Catlin Tucker

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Vocabulary Haiku: A Creative Approach to Deeping Understanding of Academic Vocabulary

Catlin Tucker

Written by Noelle Gutierrez Educators know the importance of academic vocabulary instruction. Student knowledge of academic words and phrases has a direct impact on their ability to acquire and comprehend information, which is why it should be a part of every subject area and class. As an instructional coach and administrator, I regularly observed teachers providing direct instruction using explicit vocabulary routines.

Strategy 269
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3 Reasons Teachers Should Use the Playlist Model

Catlin Tucker

Let’s start with a quick review of the playlist, or individual rotation, model for those who have not heard of it. A playlist is a sequence of learning activities designed to move students toward a desired result. Most playlists culminate in a performance task or artifact intended to demonstrate students’ ability to transfer or apply what they learned working through the playlist.

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Part II: Maximize the Impact of Explicit Teaching with Blended Learning and AI

Catlin Tucker

In my last blog post titled “ Part I: Maximize the Impact of Explicit Teaching with Blended Learning ,” I explored the benefits of shifting from explicit teaching as a whole class experience to a differentiated small group experience. I wanted to highlight how teachers can use blended learning models , like the station rotation, to differentiate their instruction and modeling sessions better to meet the needs of small groups of learners.

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Cultivating Independent and Collaborative Meaning-Making

Catlin Tucker

In my work helping teachers to shift from whole group, teacher-led lessons to differentiated small group student-centered learning experiences, I am asked questions that seem grounded in the belief that students cannot learn without the teacher. When I work with teachers designing lessons using the station rotation model, for example, some teachers struggle to understand how students can start at a station and complete an activity before they receive instruction.

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Math Journals: Reflection, Documentation, and Deep Engagement

Catlin Tucker

In my last blog post, Using the Station Rotation Model in Math , I wrote about the benefits of shifting from a whole group, teacher-led lesson design to small-group differentiated instructional sessions. I make the case that the whole group, teacher-led approach to instruction limits opportunities for individual exploration and deep engagement with mathematical concepts.

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Pre-assessment is Key to Designing with Intention

Catlin Tucker

At a recent workshop, a teacher posed a compelling question about the effectiveness of small-group versus whole-group instruction. This inquiry always prompts me to reflect: How many educators gather pre-assessment data before crafting their lesson plans? Such preliminary insights, whether through pre-assessments, diagnostics, or activities aimed at accessing prior knowledge, can illuminate the diverse range of skills, abilities, and needs within a classroom.

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Keep, Start, Stop: A Student Feedback Strategy

Catlin Tucker

At this point in the school year, you have had time to establish classroom routines, nurture your relationships with students, and design and facilitate entire units of study. It’s the perfect time to ask your students for feedback. Employing a simple feedback strategy like “keep, start, stop” helps you quickly take the temperature of the class and make any necessary adjustments to ensure the rest of the year is as productive and positive as possible.

Strategy 442