• Veteran teacher reports blended learning is "the missing piece" which allows all students to find success.

• Teacher shares that learning to trust data and reducing whole group instruction time required significant shifts in mindset. 

• Teacher explains initial hesitancy and making her way through the process to better prepare students.

• Teacher describes realizing the need to change practices to improve outcomes.

• Teachers describe initial fears and "a ha" moments when starting with blended learning.

• Teacher describes the importance of teachers making blended learning work for her classroom and each group of students.

• Teacher advises new blended learning practitioners to follow a three-week iteration cycle rather than making constant changes.

• Teacher explains the importance of selecting and sticking with optimal resources.

• Onboarding new teachers begins with sharing the "why" of BL and the strong results and not overwhelming them.

Benefits to stronger data-driven PLC practices...

• Improved data literacy skills and instructional responses, and enhanced teacher collaboration. 

• More careful data analysis and development of appropriate instructional responses.

• Data analysis to identify very specific COVID skills gaps and target instruction.

• Better identification of rigorous resources for personalized practice.

• Teachers working together more intentionally.

• Teachers collaborating to leverage relative strengths and "divide and conquer" lesson preparation.

An effective blended culture...

• • Shifts responsibility for learning to students and helps them believe in themselves. 

  • Values growth over grades.

  • Provides incentives & scaffolds for student accountability.

  • Requires the purposeful use of academic language. 

Effective onboarding strategies include...

• • Taking time to teach blended classroom procedures.

  • Teaching students to interpret assessment results and feel comfortable with areas for improvement. 

  • Teaching students to analyze their data and set goals.

  • Explaining to students why they have gaps to prevent misinterpretation.

  • Jumping in and involving students in the BL implementation process.

  • Modeling for students to take responsibility for learning and celebrating progress.