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Response to Intervention in the Blended Learning Environment

Sept. 22, 2015

A Guide to Common Core

Aug. 21, 2015

Three Strategies for Consistently Engaging Learners

Aug. 10, 2015

The importance of cultivating a growth mindset with students

July 15, 2015

Becoming a reflective educator

July 7, 2015

Developing prosocial behaviors and interactions within the classroom experience

June 30, 2015

Identifying at-risk learners. Two critical components

June 15, 2015

Three key factors in igniting the fire in learners

June 9, 2015

Memories of school veterans. Thank you

May 24, 2015

Keeping early course finishers engaged

May 17, 2015

The right curriculum for blended learning

May 11, 2015

Blended Learning Technology. Selection Process

April 26, 2015

Students who finish early. Four ways to keep grads-to-be engaged

April 20, 2015

Generation DIY. Benefits of blended learning that transcend instruction

March 30, 2015

Generation DIY. Benefits from the Blended Learning homefront

March 23, 2015

Top 6 Lessons from Madness. NCAA March Madness

March 16, 2015

Preventing the Dreaded: "Why Do We Need to Learn This?"

March 9, 2015

8 Blended Learning Space Considerations

March 2, 2015

5 Favorite Practices for Effective Communication

Feb. 23, 2015

Second-Order Change: The Blended Learning Mandate

Feb. 16, 2015

6 Ways to Match Blended Learning Models

Feb. 9, 2015

Using the SAMR Model in Blended Learning

Feb. 2, 2015

Planning for 1 to 1 Learning: Making the Blended Learning Model Local

Jan. 24, 2015

Eight Elite Questions to Ask When Selecting Online Content Providers

Jan. 17, 2015

Five Tips to Overcome the "January Syndrome" in Professional Development

Jan. 11, 2015

Blended education: Student-led discussions

Jan. 5, 2015

Next Generation Learning Spaces eBook offer and conference information

Dec. 9, 2014

Learning from Reality TV. Five Important Presentation Lessons for Teachers

Oct. 31, 2014

Six steps to great technology training

Oct. 27, 2014

Why I’m "Bullish" on Blended Learning

Oct. 20, 2014

Lessons from the One-Room Schoolhouse

Oct. 13, 2014

6 Keys to Deliberate Practice in Blended Learning

Oct. 6, 2014

Top Fifteen Skills Students Need for College and Career Readiness

Sept. 29, 2014

6 Ways Google Drive Docs Rocks in Blended Education

Sept. 22, 2014

Effective Instructional Probing Questions

Sept. 12, 2014

6 Career Types for Personalizing Learning

Sept. 8, 2014

Back to school thoughts

Aug. 29, 2014

Using data to inform instruction. Rigor, Relevance, and Results

Aug. 25, 2014

Teaching to Learn

Aug. 14, 2014

Social and Emotional learning matters

Aug. 9, 2014

Infographic: 7 Blended Activities to Start the New Year

Aug. 4, 2014

Tips for electrifying instruction (even when the lights go out)

Aug. 1, 2014

Lansing's Woodcreek Achievement Center: Blended Learning ideas to improve reading comprehension

July 26, 2014

Top Five Blended Learning Tweets (of the summer so far)

July 21, 2014

Infographic: 8 key points to include in digital citizenship

July 8, 2014

Deliberate practice makes remember-able perfect

July 4, 2014

The 'One Minute Manager's' advice to teachers and students

June 27, 2014

Ways to Get the Most from ISTE 2014

June 23, 2014

Educators advocate for new programs, more technology, increased funding. 3 simple steps.

June 16, 2014

7 Favorite Ways Students Like to Learn

June 9, 2014

Adapting Teacher Observations to Blended Learning Environments

June 2, 2014

Celebrating Successes. Student Learning in a Blended, Personalized Environment

May 26, 2014

Teaching in a Blended Environment: 12 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

May 19, 2014

Great ways to support teachers in blended, personalized, and online learning classrooms

May 12, 2014

Engagement doesn't necessarily equal buy-in. Working through pushback in Blended Learning environments

May 5, 2014

Connecting Classroom Instruction to Online Content

April 28, 2014

Blended Learning Classrooms Start with Blended Learning Professional Development

April 21, 2014

Top 3 Ways Blended Learning Really Works in Professional Development

April 14, 2014

Must Follow Organizations Supporting Blended, Personalized Learning

April 7, 2014

Great Probes for Blended, Personalized, Online Teaching

March 31, 2014

Four Key Considerations for Selecting Blended, Personalized, and Online Learning Tools

March 24, 2014

Four Creative Ways to Share the Vision for Blended, Personalized, Online Learning

March 17, 2014

Series: Planning for Blended and Personalized Learning: Blended Learning Goals

March 10, 2014

Planning for Blended and Personalized Learning Series: Crafting a Vision

March 3, 2014

News from the Field: eLearn Magazine – Call for K12 Blended Learning Articles

Feb. 24, 2014

Does Big Bird "Tweet"? Teaching Generation Z

Feb. 17, 2014

Five Characteristics of Great Blended Learning Teachers

Feb. 10, 2014

Empowering Students with the Top Four Blended Learning Models

Feb. 5, 2014

Three Interrelated Parts of Real Blended Learning

Jan. 28, 2014
Teaching to Learn
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Aug. 14, 2014
Tags: blended learning, woodcreek achievement center, lansing, advancepath academy, bcps
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When you consider that automation and intelligent digital agents are in every aspect of our work and personal lives - and will continue to affect and shape changes in the workforce landscape, we realize that the many of the bits and pieces of knowledge that we impart in the classroom may be obsolete in another decade or two.

Not a very encouraging thought for the beginning of the school year.

But, it serves to remind us of a key component of any instructional situation - "teaching to learn."

If you can be a problem solver, you can learn.

I had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from across the U.S. during an AdvancePath professional development session at Dundalk High School AdvancePath Academy (Baltimore County Public Schools) last week. AdvancePath Academy teachers shared current best practices and strategies. And one of our favorites is a fairly typical plea: Student: "I can't do this! Tell me the answer!"

This particular event occurred at Lansing's Woodcreek Achievement Center AdvancePath Academy, although I've seen, heard and felt it many times before. It provided a perfect example of the frustrations students (and teachers) may experience, at times, during self-paced learning segments.

With a little time, and some great leading questions, teachers can help the student walk through problem-solving steps, build self-confidence, and habituate the processes involved. Here's how this particular interface unfolded:

The "tell me the answer" student was extremely frustrated. She could not seem to resolve a math problem and felt a bit too comfortable not only seeking help, but seeking a "quick getaway" - where teacher was to supply the answer. Her teacher, Mrs. Ellis, started instead with a "let's take a breath," calming moment. And then the problem-solving began!

She asked the student to walk through the steps used to solve the problem. The student did so, thankfully, with minimal eye-rolling and a fairly rapid-fire delivery of the steps. The student actually had pretty much mastered the rote delivery of concept application, but did not yet comprehend the theory behind the solution steps. Now, the magic began with teacher-initiated questioning steps:

1. "Let's go over your notes and together we might catch where the snag is." While the student read aloud, her teacher asked a few questions along the way. The student taught the process to the teacher.

2. During the process, the teacher identified an error in the student's step and through directed questioning, helped the student to come to that realization. "I got it!" There was an "aha! moment" followed by , "Thank you Mrs. Ellis!" The student recognized the error and found the correct solution path through directed questioning by the teacher.

3. Before ending this coaching session, Mrs. Ellis asked the student to show her how she arrived at the "got it" and to teach the teacher through a similar problem. The student led this discussion, and completed the new exercise with confidence.

4. Lastly, Mrs. Ellis asked for a reiteration of the process, providing encouragement of the work the student had done to resolve the issue.

5. Mrs. Ellis also congratulated the student on finding a way to take a break, to find a calming moment and resume her problem-solving, and then and only then seek help, encouraging the student's appropriate response to frustration and problem-solving.

6. The teacher was also able to make note of the problem-area and see if there were others at this level in the course who might also benefit from a small group session drill-down, to assist in content mastery.

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