The iTeach Blog

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.” —Benjamin Franklin What is a growth mindset and why does it matter? In recent years, the mindset field has changed the way schools operate. Through her research at Stanford University, Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology Carol Dweck has observed that the mindset you choose can have a profound impact on how you live your life. Individuals can be placed on a continuum based on their mindsets, according to Dweck. Those who believe their abilities are based on innate talents—and therefore can’t change much—have a fixed mindset. Those who believe that success is based on effort are said to have a growth mindset. They believe that with hard work, you can always improve. One definition I like is that a fixed mindset focuses on proving how smart you are; a growth mindset focuses on improving. Ultimately, leveraging a growth mindset offers you and your staff signifi...

Hey Coach, Teaching is a high-stress career - especially these days! Do you have any tips to help teachers take care of themselves? Sincerely, Seeking Self-Care Dear Seeking Self-Care, The data agrees with you. Teaching is definitely demanding! In fact, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey study shared some startling findings: 61% of educators and school staff say their work is “always” or “often” stressful. 78% of teachers run on just five to seven hours of sleep per night. 58% said their mental health was “not good” for seven or more of the previous 30 days. ...and that’s all before we were in the midst of a pandemic! We need to view self-care as more than just another item on our long list of to dos. In order to survive and thrive as an educator, you have to invest in what matters most, remembering that YOU are important! Below we offer some suggestions to help you be intentional about prioritizing self-care. Set Boundaries Setting boundaries is the first...

Hey Coach, Teaching online can be tough! How can I keep my students engaged in an online environment? Sincerely, Eager for Engagement Dear Eager for Engagement, It’s true! Teaching feels very different without the live, face-to-face interaction found in the traditional classroom. Don’t worry, though! We can still engage our students, even when teaching and learning happens remotely. Many of the best practices we use to engage students in a traditional classroom can translate to an online environment. Bring a Human Element to the Online Environment People need other people! Give students plenty of opportunities to engage with each other by sharing their opinions, experiences, and perspectives. (We highly recommend Flipgrid as a quick and easy tool to engage and empower all the voices in your classroom!) Interact with your students through individual check-ins to let them know that their presence matters. Be silly and fun whenever possible. Whether you’re changing your ba...

Three weeks ago, who could have guessed we’d be here? Everyone is in the same boat. I had plans to be preparing a baseball team for the state playoff push… It’s a different world. It’s overwhelming, we have to acknowledge that. My strategies tend to come down to lists of steps that I can check off, so here is a six-step protocol to working your way to online teaching: Infographic Don’t get overwhelmed : I know, easier said than done, and there are so many tools out there. You are experienced, and you have a peer or two who is experienced. Rely on the tools that you are already comfortably and confidently using to disseminate information. This isn’t the best time to learn the newest, it’s a time to perfect the known-est. Utilize the online management system that your school or district embraces : This stems from Step 1. You’ve been using something to stay in touch with kids at home all year, keep it up. Even if it starts with Remind, that’s a fantastic way to guide students thr...

Hey Coach, I’ve heard that Maker Ed is a great way for kids to develop creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. How can I incorporate making into my classroom with what I’m already doing instead of as something extra? Sincerely, Maker Curious Dear Maker Curious, You’re right! Maker Ed is definitely a great way for kids of all ages to develop creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. Many teachers want to integrate making into the content kids are already learning, but don’t know where to start or how to secure the resources they need. I hope this post helps you and others discover some ways to start small and take off on your Maker Ed journey. Make Writing Angela Stockman, author of Make Writing: 5 Teaching Strategies That Turn Writer’s Workshop Into a Maker Space and Hacking the Writing Workshop: Redesign with Making in Mind , encourages teachers to use making to motivate, engage, and inspire student writers. She suggests starting a writing wor...

Hey Coach,  I’ve heard so much about breakout education, but I have never used a breakout game in the classroom. How can they benefit my students? Sincerely, Inquiring Mind Dear Inquiring Mind, It’s so awesome to hear that you are interested in breakout education! This is one of my favorite classroom strategies and is loved by students of all ages! First, a little background information for those who are not yet familiar with breakout games in the classroom: Breakout games require students to work together to solve a series of clues and challenges before a time limit expires. These games can be played with physical containers that must be unlocked (available for purchase from BreakoutEDU ), or they can be digital breakouts that are played on any device that connects to the Internet (Check out some ready-made digital breakouts on Tom’s Digital Breakouts or in the BreakoutEDU Digital Sandbox … or, create your own !) In Gamification in Education: What How, Why Bother? (Lee & ...

Hey Coach, I’ve been reading a lot about the power of individual student conferencing. This is a strategy I want to use in my classroom, but I’m feeling a major time crunch! How can I find the time to conference with every student? Sincerely, Out of Time Teacher Dear Out of Time Teacher, Good for you! It sounds like you recognize the importance of individual student conferencing. When it comes to building relationships with students and collecting specific information about their progress, nothing beats a 1:1 conference. Not only that, but student conferencing is an integral part of the dynamic communication that takes place within a personalized learning environment. As Stephanee Stephens and Anisa Lokey-Vega explain in the white paper, A Vision for Personalized Learning , these conferences offer important opportunities for learners to voice their needs, preferences, and interests to plan and drive their education. Yet, teachers are often hesitant to implement classroom...

Hey there, readers! We are trying something new on the iTeach Blog this year. In addition to answering your questions every month, we will periodically feature posts written by guest bloggers. This week, iTeach Director Stephanee Stephens is sharing insight about setting your intentions for the new year. “New year, New you!” “It’s time for a Glow-Up!” “Out with the old and in with the new!” I could keep listing out catchphrases, but you get the point! This time of year, everyone is keen to set new goals, clean up their surroundings, and begin a new year (or semester) with fresh energy. I, for one, am happy folks are happy - Any chance we have in education to celebrate, reset, and be happy, we can’t afford to miss! I have been thinking and studying intention a lot over the last year. I sure do wish I had stumbled upon setting intentions earlier in my career. Goals are specific achievements focused on the future, while intentions represent an awareness of who, what, or how w...

Hey Coach, I’m ready to set goals for the new year and I’m looking for some inspiration! Professionally speaking, what are your New Year’s resolutions for 2020? Sincerely, Resolution Ready Dear Resolution Ready, Great question! Self-improvement is the name of the game, and we are always looking for ways to become even better educators, coaches, employees, and colleagues. Working in education, we are well-versed in setting goals at the beginning of each school year and creating a plan to achieve those goals. But still, there’s something about that fresh January feeling that motivates us to reflect on our progress, revisit those goals, and set some new ones! To answer your question, I turned to the great minds on our iTeach team, who shared their own resolutions for 2020. Each resolution is followed by resources and links to prompt your thinking if you are interested in setting a similar goal for your own professional practice. While you read about our goals for the ne...

Hey Coach, I am a technology coach and have just started working with a group of awesome educators; however, they are hesitant to use technology and are a little skeptical about working with a coach. What’s the best way to support these teachers? Sincerely, Curious Coach Dear Curious Coach, First of all, know that this is a common stage of the coaching cycle and that their resistance is not about you. Most coaches can relate to teachers feeling overwhelmed with the challenges of teaching. Also, the many tasks teachers must complete every day often leaves them feeling void of the capacity to learn a new technology. But there is hope! Here are four easy ways to engage with your teachers, build trust, and encourage buy-in. 1. Meet teachers where they are. Tips & Tricks for the Tech Coach This concept may seem pretty obvious, but it is frequently overlooked. Take time to get to know teachers so you can understand how they run their classroom and how they are curre...

Dear Coach,  I feel like a deflated balloon! Last week I planned a phenomenal activity for my students. I put a lot of energy into planning the lesson and I was so excited about it... but the lesson went completely off the rails! It seemed like each group had a problem that I hadn’t anticipated. My awesome plan flew out the window, and I was flustered and disappointed in myself. What can I do when this happens? I don’t know if it’s worth doing this type of activity again. Sincerely, Deflated and Disappointed Dear Deflated and Disappointed,  Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! Any teacher who has been in the classroom for more than a week probably owns the t-shirt, too. It is so important to remember that mistakes and challenges are inevitable in the classroom, even for seasoned educators. Experiencing these setbacks is a sign that we are doing something worthwhile by pushing the boundaries of our teaching practice and challenging ourselves to try new thing...

Hey Coach, I often use tools like Flipgrid, Google Classroom, Seesaw, and blogging so my students can give peer feedback through comments on each other’s work. The problem is, their feedback is not very meaningful - the comments lack detail and specificity to support their peer’s learning, and instead are full of exclamation points, emojis, and vague compliments. How can I teach my students to provide meaningful peer feedback in a digital space? Sincerely, Frustrated with Peer Feedback Dear Frustrated with Peer Feedback, First, let’s take a moment to celebrate what’s going well. It sounds like you recognize the importance of peer feedback in the classroom, and you’re already utilizing tools that enable students to share and discuss their work. Researchers John Hattie and Helen Timperley (2007) explain that when utilized effectively, feedback is one of the most powerful influences on student learning, so you are on the right track! But what does effective feedback look like? Acc...

Hey Coach, I want my students to be aware of the world outside of our classroom by learning with individuals from different countries and cultures. How can I connect with educators around the world who would be willing to partner with my students? Sincerely, Craving Global Connections Dear Craving Global Connections, I applaud you for working to flatten the walls of your classroom! Global collaboration offers many benefits to students, including developing communication skills, building empathy and a sense of interconnectedness, teaching students to overcome barriers and form bridges to other cultures, and preparing students for increasingly globalized workplaces. In 2018, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Center for Global Education at Asia Society released a publication entitled Teaching for Global Competence in a Rapidly Changing World . It provides guidance to educators as they work to integrate global competence into the...

Hey Coach, A lot of teachers at my school are hesitant to utilize technology in their daily lessons because they get inundated with student tech problems like dead batteries, computers not connecting to the internet, or other commonly occurring issues. The lesson goes off the rails as the teacher addresses these problems. As a result, teachers feel like technology is an additional thing rather than a tool they can use to quickly and easily personalize learning. How can I help teachers at my school overcome these struggles? Sincerely, Tired of Tech Troubles Dear Tired of Tech Troubles, You are right! Using technology in the classroom can be challenging and oftentimes a daunting task for any teacher. Let's face it, in the personalized classroom, a great deal of teacher's time is spent co-planning, guiding, and facilitating learning experiences. It can feel overwhelming for teachers to also monitor and manage issues with technology as they arise! Well, one answer l...