Yes, we can teach standards with mentor texts. Of course, please, align them and use them purposefully and intentionally in your planning. You know, I’m an instructional coach so, I’m like, yes, do that. [continue reading]
However, use of mentor texts like picture books (at any level), poetry, essays, excerpts of essays, multimedia sources, speeches, quotes, etc… can ignite change. It can ignite change not just because you read them to or with your children (AKA your scholars 🖤). It’s deeper than that. [continue reading]
Mentor texts can ignite change by your open-ended questioning, questioning that helps your scholars to dig deeper into their thinking, dig into their connections or lack of connection they have with the text. It allows for thoughtful discussion with the text. Discussion together in your safe classroom community.
Mentor texts give students opportunities to use their voices, offer their opinions and engage in thoughtful and respectful discourse.
Mentor texts can help students to remove themselves from their “bubbles” and read the world 🌎. They help to expose them to lives, cultures that may be different from their own and yet the same—and respect it, honor it.
It can teach students the power of reading and how reading and writing can help to change the world. It gives them—your scholars—power.
Power to think. Power to use their voice. Power to ignite change.
A couple of months ago, I posted on the blog about LEGO® Education BricQ Motion Essential, which is an amazing STEAM Education kit that I absolutely love for myself and children. Well, guess what? There is now a new tool from LEGO Education for professional development that allows teachers to learn how to implement STEAM education in their classrooms!
Sometimes when it comes to implementing STEAM education into our learning spaces, we don’t know where to begin. But now, LEGO® Education Professional Developmentoffers teachers a unique anytime, anywhere program designed to serve educators’ professional development needs. LEGO® Education Professional Development is a personalized, competency-based learning program that inspires and actively engages teachers in facilitating playful and hands-on STEAM learning. This program has been over a year in the making, so while it wasn’t developed in response to COVID, a lot of the teaching videos were filmed during it, which means it has many features to help support educators continuing to teach from home, while of course providing PD for educators who are back in the classroom. At a time when we’re all looking for ideas on how to teach in these new ways, this PD program is relevant no matter what situation you find yourself in.
This professional learning is driven and informed by qualitative research via a collaboration with the Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO). (I love some solid research, y’all!) It includes flexible self-guided learning so professional learning can happen when it’s most convenient for educators.. It also offers real-world classroom videos inspiring teachers to learn from peers and apply new methods in their own teaching. The professional learning gives bite-sized content to fit into educators’ busy days. We know that we are all so busy — especially these days. Whew! So the bite-sized options are perfect for educators during this time.
LEGO Education Professional Development also enables teachers to choose courses that fit their interests and analyze student learning. As an educator, it’s helpful to know that LEGO Education Professional Development is built on the LEGO® Education Competency-Based Framework, which includes four core categories: Pedagogy, STEAM Concepts, 21st Century Skills, and Classroom Management.
I watched the learning burst on “Differentiating Learning Experiences,” which has insights on how to use the LEGO Education SPIKE Prime solution with students that have different learning needs. We know our classrooms are not homogeneous so I loved how this learning burst provided tips and tricks on how to use the SPIKE Prime solution to educate different students in a classroom.
Since I have the BricQ Motion Essential set, I watched the guided video with Teacher Maureen on how to incorporate BricQ Motion Essential lessons into your classroom. The video series is easy to follow and I love how it gives step-by-step guidance on how to use the “Free Throw” lesson. It’s something that an educator can watch and instantly go implement in their own classroom. Maureen begins with stating the objectives, the target age group for the lesson, and shares exactly where to locate the Learning Resource Room to find the online lesson plan, lesson extensions and lesson tips. What makes me so excited as an Instructional Coach is that it correlates directly to Force and Motion standards, Probability in Math, Measurement and graphing and it includes so many other standards of learning! It clearly shows how STEM lessons can incorporate so many standards during student hands-on learning. Since LEGO Education solutions use LEGO bricks and are hands-on, the video format for the PD was great because I was able to easily see what steps to take in order to seamlessly incorporate into classrooms.
Another amazing part is that all online lessons are free! There are two kinds of self-guided flexible learning modules: Learning Bursts for quick and focused skills practice and Learning Quests for deeper competency development. Teachers can pick and choose courses based on the topic or length and aren’t required to follow a predetermined order. This is exactly what teachers need right now in the midst of everything that is going on.Teachers can observe playful STEAM learning through videos of real classrooms and teacher interviews that help demonstrate the competencies in a variety of learning environments, including in-person, physically distanced, and virtual classrooms. It meets educators’ needs right now–right where we are.
LEGO Education Professional Development will launch in eight languages and feature LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime and LEGO® Education BricQ Motion product training with additional LEGO Education solutions added throughout the year.
To learn more about the new LEGO Education Professional Development program, visit: http://www.LEGOeducation.com/pd. You won’t be disappointed. Let’s get our learning on!
This post is sponsored by WE Teachers, made possible by Walgreens. All opinions are my own.
The answer to the statement above is FALSE.
The beginning of the year in the field of education has always been stressful. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic crisis among us and years of a pandemic called systemic racism, stress for everyone is at an all-time high—especially educators. This time of year could not have been better for We Are Teachers and WE Teachers to partner together to create pertinent resources and training for teachers to aid them on trauma-led classrooms during this time. There is no time like right now that this is needed.
Let me tell you, educators, a little bit about the awesomeness of WE teachers! WE teachers is free program that is made possible by Walgreens. It is created for teachers all across America. It provides resources and training to support teachers in addressing critical social issues that students are facing today. At this time in education, this is exactly what educators need. WE teachers makes sure that every teacher in the U.S. has access to all the tools and training they need to support their students.
WE teachers has seven themes in which professional resources are available for teacher access. The themes are the introduction, mental well-being, bullying, a pandemic-informed community, poverty, diversity & inclusion and youth violence. In each of these themes, there are videos and modules that aid in the teacher training. With that being said, the theme that I chose to dive into was the mental well-being of students and educators. I chose this one to spend time learning because I feel that I can become more informed in the trauma that students face, but also the trauma that is faced by teachers and their well-being as well.
In the modules, I gained so much valuable and critical information about student mental health challenges. The module of mental well-being was divided into five sections: Understanding the Issue, Common Mental Health Challenges and Conditions, Mental Well-being in the Classroom, The Importance of Teacher Well-being and References. This first section of this module addresses issues ranging from suicide, depression, self-esteem, body image, ADHD and more. In each of the learning sections, it begins with what was normal activity as it related to the mental health challenge, warning signs to look for and as educators, what we can do in each of the mental health challenges and conditions faced. It moves on to section 3 and discusses mental well-being in the classroom and emphasizes the importance of social-emotional learning and best practices for educators. It also includes lessons on well-being, empathy and mindfulness. These lessons were absolutely amazing and much needed. I even practiced some deep breathing for myself that was included in one of the lessons.
The last section of the module is about the importance of Teacher Mental Well-being. This last section spoke to my soul. Teacher well-being is so incredibly important. We have to put our names at the top of the list self-care and well-being in order for us to be able to be there our students. We have to have our glasses full to be our full selves. It is important that we take the time to feed into our well-being and practice self-care in order to provide the support needed to help our students during this time. It is just that important.
Another thing that I love about WE teachers is that they honor and appreciate educators. They have put so much thought and time into this free platform, but also it just shows just how much they want to support educators. They want to also give more to educators with The WE Teachers Award.
The WE Teachers Award recognizes that teachers do so much more than teach. We are mentors, guides, and leaders. This special award recognizes the teachers that go above and beyond their classroom and their community. Teachers can be nominated or apply for an award using the online application. WE Teachers is awarding 1,000 teachers with $500 Walgreens gift cards to be used to support teachers in their classroom! How amazing is that?!?!
Click on the link to check out all the free WE Teachers modules, WE Schools Live and resources! You will not be disappointed! We need this! It is long overdue.
Love. Teach. Bless. 