It can be lonely to stare at a screen all day, even if the device we are looking at provides an interactive experience. We are human beings, designed to be connected. Human connection releases oxytocin in the brain, calming anxiety and thereby increasing our ability to sustain new learning. So how can we use technology […]
As an edtech coach, we want the teachers with whom we work to feel empowered, not disempowered and evaluated. One way we lower teachers’ affective filters is to shift our focus from the educators to the students. Tips to Empower Students: Showcase Student Work – When you enter classrooms, ask students if you can take […]
In the midst of school closures, distance and hybrid learning, and the need to increase technology use in education due to COVID19, edtech coaches across the country are being called upon to create and facilitate PD sessions to train on new tools. While it is vital that teachers feel comfortable with the tech tools they […]
Coaches build relationships. PD facilitators train on tools. What is your focus? Where do you spend the majority of your time? Is it what or who that is most important? Though many of our classrooms are virtual in 2020, the reality is the same – edtech coaches are most effective when they are with teachers, […]
It can be tempting to focus on a particular tech platform, app, or tool for to be used universally across a single school site or district. This can appear to be a way to maximize training time, streamline an approach to integration, and ensure all teachers are on the same page. While it may seem […]
EVERY teacher brings unique life experience that we can draw upon. As an edtech coach you may encounter veteran educators who are hesitant. If they do not feel that you value what they bring to the table, they are less likely to embrace your message. Validate those you serve and offer strategies/tech that builds upon […]
It is tempting to seek a single strategy, app, or platform to solve the challenges we face in education. If every student was exactly the same, this would work. Similarly, if every teacher was exactly the same, we could coach them in an identical way. But that is not the case. Support must be personalized. […]
Educators are exhausted. Parents are frustrated with distance and/or hybrid learning. Students struggle with motivation and organizational skills. Countless apps and technological platforms promise solutions, While these realities may feel overwhelming, edtech coaches are here to curate and guide integration. Don’t have an edtech coach in your district? Reach out to one or two on […]
There are no experts in 2020. Not one of us has a silver bullet to reopening schools in the midst of a global pandemic. Beware of anyone who claims to have “the answer” for all. Each community, each educational organization, has differing needs. As you begin to discuss reopening plans, be sure to involve teachers, […]
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