Reviews

Universal Design for Learning

I really enjoyed the self exploration and reminder about removing roadblocks for all students. I used this course to help prepare for a PD session at my school about Blended Learning. It was a great reminder to remind ME to reinforce UDL principles when building curriculum in an online environment.

Integrating Technology with Marzano Strategies

This is my first class with North TIER. It has been a very good experience to be in the online company of like-minded professionals and learn from them. I have learned some very good instructional strategies that I will incorporate with my diverse learners. Good and enriching experience.

Project Based Approaches to Curriculum Design

I appreciated the facilitators comments on submissions, as well as, her reaching out to make sure things were going okay in regards to the assignments.

I like that it is offered at the start of the year. A lot of things happen during the school year. As a 5th grade SpEd teacher, the second half of the year is really busy, as I transition students to middle school and determine if students need summer school.

Daily Digital Images

The videos and links in the resource section of each week's lesson helped me out a lot. If I had a question, I checked that section and sure enough the teacher already had the information available.

Differentiating Curriculum for Gifted and High Ability Learners

One of the things I enjoy most about North Tier classes is that for a period of several weeks we all meet to have metaphorical dinners together. Our facilitator has already set the table with engaging background building readings, videos, and resources to try on-line. Then, each of us begin to contribute our own thoughts and experiences to the table. We "taste" one anothers' contributions, give feedback, ask for more, or sometimes just give it a taste and move on to the next selection. At some point, we all probably honestly feel a little over-fed with new ideas and activities. At our last big dinner date, we contribute a lesson we are proud of or have tinkered with, or made "healthier" using what we have learned. And, it's not a Great British Bakeoff competition at all, but a generous sharing of how we have applied what we have learned each week.

Finally, comes the time to reflect on our own learning and those wonderful contributions of our companions and to (carry the metaphor one more step!) order take-out. There have been so many wonderful web-sites and tools that others have recommended. I have "snacked" on lots of them, bookmarked them, and even emailed links on to my co-teachers. My granddaughter and I have tried out some of the ideas suggested for little kids, and I have saved many more for use this fall with my raging adolescent students!

I know that I have 4 preps for the coming school year. One prep is brand new to the school, two preps will be with co-teachers, and another prep will be just me at the front of the room. I think that I will begin by knowing which of my students might be hidden gifted learners. NT classes always inspire me through the input from all of the professional peers who have great ideas, and I intend to implement a few of those each quarter. Co-teaching can present a special challenge (you want to avoid the too many cooks spoil the broth thing!) but I am especially fortunate to be matched with newer teachers who are always eager to try new ideas and who KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY THAN ME! Yay!

Have GPS will Travel

I valued everything in this class. I loved all the great ideas given by the classmates and the instructed was available if there were questions. I had never considered the GPS as an educational tool for learning. Now I know!

Technology to Support the Struggling Elementary Mathematics Student

With a district as large as mine is becoming, I think more online classes with many content related coursed should be offered on a continual basis so teachers can try new ideas, reference new resources and earn staff development points, worthy of actual classroom use, well ahead of their license renewal. In this class, the websites and tools explored could actually be used in class the moment after finding them.

Teaching Students to Navigate the Digital World Safely

I will say again. This course should be required for all teachers and administrators. I wish these courses were better advertised. As far as I know, I am one of two people in my building to try one. I will spread the word!

Google Apps in the Classroom – Advanced

This was truly an advanced Google Apps course. I've been using Google Apps for the past six years for both my own education and with students, so I was concerned that I might not actually learn anything new. I was wrong; I learned a lot of new useful applications in this class.

Blended for a Perfect Fit: Combining Face to Face with Online Learning

"I liked exploring the various online programs out there. I especially liked reading current research about online learning. I think the resources we used in the activities were really helpful and enlightening."

Project Based Approaches to Instructional Design

"I love the collaborative nature of an online class. There is lots of sharing that goes on in the discussion forum. Also, the modules had a lot of great rubrics to use for lots of different project purposes."