Catlin Tucker

JANUARY 10, 2022

Teachers are navigating substitute teacher shortages, COVID protocols, and record numbers of absent students in addition to the normal demands of this job. We need to retain high-quality teachers who enjoy this work and feel energized and fulfilled by it.

Blended Learning 466

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Teachers Feedback 466

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

Many students are still reading below the level appropriate for their grade– roughly one-third of fourth graders in the United States read at or below what’s considered the basic level. And unfortunately, even before the pandemic, reading achievement has been low over the past several decades.

Science 322

Science Reading Gamification Motivation 322

eSchool News

JULY 5, 2023

Reading scores dipped considerably due to the pandemic, with fewer than half of students qualifying at their grade level standard. Educators continue to work hard to keep students motivated and engaged in learning to read while helping them cope with mental health challenges.

Reading 269

Reading Motivation Students Middle School 269

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 21, 2021

Would you rather watch a movie or read a book? Time is a luxury most teachers do not have right now. Could approaching the design, instruction, and facilitation of learning (in class, online, or a combination of the two) with a “would you rather” lens improve student motivation and engagement? I think it could.

Laboratory 543

Laboratory Motivation Fairness Participation 543

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

. — In response to nationwide declines in student reading scores, today DreamBox Learning, Inc. Reading Park meets Foundational Reading Standards for grades K-2 as outlined in national and state English Language Arts (ELA) standards.

Reading 275

Reading Intelligence Learning Art 275

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

NEW YORK — North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA) and 3P Learning announced new results from an online summer learning camp focused on improving reading proficiency among third grade students. The camp also yielded noteworthy results on the DIBELS 8th Edition Reading Assessment.

Reading 258

Reading Grades Testing Achievement 258

eSchool News

AUGUST 16, 2019

As the importance and benefits of social-emotional learning (SEL) have become more widely recognized, many teachers have struggled to combine this type of learning with their required curriculum. And, the goals for students engaged in this type of learning include self-esteem, empathy, motivation, and commitment.

Discussions 276

Discussions Skills Reading Motivation 276

eSchool News

MAY 3, 2024

Securing new hires and maintaining educator retention remain challenging, and teacher stress seems to have ballooned in the wake of the pandemic as teachers juggle learning loss, student mental health, behavioral issues, equity, and more. Why is teacher burnout so high? Why has teaching become so stressful?

Teachers 286

Teachers Motivation Reading Study 286

eSchool News

MARCH 10, 2025

Not to mention the blood, sweat, and tears of hundreds of thousands of teachers. And yet, we are facing yet another heartbreaking report on student performance in reading. There are institutions of higher education in which teachers are not learning instructional practices aligned with the research.

Reading 251

Reading Students Science History 251

eSchool News

DECEMBER 16, 2022

While teachers know their students need help developing social emotional skills, they rarely have time or adequate training to focus on them in the classroom, according to a survey from ReadTheory , an edtech company that helps students build reading comprehension skills. This press release originally appeared online.

Teachers 298

Teachers Motivation High School High School 298

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

MAY 6, 2021

Literacy Measurement Tool is the Only LDS-integrated Assessment That Provides Data on Student Motivation and Silent Reading Rate. Reading Plus is an adaptive literacy tool designed to support teachers with differentiated instruction for all students, including Tiers 1-3 and multilingual learners. Winooski, Vt. (

Reading 246

Reading Motivation Education Special Education 246

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 28, 2018

When I lead blended learning workshops or coach teachers implementing blended learning, I get a lot of questions about classroom management. When humans are given the autonomy, especially in a learning environment, it yields higher levels of interest, engagement, and motivation. Researchers have isolated autonomy as a basic human need.

Classroom Management 419

Classroom Management Blended Learning Motivation Coaching 419

eSchool News

JANUARY 6, 2025

On average, about 25 percent of children in the early grades struggle with reading. At the same time, the percentage of students who say they read for pleasure is declining : Fewer than half of all children ages 8-18 (43 percent) say they enjoy reading in their spare time, down from 58 percent in 2016.

Failure 328

Failure Motivation Gamification Cognitive Development 328

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

September 29, 2021) – Reading Plus, an evidence-based online program that uses personalized instruction to improve students’ reading proficiency, today announced the expanded use of its platform within the Beaufort County School District in South Carolina. To learn more about the benefits of Reading Plus, visit www.readingplus.com.

Reading 245

Reading Schools Math Special Education 245

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Teachers may see the new initiative as “just another thing” on their plate or may feel ill-prepared to tackle an entirely new discipline. To ensure a smooth transition to teaching computer science, campus and district leaders will need to empower teachers with ownership of the change, versus simply asking them to comply with it.

Science 300

Science Interdisciplinary Teachers Fairness 300

Edsurge

MAY 9, 2023

Competing [in a game] doesn’t work as motivation for every student. The idea is to keep learners motivated in a class. Competing [in a game] doesn’t work as motivation for every student. Almost a decade into experiments with gamification, edtech companies are changing the way they approach motivation.

Gamification 199

Gamification Motivation Game-Based Learning Math 199

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 25, 2019

The more I learn about leadership, the more convinced I am that teachers need leadership training in credential school. However, for many teachers, classroom management and behavior issues are constant distractions that complicate an already challenging job. This reminds me of the way many teachers run their classrooms.

Teaching 419

Teaching Motivation Attention Classroom Management 419

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

Unfortunately, most secondary curriculum relies on a one-size-fits-all approach to reading. Instead of creating readers, this approach can alienate students who struggle to access books at a particular reading level or do not care for the genre of the books on their class reading list. Here is the template you can copy: bit.ly/HSbookclub.

Coaching 409

Coaching Motivation Reading Assignments 409

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

MAY 9, 2022

You dread reading…in any class. One day, your science teacher brings in a Microsoft HoloLens headset. You put on the mixed reality glasses and pick up the science article that the teacher wants you to read. You begrudgingly begin reading. Some students struggle with reading, and it’s a complicated situation.

Failure 312

Failure Motivation Science Reading 312

eSchool News

AUGUST 4, 2022

WILMINGTON, DE – August 4, 2022 – A new survey reveals that while teachers know their students need help developing social emotional skills, they rarely have time or adequate training to focus on them in the classroom. Nearly 60 percent of teachers said that the pandemic impacted their students’ motivation to learn.

Teachers 246

Teachers Beliefs Motivation Learning 246

k12 Digest

MAY 19, 2025

Her career spans roles as an elementary teacher, instructional coach, mentor, special education administrator, and elementary school principal. Dr. DiTullio was a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) and is an esteemed member of both PDK International and the Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society.

Science 130

Science Education Motivation Lecturing 130

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 28, 2023

However, to design for deeper learning, teachers must consider the intersection of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal domains. How do teachers ensure that instruction and facilitation of learning are accessible, inclusive, and equitable? This includes higher-order thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning.

Blended Learning 460

Blended Learning Universal Design Learning Motivation 460

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 22, 2016

As a parent and teacher, I find this conversation is particularly interesting. My children spend 6+ hours in a classroom with their teachers each day. Despite having clear motivations for assigning homework, I always worried I gave students too much homework. ” As I read this, I felt guilty. hours every other day.

Assignments 420

Assignments Motivation Reading High School 420

Edsurge

APRIL 17, 2024

Over the past few years, more literacy tools have been using generative AI, either to accelerate children’s reading proficiency or to stimulate more reading interest. Using speech recognition technology to listen to a child read and using AI to offer feedback can be helpful as long as the technology is based on science-backed design.

Coaching 200

Coaching Reading Motivation Feedback 200

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

I highlighted how blended learning can help educators more effectively provide multiple means of engagement to increase student motivation and ensure all students can successfully engage with learning experiences. Teachers may want to explore using a choice board or hyperdoc format to present information in multiple modalities.

Universal Design 546

Universal Design Blended Learning Learning Feedback 546

eSchool News

JULY 18, 2023

We support intervention teachers who work with the students who are most at risk of dropping out—the students who struggle the most. We’ve been doing a lot of campus visits, getting out to campuses and supporting teachers whenever they call, whenever they need an extra set of hands or an extra set of eyes with a class.

Teachers 237

Teachers Motivation Math Grades 237

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 16, 2021

Choice is a powerful motivator. Teachers are freed from orchestrating a lesson and able to conference with learners about their progress, provide feedback on work in progress, or conduct side-by-side assessments. Elementary teachers may use their board to encourage a deep dive into a holiday, season, or weather pattern.

Blended Learning 546

Blended Learning Feedback Activities Universal Design 546

Ask a Tech Teacher

JANUARY 28, 2022

A nod from a top science magazine to the game many parents wish their kids had never heard of should catch the attention of teachers. Early simulations like Reader Rabbit are still used in classrooms to drill reading and math skills. You’ll remember why you’re a teacher. Game playing develops reading skills.

Writing 199

Writing Reading Teaching Evaluation 199

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 31, 2020

Who wants to read a depressing newsletter about a year fraught with challenges? 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. It is a tradition I have continued through the years.

Learning 544

Learning Blended Learning Assignments Feedback 544

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 5, 2023

As teachers, we know that the physical environment of a classroom can have a significant impact on how students engage with the material and each other. I know many teachers reading this don’t have flexible furniture. Teachers can easily move around the U-shape to provide targeted instruction and support as needed.

Motivation 481

Motivation Learning Outcomes Communication Coaching 481

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 5, 2021

When I work with teachers shifting to blended learning, I strive to establish the WHY driving our work together. I want teachers to understand the purpose and value of the shift to blended learning. In training sessions, I ask teachers to think about why they use this model. Blended learning is not a reaction to a moment.

Blended Learning 544

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Learning Motivation 544

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Katie Novak and I guide teachers in creating the time and space to support all parts of the writing process in the classroom. 1 Hard to Motivate After a Long Day at School After spending six to seven hours in a structured, often high-pressure academic environment, students face the additional burden of homework.

Assignments 457

Assignments Writing Feedback Motivation 457

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 27, 2021

Teachers want to give students timely, focused, and actionable feedback, yet it is easy to neglect. Given the bombastic pressure on teachers this year (and every year), I’ve been working on strategies to help support students in giving each other feedback. Choice is a powerful motivator. Peer Feedback Choice Board.

Feedback 546

Feedback Peer Review Assignments Online Learning 546

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Teachers can leverage the power of thinking routines developed by Project Zero at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education to help students develop their metacognitive muscles. Teachers can use this step to encourage students to assess the credibility of their evidence and select information that effectively strengthens their claims.

Questions 415

Questions Metacognitive Skills Ethics Math 415

eSchool News

MARCH 22, 2023

Not everyone loves to read. Even in schools with strong reading cultures, some students just don’t feel the spark—yet. Through helping reluctant readers find books that capture their imaginations, teachers and librarians can ignite a newfound enthusiasm for reading in students. Hand it to them. Share your enthusiasm.

Reading 337

Reading Motivation Culture Testing 337