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Filtering by Category: Creative Instruction
Using visual note-taking is one way teachers can see what students understood from the lesson. Visual note-taking (or “doodle notes” as I call it) can be structured by the teacher or left open for students to draw what they hear and focus on during the lecture.
Submitted by: April Lesher, Mesquite High School, Gilbert, AZ.
Inquiry journaling in math is a great way to start a new standard. Generally, I will show an image along with some guiding questions for students to start thinking about the new content. By allowing for inquiry time, students will pull from their background knowledge and they will have time to explore and come up with their own reasoning prior to being given definitions or formulas for the math.
I am currently teaching 2 separate classrooms and a group of online students during the same class period--57 students total! I am doing this by creating a curated list of activities based on the topic we are studying. I create a document with a table listing the activity title, a description, a section for notes, and a column for the students to mark it as completed. The first item on the playlist is always a video I have created listing the expectations for the list, including the days the students have to complete the list. The playlist is broken up with daily checkpoints, and I include videos I have created, videos from Youtube, Google Forms surveys/quizzes, guided notes pages, Padlet, and Nearpod activities.
Submitted by: Tasha Grant, Barcelona Elementary School, Alhambra Elementary School District.
A work plan is a guide for student learning that enables them to see the work at hand, expectations, overarching project, and additional supports for students.
Submitted by: Ulises Aragon, Camelback High School (Montessori), Phoenix, AZ
Through the use of Nearpod, and all of its features I have been able to create an environment of high engagement, rigorous material, and multiple formative assessment opportunities. I make my lessons with with time in mind: how long will I be talking? How long before my students lose focus? And what kind of time will they need to complete an informal formative assessment question? Every 5 to 15 minutes my students are expected to do some kind of activity, this could be a collaborate board, answering an open ended question, or taking part in a poll. This keeps my students engaged. Nearpod creates a report for each of my presentations, complete with statistics of participation in each activity. I use this as a part of my student's grades, and as a way of informing my instruction and one-on one student communication for the next day.
Submitted by: K-K McLaughlin, Camelback High School, Phoenix, AZ.
"End of unit" Personal Reflective Questions can be used at the end of each unit assessment (project, exam, or essay). Simply have students respond to several open-ended reflection questions about their strengths, struggles, and learning process during the unit.
Submitted By: Erin McDowell, Heritage Academy-Mesa
Virtual field trips allow you to take your students outside of the classroom from the comfort of their own computer/classroom. Use virtual field trips to take students to prestigious museums, historical landmarks, and countless other locations.
Submitted by: Sandy Millan, Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, Kyrene School District.
Whole Brain Teaching is a positive, high-energy, character building education reform that focus on brain science.
Submitted by: Ana San Marchi, Super Cool Kenilworth School, Phoenix Elementary School District
Breakout rooms is a feature on zoom and other online communication platforms that allows the host to break up a large group into smaller groups. It gives the host an option to create small groups manually (choosing who goes in each room) or automatically (random students in each room). Breakout rooms are very easy and fast to create.
Submitted by: Edmy Lopez, ASU Preparatory Academy, Downtown Phoenix
Academic sentence frames are "fill in the blank" sentences that include a grammar identifier to help the student respond to questions. Academic sentence frames help students learn and practice academic language.
Submitted by: Erica Earl, Central High School, Phoenix Union High School District
Reflective open ended questions are questions that provide students with the opportunity to think critically when formulating responses.
Submitted by: Guadalupe Diaz, ASU Preparatory Academy, Downtown Campus
Four ways to enhance student responses in your classroom are by: following up with additional questions to correct answers, expecting students to answer questions completely and correctly, breaking student responses down to provide additional opportunities, and not allowing students to opt out.
This article provides seven high impact, evidence based tips for online learning. Below is the list of the tips included:
This article provides a list of five simple questions that can provoke student thought and can be used in any content area.
Concept based instruction engages students in critical thinking and helps them gain a deep understanding of topics.
Pearson Online & Blended Learning K-12 has created an 18-minute interactive video module to support teachers with student engagement in virtual learning. Along with the interactive video module, Pearson offers a list of Strategies to Engage Students which includes 45 engagement strategies.
Accelerated learning places a priority on providing grade-level content without delay. This type of learning sets students up for success for new learning by filling in the most critical gaps at the moment they are needed. Accelerated learning is a proven approach that uses effective strategies and scaffolds to put students on a fast track to grade level.
A digital organization tool helps students create academic goals on a weekly basis. Students can work with their teacher, parents, and other caretakers to track their progress within each class. This tool can be used in all learning environments: digital, hybrid, and in-person.
Submitted by: Erica Brown, ASU Prepartory Digital Academy
Active listening is a technique that enables you to fully concentrate on what others are saying, and to understand their complete message. This infographic provides steps on how to accomplish the skill of active listening.
Socratic Seminars roles include the leader and the participants. The leader will pose an open-ended question with no right or wrong answers and should prompt the participants to cite the text to support their opinions. During the dialogue the leader acts as a facilitator and should be well versed with the text. A successful Socratic Seminar occurs when all students actively listen and participate.
