Traditional teaching methods have been around for centuries, but in today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, they may not be the most effective way to engage students. Non-traditional teaching methods can break the mold and create a more engaging, interactive, and personalized learning experience for students. One non-traditional method is mini-creation projects, where students work on a project or problem over one or two times. This approach allows students to apply what they've learned in a real-world context and fosters collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. By worki ..read more

Collaboration is a crucial part of education. It allows students to learn from each other, share ideas, and develop essential skills that will be valuable in their future careers. However, collaboration isn't always easy. Students may come from different backgrounds, have different learning styles, and may not be comfortable working with others. As educators, it's our responsibility to break down these barriers and create an environment that fosters collaboration. Here are some tips to help you do just that. Before starting any collaborative project, it's essential to set clear expectations fo ..read more

Impact Achievement with Data-Driven Learning Environments Individual data meetings allow the students to see the visual progress of their academic growth within the classroom setting. , when students see their growth over time, they invest more in the learning process and become more motivated to complete the learning activities. When designing a data meeting, try to keep it short and to the point and provide the students with a key takeaway. What to include in the data meetings. ​1. Think about showcasing three data points with the students. The first data point could be the current grade in ..read more

It is hard to believe that we are close to closing out the 2022/23 school year.  As classrooms finish up the state test and gear up for the next grade level, I have noticed that teachers tend to deploy more project learning opportunities for the students to complete.  As an instructional coach, I help to support the teachers through the deployment of the projects with the implementation of a self paced four day checklist.   In this blog post, I am showcasing a sample four day checklist that will help to guide the students through the project while still allowing time for th ..read more

Quality creation website applications are a great way to increase student engagement and ownership. In this blog post, I will showcase six FREE online applications that can be used as resources for relevant student projects. The online programs will guide the students' creation process and provide collaboration elements so the student can continue to build and design as a team. To continue learning and exploring relevant student projects online and offline, purchase the takes a deeper dive into how rollout creation projects as part of the learning studios.   There is so much to disco ..read more

Designing small group instruction as part of the learning studios allows the teacher to fix any misconceptions, differentiate the instruction, collect formative data, and build academic relationships with the students. While working with classroom teachers, they understand the power of small group instruction, but some teachers struggle to find time to meet with every group during a 45-minute class period. With the everyday housekeeping items and making sure that all students understand the directions, the minutes of the class start to tick away. In this blog post, I am going to share out a fe ..read more

When I am asked to put the twelve elements of student engagement and ownership in order starting with the most important, I always start with small group instruction. Small group instruction is the backbone for developing data-driven learning environments, building student relationships, customizing the learning paths for individual students, and providing learning opportunities in multiple learning styles. If a classroom teacher can successfully deploy small group instruction regularly, the rest of the eleven elements will be easier and more efficient to deploy within the classroom setting.&n ..read more

Have you ever wondered what Blended Learning looks like in a High School setting? Then take a moment to watch the video from CyPark High School. CyPark High School is located in CyFair ISD in Katy, Texas. If you have any questions after watching the video feel free to post to this blog post.  ..read more