Dianna Souder, Ed.D has been an educator for 11 years, having taught middle school for 8 years and elementary for 3. During her career, she has worked for several Title I schools, focusing on helping struggling learners obtain success in any way possible. She believes in hands-on learning and finding ways to make education […]
Going Paperless
Teaching from Home: Tips for Focusing on Results- One Teacher’s Reflection
I am now past ten days of teaching from home. Being away from the students has made the job more difficult. Teaching from home pushes challenges that normally exist in the spotlight. How do I reach the hardest to reach? How do I assess progress (or lack of it)? Remembering that I am still their […]
Teaching With Minecraft EDU
I’m one of those crazies that actually enjoy professional development workshops, at least the ones that we don’t have to do every single year like blood-borne pathogens and diabetes. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the best professional development: Minecraft EDU. This session was based on the popular game Minecraft but with an educational […]
One Future of K-12 Education: From the Factory to a Personalized Model
From the Factory to a Personalized Model If you’re old enough, try to think back to the way teaching and learning was designed 40 or 50 years ago. The teacher was the “sage on the stage.” He or she had the subject information in their mind, and it was up to the teacher to make […]
Chromebook Conundrum: The Pros and Cons of Going Digital
This school year is the first year my school has gone one-to-one with students and electronic devices. During the first week of school, each student was given their own Chromebook to use in school and at home. A lot of exciting changes are happening, as teachers transition their classrooms from paper and pen to completely […]
Back To School Hacks: Digitize Your Syllabus and Lesson Plans!
This year I’m going back to school with a twist – I’m going to digitize my syllabus and lesson plans! A few years back, I experimented with different ways to engage students on the first day – and first weeks – of school. Building relationships, engaging my classroom, and creating a sense of excitement helps […]
Teaching Writing With Hyperdocs
If you’re looking for a new approach to teaching writing, you’ve got to try teaching with hyperdocs. What are hyperdocs? According to their creators, Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton and Sarah Landis, hyperdocs are “a transformative, interactive, personalized engaging too to help facilitate student creativity and collaboration” (The Hyperdoc Handbook). And I can testify that hyperdocs […]
Teaching English with Technology
As a 17-year veteran English teacher, I have seen many improvements and changes in the way that technology is incorporated into the classroom. Gone are the days of using the overhead projector, of rolling an outdated television set into the classroom, and of feverishly rewinding an old video cassette. Surprisingly, the days of grading papers […]