While this fall marks my 38th year in education, it has been 28 years since I was a classroom teacher. Teaching elementary school was the hardest job I ever had, but there are many parts of the role I miss. This time of year, I especially miss the opportunity to … Read More
Finding ways to help all students grow academically – regardless of where they are starting from – can be challenging. From my experiences teaching special education, general education, and English Learners, I can tell you there is no one-size-fits-all approach that works. In order to meet the unique and individual … Read More
Before the pandemic, the trend for more personalized, learner-centric experiences in education already existed—the resulting lockdowns merely accelerated digital transformation, which continues to gain momentum across industries. Dubbed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” our entire world is rapidly digitizing, which means jobs—and the knowledge and skills they require—are changing faster than … Read More
At the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at Ulster Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES), we have developed the architecture to accomplish and codify a leadership approach to help schools consider how to reach our most marginalized and vulnerable students. Four years ago, my team and I designed, planned, … Read More
Differentiating instruction is not a new approach to bridging the varying learning styles of students with different backgrounds and learning abilities. For years, educators have strategized how to differentiate instruction in math, ELA, and science. Countless articles and books offer best practices for differentiation in those subjects, but comparatively, very … Read More
Editor’s note: This blog post originally appeared on CoSN’s blog and is reposted here with permissions. Part of a Blog Series from the Emerging Technologies Committee Leveraging Technology for Improving School Wellness and Safety The renewed focus on the whole student, specifically on social and emotional needs and growth (social emotional … Read More
After decades of working with educational technology, I’ve come to the realization that technology will have its greatest impact in the classroom when educators allow learners to use digital technology as a self-directed learning tool. This means not just providing students with laptops and online resources, but ensuring they have the … Read More
As an educator with 21 years of experience in teaching and learning, I have had the opportunity to work with students of differing abilities and learning backgrounds. During a typical school year, meeting the varied needs of my students makes for an extremely rewarding, but challenging job. However, the COVID-19 … Read More
Not everyone loves to read. Even in schools with strong reading cultures, some students just don’t feel the spark—yet. Through helping reluctant readers find books that capture their imaginations, teachers and librarians can ignite a newfound enthusiasm for reading in students. Here are six strategies for engaging hesitant students: 1. … Read More
During the pandemic era of “emergency teaching,” school systems across my state and around the country made deep investments in edtech resources. However, as we move into what some call the post-pandemic era, education stakeholders are searching for strategies to ensure that edtech investments continue to pay dividends. In New … Read More
