Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 19, 2024

Math is a linear subject, with each concept building on the one before. Math teachers are also responsible for covering a large number of standards in a school year. Most math curricula are designed for a whole group teacher-led lesson where the teacher is expected to cover a new concept or process every day. This, combined with the reality that designing lessons with a new instructional model may feel scary or daunting, can make it challenging for math teachers to understand how to use the stat

Differentiated Instruction 195

Differentiated Instruction Groups Meeting Student Engagement 195

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 4, 2024

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.

Differentiated Instruction 199

Differentiated Instruction Assessment Groups Analysis 199

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 11, 2024

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.

Assessment 382

Assessment UDL Blended Learning Data 382

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 17, 2023

When Dr. Novak and I started writing our new book, Shift Writing into the Classroom, we anticipated that teachers outside of English Language Arts would take one look at the title and assume that the book was not intended for them. Yet, we both passionately believe in the power of writing across the curriculum and want writing to be a cornerstone of every subject area.

Classroom 259

Classroom Blended Learning Handbook Analysis 259

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 27, 2023

While reading Adam Grant’s new book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things , I was struck by his distinction between teaching and coaching. He writes, “Teaching others can build our competence. But it’s coaching others that elevates our confidence.” He describes the “coaching effect” as our confidence in our ability to overcome challenges and struggles after we have helped guide another person through them (pg. 137).

Study 195

Study Strategy Accessibility Resources 195

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 12, 2023

In our newest book, Shift Writing into the Classroom with UDL and Blended Learning , Dr. Katie Novak and I guide teachers in creating the time and space to support all parts of the writing process in the classroom. Not only has the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots created concern about assigning writing, but myriad challenges exist when we send writing home with students. #1 Hard to Motivate After a Long Day at School After spending six to seven hours in a structured, often

UDL 458

UDL Blended Learning Accessibility Classroom 458

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 17, 2023

Part III: Transitioning from Whole Group to Small Group to Achieve Equity in Education In the first blog post in this series, Time Efficiency vs. Equity in Education , I wrote about the tension between the demands on teachers’ time and the desire to provide equitable learning experiences. In the second blog, Leveraging AI to Save Time Architecting Equitable, Student-centered Learning Experiences , I highlight how teachers can use AI technology to significantly decrease the time required to

Groups 209

Groups Blended Learning Differentiated Instruction Strategy 209

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 25, 2023

I was recently facilitating a training session on the station rotation model when several educators expressed concern about the noise level of the classroom during a station rotation lesson. They asked how I keep the noise level down at the stations that are not teacher-led. Like most classroom expectations, I spend time directly teaching what each type of station should look and sound like.

Blended Learning 331

Blended Learning Classroom Groups Training 331

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Part I: Transitioning from Whole Group to Small Group In the ever-evolving education landscape, one of the most pressing challenges teachers face is striking the right balance between time efficiency and ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all students. As educators embrace innovative technology-enhanced instructional models , they often grapple with letting go of the time-saving practices inherent in the traditional teacher-led, teacher-paced whole group approach to instruction.

UDL 418

UDL Blended Learning Education Groups 418

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

Who decided that grading and assessment should be the exclusive responsibility of teachers? Why do we sideline students when it comes to assessment? Self-assessment is a powerful strategy that encourages students to become more invested in their learning journeys. It is a process where students evaluate their work, reflecting on what they’ve learned, how well they’ve understood complex concepts, how much progress they’ve made toward mastering key skills, and where they may need

Assessment 430

Assessment Strategy Exercises Groups 430

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Part IV: Thinking About Thinking This is part four of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my last blog in this series on using the “I used to think…Now, I think…” routine. To recap, metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider their thought patterns, approaches to learning, and understanding of a topic or idea.

Secondary 416

Secondary Analysis Comparison Data 416

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 15, 2023

Part II: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part two of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my first blog in this series on using the “I see, I think, I wonder” routine. Metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider their thought patterns, approaches to learning, and understanding of a topic or idea.

Trends 344

Trends Study Strategy Secondary 344

Catlin Tucker

JULY 30, 2023

Blended learning seamlessly weaves together online and in-person learning experiences to boost student engagement and meet the unique needs of a diverse class by providing flexible pathways through learning experiences. Blended learning aims to lean on technology to do what it does well–information transfer–and free teachers to do what they do well–support individual and small groups of students as they progress toward firm standards-aligned goals.

Blended Learning 235

Blended Learning Learning Secondary Differentiated Instruction 235

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 18, 2023

As the landscape of education continues to evolve in response to global disruptions and digital advancements, blended learning models have surged in popularity. Among these is the flipped classroom model , a strategy that leverages video instruction to mitigate potential obstacles that make it challenging for students to access information presented live.

Flipped Classroom 433

Flipped Classroom Classroom Video Strategy 433

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 5, 2023

Consider the last time you used a recipe to bake something, for example, a chocolate cake. Maybe it was a special occasion like a birthday, and you wanted to surprise someone with a homemade chocolate cake. The recipe details the ingredients you need, the sequence you should mix them in, and the exact temperature and duration required to bake your cake to perfection!

Blended Learning 264

Blended Learning Learning Groups Differentiated Instruction 264

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 13, 2023

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, I have had the privilege of working with thousands of teachers. There is a recurring issue that needs to be addressed–the reluctance to relinquish control to students. In my experience leading the shift to blended learning, the only way to truly engage students in learning is to allow them to actively lead the process, make decisions, and pursue learning through a lens of interest.

Technology 442

Technology Blended Learning Classroom Groups 442

Catlin Tucker

MAY 30, 2023

Identifying the Needs of English Learners English learners (ELs) have unique needs requiring targeted instructional approaches to support their language acquisition and academic success. ELs need instruction tailored to their language proficiency level. Because ELs come from diverse linguistic backgrounds, their English language skills may vary widely.

Blended Learning 273

Blended Learning Differentiated Instruction Academic Standards Groups 273

Catlin Tucker

MAY 20, 2023

How can formative assessment data help students to develop their metacognitive skills? Formative assessments are ongoing assessments embedded throughout the learning process. These informal assessments provide information to the teacher about students’ understanding of the material being covered and the skills being introduced. This data allows the teacher to identify where students are struggling, where they are excelling, and where they need additional support.

Assessment 482

Assessment Blended Learning Data Strategy 482

Catlin Tucker

MAY 7, 2023

Don’t let transitions steal class time! Some classes understand the expectations of the station rotation model almost immediately. The teacher explains the model, the students understand the expectations, and the class moves into stations smoothly. Other classes need a little more practice before fully implementing the station rotation model. When introducing station rotation, I encourage teachers to embrace a couple of routines to make the experience run more smoothly.

Blended Learning 349

Blended Learning Secondary Exercises Training 349

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 28, 2023

In my Art of Blended Learning Online Course this week, we continued our work on the playlist model. I began our synchronous session by addressing frequently asked questions about this model. In this post, I will share answers to some of those questions. Q1: How Long Should Students Work on a Playlist? The length of time required to complete a playlist can vary depending on the scope of the playlist.

Blended Learning 446

Blended Learning UDL System Strategy 446

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 10, 2023

Spend less time preparing for tests! Generating high-quality review materials and engaging review games takes time. It is also a cognitively challenging task since it requires thinking about the key concepts in a unit or learning cycle and producing a collection of questions to guide students in recalling information and developing a deeper understanding of the material.

Study 497

Study Strategy Assessment Outcomes 497

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 3, 2022

The station rotation model is a popular K-12 blended learning model that rotates students through a series of stations or learning activities. The station rotation model comprises three types of stations: a) teacher-led, b) online, and c) offline. When I facilitate workshops on this model or coach teachers using this model, I get a lot of questions.

Blended Learning 430

Blended Learning Strategy Groups Examples 430

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 1, 2022

In my last blog post , I said self-awareness is a foundational social-emotional learning skill. If students are unable to identify their emotions, thoughts, and values and recognize how they influence their behaviors, it will be challenging for them to develop the other SEL core competencies. As students understand themselves on a deeper level, they’re more likely to be successful in developing their self-management skills.

Learning 343

Learning Strategy Study Outcomes 343

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

This week, I received a comment to my blog asking: What do you feel is the biggest difference between playlists and choice boards? Would you say a playlist is more data-driven and a choice board gives more variety in learning modalities? These are great questions! I have heard teachers use these terms interchangeably, yet there is a distinct difference between these the playlist model and choice boards.

Blended Learning 544

Blended Learning Assessment Data Strategy 544

Catlin Tucker

JANUARY 17, 2022

How do teachers feel about their work? How dedicated or emotionally connected do they feel to their work? What factors cause teachers to feel fulfilled by this work? Emotional engagement encompasses a teachers’ feelings about, degree of dedication to, and emotional response to their work (Perera, Vosicka, Granziera & McIlveen, 2018; Klassen, Yerdelen & Durksen, 2013).

Blended Learning 365

Blended Learning Groups Strategy Online Learning 365

Catlin Tucker

JANUARY 10, 2022

Teaching has always been a demanding profession, but this school year takes the cake! Teachers are navigating substitute teacher shortages, COVID protocols, and record numbers of absent students in addition to the normal demands of this job. It makes sense why so many educators are feeling mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted. Yet, the last two years have highlighted how crucial school is for students and families.

UDL 467

UDL Blended Learning Assessment Groups 467

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 22, 2021

What do teachers find mentally stimulating about their work? What causes teachers to invest their mental energy and time resources in a task? What aspects of a teacher’s work lead them to engage in problem-solving, critical thinking, and reflection? A teacher’s cognitive engagement is the degree of attention to and investment in their work (Klassen, Yerdelen & Durksen, 2013).

Blended Learning 536

Blended Learning Learning Outcomes Resources 536

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 9, 2021

We talk a lot about student engagement in education. Most educators got into this profession for the students, and, as a result, we want their experience to be as engaging and positive as possible. There is far less written about teacher engagement, even though teacher engagement and student engagement are reciprocal. When teacher engagement dips, it has a negative effect on student engagement.

Blended Learning 535

Blended Learning Learning Student Engagement Course 535

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

While coaching teachers this month, several expressed a desire to include review and practice activities in their station rotation lessons to help students prepare for end-of-the-semester assessments. Helping students review for an exam often takes the form of a study guide or review game. These traditional approaches to review are problematic on three fronts.

Blended Learning 530

Blended Learning Groups Study Assessment 530

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 5, 2021

A friend recommended Adam Grant’s podcast “ Is it safe to speak up at work ?” As I listened to this episode, I was thinking about the concept of psychological safety through my educator lens. My work focuses on supporting leaders, coaches, and teachers in transitioning from traditional teaching practices to blended learning. Blended learning is the combination of active, engaged learning online and offline.

Blended Learning 507

Blended Learning Classroom Groups Assessment 507

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

The last two years have been mentally and emotionally exhausting for everyone in education. As I work with leadership teams, many are struggling to engage their teachers in professional learning this year. Schools invested money in purchasing devices and improving access to reliable internet to meet the demands of the pandemic, and leadership teams want to keep the momentum going.

Blended Learning 543

Blended Learning Learning Professional Learning Strategy 543

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 29, 2021

I have a soft spot for the station rotation model. It was one of the first models, along with the flipped classroom, that I could employ in my low-tech classroom. In the early days of my transition to blended learning, I had one Chromebook, which I received after writing a Donor’s Choose project. I thought, “What the heck? Let’s give this station rotation model a try!

Blended Learning 537

Blended Learning Secondary Chromebook Groups 537

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 10, 2021

Teachers got a crash course in creating video content when schools shifted online. They relied on videos out of necessity to explain concepts and model strategies while students learned from home. As teachers transitioned back into classrooms, many abandoned video in favor of live instruction. However, if teachers are going to say the same thing the same way for all students, I encourage them to make a video.

Strategy 545

Strategy UDL Blended Learning Video 545

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

In our book UDL and Blended Learning , Dr. Katie Novak and I encourage teachers to work toward firm, often standards-aligned, goals. We also stress the importance of providing students with flexible means. All students can make progress toward firm goals, but they may need to take different paths to get there. Some students will move more slowly and benefit from additional support, scaffolds, and signage to get to the desired destination.

Assessment 521

Assessment UDL Blended Learning Outcomes 521

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

I had the pleasure of chatting with Matt Miller this week for my podcast, The Balance. During our conversation, we explored aspects of the teaching profession that are time-consuming and create work-life imbalance. One culprit is the mentality that, “If I don’t grade it, the students won’t do it.” I disagree, especially when it comes to assignments designed to provide students with opportunities to review concepts and practice specific skills.

Assessment 545

Assessment Examples Groups Strategy 545

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 29, 2021

Learning is a dynamic process that requires active engagement. Unfortunately, many students have gotten comfortable in their roles as passive observers or consumers in the classroom. Yes, that is a less cognitively and socially taxing role, but it is not nearly as interesting or engaging. This passive position also does not require that students think intentionally about their learning.

Schoology 545

Schoology Learning Chromebook Laptops 545

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 16, 2021

Student agency, or a students’ ability to make key decisions about their learning experience, is an essential aspect of blended learning. Student agency requires that we design our lessons to offer students meaningful choices. These choices can help us universally design learning experiences that strive to remove barriers and invite students to decide how to engage with information, make meaning, and demonstrate their learning.

Blended Learning 546

Blended Learning Strategy Assessment Examples 546