December Newsletter

Did You Know?

When you login to Nearpod, you have the opportunity to distinguish yourself by becoming a Nearpod Certified Educator.  To grow your Nearpod skills, you can access the modules across the top toolbar when you log into your Nearpod account. 

Blended Learning Focus: Ownership and Agency

Pack your bags as we head on this road trip adventure!  Just as we plan road trips and get to decide the best route, restaurant, gas station, and more that fit our needs for the trip, our students need to be able to take ownership of their learning adventure and master the content in the way that best fits their learning style and needs. 

In the article "How to Build Student Agency in Your Classroom" Jacob Bruno states "Too often, we create situations where they (students) don't have enough options or choice in how their own educational journeys go, leaving them in learning traffic that doesn't let them move as fast." This is critical when building agency in the classroom.  He goes on to state "Agency is partially about having choice, and partially about know what to with that choice."  It is critical for students to have the choice and to have the knowledge as to which choice best fits their needs and learning style(s). 

Here are a few things to consider as you look at building a classroom environment that promotes Ownership and Agency. 

• Student Agency: Teaching Students to Take Ownership of Their Learning

• 5 Activities to Promote Student Agency in the Classroom

• Activate Student Agency and Ownership

• Classroom Structures that Promote Student Agency: The Power of Student Joy

• Student Engagement versus Student Ownership

Ownership and Agency-Specific Resources 

(*While these resources are free, they are not district-supported).

• Padlet:   An extremely easy-to-use tool that allows learners to collaborate online by posting text, images, links, documents, videos and voice recordings.  Teachers can use this as a "parking lot" for students to share their thoughts and ideas before, during, and after instruction. 

• FlipGrid now Flip: Teachers can create discussion topics and students can respond with video recordings. Their peers can respond to keep the discussion going.  This tool helps students formulate their ideas in a  pre-recorded setting, which means no one gets talked over or ignored by louder voices.  

• Khan Academy: Offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. It provides self-paced practice for students to fill in gaps in their understanding and then accelerating their learning. 

Professional Learning Opportunities

DLC Credit Opportunities  

Seven self-paced online courses that support teachers and leaders with the skills necessary to be an effective online and blended facilitator. These self-paced courses will count as 1 DLC CEU each. Interested staff may register in Performance Matters-Professional Learning using the course numbers below.   

·     #15861 GCS-PROFLRN: Achieving Equity through Digital Learning (1.0 Digital Learning CEU) 

·     #15857 GCS-PROFLRN: Digital Learning Competencies Overview  (1.0 Digital Learning CEU) 

·     #15860 GCS-PROFLRN: Plan, Teach, and Evaluate  (1.0 Digital Learning CEU) 

·     #15862 GCS-PROFLRN: Leadership in the Digital Age (1.0 Digital Learning CEU) 

·     #15913 GCS-PROFLRN: Blended Learning Models (1.0 Digital Learning CEU) 

·     #15914 GCS-PROFLRN: Leading through a Blended Learning Model (1.0 Digital Learning CEU) 

·     #15916 GCS-PROFLRN: Educational Equity in Blended Learning (1.0 Digital Learning CE 

Fall Professional Learning Opportunities 

Blended Learning has released all Fall Professional Development offerings. Interested staff may now register in Performance Matters. These Blended Learning Professional Development Self-Paced sessions run from October 14th- January 4th.