eSchool News

MAY 9, 2025

Key points: Students need more than digital access; they need guidance 5 AI tools for classroom creativity A new era for teachers as AI disrupts instruction For more news on navigating AI, visit eSNs Digital Learning hub Finding accurate information has long been a cornerstone skill of librarianship and classroom research instruction.

Evaluation 239

Evaluation Ethics Academic Integrity Assignments 239

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 1, 2020

As teachers embrace their new roles as designers, instructors, and facilitators of online learning, many are grappling the details associated with teaching remotely. It can be daunting to think about how to present information online, when and where to post assignments, how much to assign, and when to expect that work to be completed.

Teaching 545

Teaching Assignments Discussions Communication 545

eSchool News

MAY 5, 2025

Having conducted well over a thousand observations of K-12 teachers over the last 15 years, I have noticed there is one piece of feedback I have given more than any other–and it involves a seemingly minor word change. Multiple times in any class period, teachers call on students to contribute to the lesson of the day.

Culture 259

Culture Feedback Language Languages 259

Catlin Tucker

JULY 23, 2024

I encourage the educators I work with to reach out if they hit bumps, have questions, or need support as they implement new instructional models. Every year, I field hundreds of questions from the educators I work with and people who read my blog or listen to my podcast. That’s the goal of my new video series, “Virtual Coaching.”

Coaching 222

Coaching Questions Blended Learning Feedback 222

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 29, 2020

Online discussions offer an avenue to connect students online and facilitate knowledge construction; however, many teachers are frustrated by a lack of student engagement online. Too often, a teacher’s questions in a video conferencing session are met with long silences. Prepare a Slide Deck with Your Discussion Questions.

Discussions 546

Discussions Participation Questions Assignments 546

eSchool News

MARCH 19, 2025

Our rigorous curriculum is taught by Pennsylvania-certified teachers trained to provide virtual instruction in real time and is focused on providing all students the educational resources and out-of-classroom experiences they need to become successful, lifelong learners. There is also a free trial.

Teachers 307

Teachers Learning Science STEM 307

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 14, 2021

This will be easier to do if school leaders harness the talent on their campuses and create systems that encourage teachers to learn with and from each other. School leaders provide dedicated time in the teachers’ schedules to meet each week. The PLCs are composed of teachers who teach similar grade levels and/or subject areas.

Teachers 427

Teachers Blended Learning Learning Evaluation 427

eSchool News

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Teachers are facing ever-growing demands: providing high-quality lessons, attending to individual student needs, and managing administrative loads that stretch their time and energy to the limit. Despite their dedication, many teachers are at risk of leaving a profession they love simply because they are exhausted and unsupported.

Teachers 316

Teachers Technology Ethics Classroom Management 316

Ask a Tech Teacher

JULY 9, 2024

I didn’t think PDF annotation grading tools would work, not even a little but, so when my colleague, George, introduced them in his online history class, I watched amazed at how seamlessly George could highlight key points, strike through errors, and add personalized feedback on student assignments. x Interested?

Assignments 166

Assignments Grades Feedback Evaluation 166

Catlin Tucker

MAY 25, 2020

As the year comes to a close, I encourage teachers to take a moment and collect feedback from students about their experiences learning online in the last few months. Either way, it will be helpful for teachers to know what worked well for students during this time of distance learning and what didn’t work.

Evaluation 546

Evaluation Online Learning Distance Learning Learning 546

Edsurge

OCTOBER 7, 2024

Then there’s the sudden temptation of ChatGPT and other new AI tools, which can make cheating on assignments easy and often undetectable. Instead, college instructors need to change how they assign and communicate their homework assignments. Some students don’t understand how important assignments are, Beckett says.

Instructors 200

Instructors Assignments Textbooks Essay 200

Catlin Tucker

MAY 11, 2020

The tools teachers use to engage students online are indeed different. It is also true that engaging students in learning activities online will require (at least initially) that teachers onboard students to those technology tools and support them in learning how to navigate online tasks. Building Blocks of a Lesson.

Distance Learning 546

Distance Learning Assignments Coaching Activities 546

Edsurge

MARCH 15, 2024

This fall, after a restless night overthinking an assignment for my upcoming class and drinking three cups of not-strong-enough coffee, I added the final touch on my latest assignment for students in my World History II class. It was a maddening moment of clarity for me. Sure, the skills of writing may have been practiced, but so what?

Assignments 205

Assignments Essay History Social Studies 205

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 12, 2023

Why Would a Teacher Use the Flipped Classroom Model? auditory processing, attention deficit, lack of background knowledge or vocabulary, absences), teachers record video instruction and assign those videos for homework. I caution teachers not to do this.

Blended Learning 467

Blended Learning Students Assignments Lecturing 467

Catlin Tucker

JULY 9, 2020

I’ve spent the last four months working with teachers all over the country (virtually, of course) as they navigate the uncharted waters of online and blended learning. The majority of teachers I have spoken with did not enjoy their initial experiences with distance learning. What questions do they have? Online Fishbowl.

Active Learning 546

Active Learning Activities Learning Students 546

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 19, 2020

This school year will look very different for most teachers. So, the question many teachers are asking is, “How should I spend my limited time with students in the classroom or in video conferencing sessions? Students work independently to complete assignments and tasks.

Blended Learning 546

Blended Learning Learning Assignments Activities 546

eSchool News

MAY 27, 2025

Throughout my career as a behavior therapist, classroom teacher, and Head of School, Ive worked closely with students on the spectrum and their families. This might mean clearly outlining what is expected in an assignment, breaking down large tasks into smaller steps, or organizing test questions in a logical, grouped format.

Students 197

Students Learning Styles Assignments Intelligence 197

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Why should teachers use rubrics to assess student work? Rubrics identify specific criteria relevant to the assignment, along with corresponding levels of performance that allow for more precise grading. Using rubrics helps teachers stay focused during the grading process and ensures that grading is objective, consistent, and fair.

Fairness 545

Fairness Assignments Feedback Language 545

eSchool News

OCTOBER 4, 2024

Teachers are often unrealistically expected to meet the individual academic needs for each child all by themselves, with little support. In fact, only 26 percent of teachers agree that the teaching profession is dynamic, meaning that it has role flexibility and opportunities for growth and leadership.

Teachers 261

Teachers Evaluation Coaching Learning Outcomes 261

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

As classroom teachers, one of the many challenges we face is student engagement. There are many ways to tackle this question and no right response. For our purposes, we are going to say that student engagement is the ability for a teacher to draw the attention or interest of students for the sake of learning.

Student Engagement 305

Student Engagement Teachers Students Attention 305

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 2, 2020

.” I had several elementary teachers request that I work on a similar blog focused on younger learners. Below are ten strategies I hope will help elementary teachers to engage their young learners online. #1 Teachers can virtually replicate the classic word wall in their Bitmoji classrooms. Label each slide with a topic.

Students 546

Students Math Writing Discussions 546

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

Teachers all over the country are being asked to teach “concurrent classrooms” in which some students attend class in person and others attend virtually. The teacher in a concurrent classroom attempts to meet the needs of the students in class and online simultaneously. Several teachers have reached out asking for advice.

Blended Learning 545

Blended Learning Teaching Learning Students 545

eSchool News

MARCH 9, 2023

According to a recent study , grading is one of the least stressful activities early career teachers have to complete. Grading is time consuming, however, and more grading-related questions are popping up in the news these days. For instance, are teachers allowed to reduce grades for late work?

Grades 269

Grades Teachers Instructors Exams 269

Catlin Tucker

JANUARY 13, 2021

Last week, my class of teacher candidates explored the topic of building an online learning community. As teachers in a blended or online learning landscape, it’s our responsibility to help students to develop their social presence or the ability to assert their social and emotional selves online. 1 Set Agreements as a Class.

Beliefs 494

Beliefs Discussions Assignments Blended Learning 494

eSchool News

MARCH 28, 2025

Do you support student use of AI in school and/or for assignments? Yes No Yes, but with careful guidelines set by teachers Δ One-quarter of ELA, math, and science teachers used AI tools for instructional planning or teaching in the 20232024 school year. The report also offers recommendations for education stakeholders: 1.

Teachers 251

Teachers Math Science English 251

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

” This is a sentiment I’ve heard repeatedly from teachers navigating the demands of the concurrent classroom. As I’ve said in previous blog posts, teaching in a concurrent classroom is the most challenging teaching assignment I can imagine. One station is teacher-led, and the other station is an online station.

Evaluation 546

Evaluation Feedback Writing Assignments 546

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 22, 2019

In the last two blogs, I have focused on strategies teachers can use to 1) assess prior knowledge before a lesson and 2) check for understanding during a lesson. I’ve suggested that teachers build mechanisms into their lessons to collect formative assessment data. What did they learn as a result of working on this assignment?

Learning 420

Learning Assignments Students Knowledge 420

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Key points: Edtech tools can provide an important bridge between teachers and their goals Can artificial intelligence help teachers improve? Schools can also use tech and AI tools to enhance the success of teacher teams and professional learning communities (PLCs). Technology is here to help bridge the gap.

Teachers 332

Teachers Feedback Evaluation Intelligence 332

eSchool News

DECEMBER 13, 2024

This seems to be the norm: AI as the mortal enemy of all classroom teachers. I, on the other hand, want my students to use AI every day in class and for every assignment. So to all the teachers out there: Resistance is futile. Full AI Cognitive outsourcing AI independently writes the assignment.

Teachers 246

Teachers Writing Critical Thinking Feedback 246

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 29, 2020

When I ask teachers, “How would you describe a successful online or blended learning course? ” Most teachers include some form of the word “engagement” in their answers. So, it makes sense that teachers are frustrated when they feel like students are not engaging. What would that look like?”

Learning Spaces 545

Learning Spaces Student Engagement Learning Students 545

eSchool News

DECEMBER 19, 2023

This is my first year as a teacher and I’m teaching sixth grade, so both my students and I are new to the school. You have a toolbox of strategies from your pre-teacher service work. I teach 12th grade now, but when I was a middle school teacher, I was constantly thinking of ways to reach students. newsletters.

Teachers 324

Teachers Middle School Middle School Failure 324

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 31, 2020

My research made it clear that two of the most significant factors impacting teacher engagement was the depth of our relationships with students and our relationships with our colleagues. Teachers have found it challenging to connect with their students when a screen mediates those interactions. ” I hear this a lot. .”

Learning 544

Learning Blended Learning Assignments Feedback 544

eSchool News

APRIL 24, 2025

Key points: AI’s instant feedback may help students from feeling lost during instruction Most teachers agree AI is a time-saver With AI coaching, a math platform helps students tackle tough concepts For more news on AI and instruction, visit eSN’s Digital Learning hub This press release originally appeared online.

Math 225

Math Participation Feedback High School 225

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 18, 2023

However, I often hear the question, “Can I use the flipped classroom if I don’t assign homework?” To overcome these limitations, teachers can identify the instruction that they would present the same way for all students and create video instruction. Some teachers do not assign homework.

Lecturing 433

Lecturing Knowledge Assignments Writing 433

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 14, 2020

It’s only two months into the school year, and teachers are exhausted. This year has made everyone, regardless of their years of experience, feel like a brand new teacher. Teachers are designing learning experiences for a range of learning landscapes. Yet, teachers and students need those touchpoints now more than ever.

Learning 546

Learning Assignments Universal Design Feedback 546

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

” This reasoning leaves teachers with piles of work to grade, but I wonder how much of that time spent assigning points to student work results in improved student performance. By the end of the semester, I had over a hundred assignments in my grade book. “If I don’t grade it, students won’t do it.”

Grades 420

Grades Feedback Assignments Motivation 420

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 28, 2021

I could not answer a single question about the content of what I read. Their approach contrasts with classic reading comprehension questions, which students typically respond to after completing a reading assignment. It is also an opportunity to identify any areas of confusion or questions that still exist.

Activities 546

Activities Reading Learning Discussions 546