The iTeach Blog

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 love using stations, voice, and choice in my classroom, but I am having trouble managing behavior. Do you have any suggestions? Sincerely, Struggling with Stations Dear Struggling with Stations, Kudos to you for giving your students voice and choice in how they learn! Managing behavior is a common issue teachers face when implementing stations, so know that you are not alone. Keep in mind that all behavior is a form of communication, so it’s important to reflect on why students are exhibiting a specific action. Figuring out why the behavior is occurring will help you determine how to address it. We know that’s hard to do in the moment, but we can train ourselves to be better at this. Some common messages your students might communicate during your stations are: I’m confused about this task. This is too hard/easy for me. I’m having a hard time working with my partner/group. I’m frustrated. I don’t know how to use this tool. Teaching executive function ...

Hey Coach, I’ve heard a lot about personalized learning, but what is it? Is personalized learning just another educational initiative? Sincerely, Not Another One Dear Not Another One, If you have been in education for more than a minute you’ve seen half a dozen educational initiatives come and go, so your question isn’t without merit. I want to give you a straightforward answer, but it gets a little tricky. If you haven’t already, check out the Personalized Learning white paper by Dr. Anissa Lokey-Vega and Stephanee Stephens. It explains personalized learning and breaks down the essential conditions for a personalized learning environment. Also important to note, as the authors do, the white paper is subject to iteration as research and experiences inform pedagogy and the vision of personalized learning becomes refined. Personalized learning has some core tenets that set it apart from the traditional educational model. You can see an overview of these tenets on our Essen...

Hey Coach, I used to have my students take a “learning styles” test on the first day of  school to discover their best modality of learning, but recently learned that “learning styles” research has been debunked and those tests you see online aren’t really helping students find out how best to learn. I want to do something fun and engaging to learn about my students for the first day of school. Do you have any suggestions? Sincerely, Learning Styles Debunked Dear Debunked, You are right! The research into learning styles has largely been disproven; the idea that one learns best in one modality is a fallacy. To read more about it, check out the article “ Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence .”  Getting-to-know-you activities are a great way to kick off the school year and to connect with your students. There are a million ways to get to know your students and for them to get to know each other. Check out these innovative ideas: 1.      ...