I even on it?
Have I stayed in one place for a very long time?
When was the last time I took a step?
What scares me about moving along the continuum?
What excites me?
How could moving along the continuum help me optimize learning opportunities for students?

Get started! Explore the recommended resource below.

LINK_ Design Your Own Digital Choice Board By Caitlin Tucker

Don't Forget!!
1. Take a step and stay there a while. Practice, reflect, share with colleagues, and try again.
2. Students will not automatically KNOW how to handle choice. You will have to institute practice time with

How to choose or create a good choice
Understanding learning styles and preferences
What to do when my choices look different from my classmates or friend
How to persevere with a choice
When to abandon a choice

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Resource of the Month!​Each resource is meant to give you a simple strategy or idea to spur on your thinking and classroom practice around personalized learning and student ownership. Jump in!

June Resource of the Month: Reflect and Rest!

You made it to June!! School's out (or going to be out soon) so let's keep it simple.

May Resource of the Month: Give Choice to Optimize Instruction/Learning For Students

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Resource of the Month!

Each resource is meant to give you a simple strategy or idea to spur on your thinking and classroom practice around personalized learning and student ownership. Jump in!