TL;DR: Rather than modify assignments to differentiate instruction, change how we teach to ensure students understand the material. Not all students learn in the same way. We need to recognize when to change how we teach the lesson. We need to know our students and support them. With differentiated instruction, it is possible to meet the learning styles of all students. … Read More
Living with OCD: It Doesn’t Just Go Away
TL;DR: Different facets of living with OCD are shared, including time management, losing control, and needing to be a perfectionist. Kristen shares how living with OCD affects her as an educator. When we look at other people, we do not know what internal struggles they are facing. There is no telling how people feel just by looking at them. Many … Read More
Reinventing Student/Teacher Conferencing in 2021
TL;DR: The purpose of conferencing is generally to discuss a student’s strengths and weaknesses. A structure for effective conferencing with large classes is shared. Questions to ask during conferences can include: What are your questions? In what way can I help you? What will you improve on? Unfortunately, while I had some great teachers in the past (both K-12 and post-secondary), … Read More
Working During “Work Hours” Is Important for Self-Care
TL:DR: Face-to face, hybrid, and remote teaching all have their respective challenges. Bringing work home seems to be a part of the job as an educator. Set boundaries for yourself and dedicate time for yourself and your self-care. Prioritizing self-care is a necessary component of your time management plan. When the option to choose remote teaching versus in person, I … Read More
Differentiate the Learning Not the Assignments
In This Post: Identify how to differentiate learning experiences versus only modifying assignments. See an example of how to differentiate your lesson instead of the materials or activities. Lighten your workload! Modify your instruction for all students to succeed instead of differentiating materials for each unique learner. Many times, we think of Differentiated Instruction (DI) as a method to make … Read More