Category:

Professional Learning

Discover resources and strategies for professional learning. Explore tools, tips, and opportunities to enhance educator growth and development.

Three Canva Tools for Making PD Newsletters

by Dr. Bruce Ellis September 26, 2023

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Canva has a lot of features that make it an easy choice as your go-to tool for creating and sharing professional development in digestible newsletters and on-the-go bits. We’ll get into the features for you to try in just a moment, and then I’ll share some critical bonus tips to keep in mind. These will come in handy if you want to share PD with peers who have crazy schedules but want to enhance their students’ learning experiences.

Three Canva Features to Try

1. Brand Kit

Canva has a ton of features to help you with a newsletter. Before using Canva, consider setting up your Brand Kit. This will allow you to predetermine the colors, logo, and default fonts that are used in your newsletters and graphics. Having the brand kit established will help your items look cohesive and unified as you continue to create and share meaningful content with your peers. For the brand kit, you will need the Pro or Educator account, which is free with verification for educators! Here is more information about setting up your brand kit to simplify the design process.

2. Templates and Magic Design

One of the main features is to make use of their templates. Begin by clicking on “Templates” on the left-hand navigation menu. Then, in the search box at the top of the window search “newsletter school” and hit Enter. You can use Magic Design to generate a newsletter template using an image you created or have already downloaded. Once you upload the image, it will pull together several newsletters for you to choose from that you can tweak to your liking. Once you get the base Canva newsletter design completed, you can easily duplicate it each time and use it for each issue of your newsletter. Here is a template of the one that I created as if I were in Hutto ISD, a neighboring school district to me.

3. Magic Write

If you need help writing content for your newsletter, then consider making use of Magic Write, Canva’s own generative AI tool, to aid the process. To access Magic Write, open a design in Canva and add a text box or click on the text box you’d like to edit. In the text edit menu, you can choose Magic Write. Briefly describe what you want, and then click the Generate button. This can help you write informative but concise information to include in your newsletter. These can be step-by-step instructions, a motivational thought, ideas on a particular educational topic, or even icebreaker questions for teachers to use in their classroom.

Bonus Tips for Making Newsletters

Tip 1: Use Clear and Engaging Headlines

When creating tools for PD or making newsletters, use headlines that your peers can quickly scan, read, and relate to. Instead of being cute or clever, lean towards being more straightforward. When thinking about what topics to include, consider frequent subjects that come up in the teachers’ lounge. Also, consider touching base with the principal, lead teachers, and counselor for ideas. Then, start each graphic or newsletter with a clear and engaging headline to draw them in.

Tip 2: Amp Up the Visual Appeal

Marketers know that we pay attention to visuals before we even read the associated text. Use this to your advantage by using graphics and visuals that signify the topic in your newsletters. You can easily use Canva’s Text to Image tool to generate images that may be more specific than what you can find in their library. You can also upload images from other tools into Canva to create graphics, but be sure to note the licensing, as you may not have the rights to edit or use certain images.

For example, a newer AI tool that seems to be making a splash for creating amazing images is Ideogram.ai. It’s free to use and is probably the best AI graphic tool to add text to an image. Though not perfect, it does amazingly well. Because this is a publicly accessible tool, be aware that some of the images that other creators have generated may not be appropriate for students. Here are a few images I generated with the tool. When using Ideogram, consider finding an image that has the look you want and use its prompt, but tweak it to better fit how you want the design to look.

a bald eagle in front. American flag waving in the back. colors: red, white, and blue. Text: Go Eagles! — AI-generated images by the author using Ideogram

text: "Science Ideas". beakers, microscope, laptop, cell phone, poster, 3d render, cinematic — AI-generated images by the author using Ideogram

Tip 3: Provide a Feedback Mechanism

Encourage your readers to provide feedback, ask questions, or suggest topics for future newsletters. If they are implementing an idea that you share or have a sample student product photo to share, provide a digital wall or board where they can be a part of the conversation to continue learning and sharing. Padlet works well as an easy tool that doesn’t require a learning curve for your teachers. If using Padlet, consider using the wall layout with sections, since you can set up several distinct columns to which your teachers can add their input accordingly, making it organized for you and all the readers to find things quickly.

Whether you share professional development tips and ideas on a weekly or monthly basis, you are sure to find that Canva can help make your communications much easier and view and read. If you already share a newsletter of such with your teachers, drop us a link to one of the editions and share with our readers. Also, if you find that you have a different tool to put together your newsletter, let us know the name of the tool you love and why it is your go-to newsletter tool.

Featured Image: Screenshot by Emily Horn of Newsletter Templates in Canva, https://www.canva.com/templates

September 26, 2023 0 comments

"Want your PD to reach new heights of effectiveness? Explore 3 ways to prime adult learners." with a photo of people engaged during a professional learning event.

Professional Learning

Three Ways to Prime Adults for Professional Learning

by Kathryn Laster September 18, 2023

written by Kathryn Laster

If you design professional learning experiences, have you ever wished you had more time with participants? As an educator who designs PD, I often wonder, “How might I extend today’s learning beyond seat time?” Furthermore, with so many opportunities for blended learning, another question that arises is “What’s the best use of our synchronous time?”

These are some of the challenges that the concept of priming can help us address. Even if you’re not familiar with the term, chances are you’ve been using priming techniques in your sessions without realizing it.

What Is Priming?

In her book “The Art of Gathering,” Priya Parker introduces the concept of priming, which has become an integral part of how I design professional development (PD) sessions, online courses, events, and even meetings.

Cognitive priming prepares the brain for learning. When we experience something, it can affect how we respond to similar things in the future. Priming, or, the priming effect, occurs when an individual’s exposure to a certain cue influences their response to a subsequent prompt. This means that if we are exposed to something before a learning experience, or before an activity, it can influence how we perceive and respond to the new information.

Throughout this article, I’ll use the term “priming” in a broad sense, even though various types of priming—like conceptual, perceptual, expectancy, and strategy priming—exist. Let’s look at three ways we can prime adult learners to boost the benefits and effectiveness of professional learning.

Craft an Enticing Session Name

In “The Art of Gathering,” Parker states that an event begins at “the moment of discovery,” and that idea inspires me to reimagine how I title my PD sessions. Parker shares the importance of naming as priming because names can influence the participants’ perceptions and expectations before they arrive at a session. A “Visioning Lab” sounds much more enticing than “Goal Setting Meeting.” For example, I now facilitate professional book clubs, rather than book studies. As soon as potential attendees discover the name of my course, session, or workshop, that session title can help prime them for what’s to come.

Quote from the article text about the importance of naming as priming.

Prime with a Pre-Email

Another practice that helps prime participants for learning is to be very intentional about crafting pre-emails. These pre-session emails serve a dual purpose: they streamline session time for content while building opportunities for connection and easing participants’ cognitive load with essential venue and agenda details.

Depending on the session length and format, whether a one-hour webinar or a three-hour in-person workshop, I send pre-emails one to three days prior to the event. The emails contain information categorized as:

logistics: schedule, location, technology guidance, agenda clarification, and target audience;
community building: a welcome from the presenter (video or text) and avenues for participants to connect (collaborative slides, Flip, Twitter hashtag);
content: assigned videos or readings, reflective exercises on teaching practices, bringing a lesson or assessment, and linking content to standards;
information gathering: assessing needs and readiness, fostering inclusivity by collecting information like name pronunciation, pronouns, and a favorite song.

Prime with Pre-Emails, and 4 icons to represent logistics, community building, content, and information gathering

As Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen share in “The PD Book: 7 Habits That Transform Professional Development: “Pre‐work primes participants for what they’re about to learn—and hopefully builds excitement for the PD they are about to experience.”

Considering educators’ demanding schedules, I ensure that pre-work tasks remain manageable, often involving small activities like contributing to a Jamboard, app downloads, or watching brief (<5 minutes) videos. Furthermore, I keep these pre-emails concise, utilizing formatting and emojis to emphasize crucial details. By including a visual “invitation” similar to my session’s slide deck template and colors, I establish familiarity, priming participants to engage with my session materials.

Priya Parker’s insight – “the less priming you do in this pregame window, the more work awaits you during the gathering itself” – resonates with me. Through well-crafted pre-emails, I tackle essential logistics in advance, freeing up valuable session time for connecting and delivering content synchronously. Additionally, the “pregame window” offered by pre-emails allows participants to mentally delve into the content, building anticipation for our upcoming work.

Set the Tone for Learning Activities

Because of the priming effect, I’m now even more intentional about how I begin all professional learning sessions. I consider what’s on the screens when participants enter the Zoom room or workshop space. What do participants see, hear, and feel? In the book, “Stop Talking, Start Influencing: 12 Insights From Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick,” Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath shares that recent associations (i.e. what happens right before the PD session begins) impact how people take in and remember new information.

Acknowledging the burdens participants bring, be it work stressors or personal challenges, I counteract these “recent associations” by beginning PD sessions with a focus on individuals in the room. Expressing genuine gratitude and addressing difficulties set a supportive tone. Incorporating social-emotional check-ins, setting intentions, unleashing a “brain-dump,” or creating permission slips for learning experiences further establish a receptive mindset for the upcoming learning journey.

Direct quote from the text with examples for establishing receptive mindset for upcoming learning.

Moreover, Dr. Horvath emphasizes, “The first strategy we activate can influence how others interpret and tackle future tasks.” For my PD sessions, that means if I want participants to collaborate throughout the session, I ask them to immediately say hello in the Zoom chat or talk to their neighbor. When we’re using a digital document (hyperdoc, collaborative Slides, thought-catcher, etc.) I get the participants typing in that document ASAP. For a recent webinar, I wanted participants to unmute their mics and talk throughout the session (vs. the usual norm of muting mics), so at the beginning of the session, we broke the script and primed the attendees for conversations by asking them to all unmute at once and say hello. Thus, deliberate actions within the initial minutes of a session significantly prime participants for the subsequent experiences and activities.

Why Prime for Learning?

Every thoughtful session title, every well-crafted pre-session email, and every intentional engagement activity contribute to shaping how participants approach learning. You’re not just conveying information; you’re setting the stage for mindset shifts, fostering connections, and sparking curiosity. Embrace the concept of priming and watch as your efforts in designing professional learning reach new heights of effectiveness.

Kathryn Laster will be presenting at TCEA’s upcoming Conference for Educational Coaches (CEC)! She will be leading the session, “Idea Exchange: Using AI Tools to Design Purposeful PD“. If you lead professional development for educators, don’t miss the chances to gather resources, learn best practices, and meet other leaders at CEC in Austin, Texas, October 12-13, 2023!

Learn More About CEC

September 18, 2023 0 comments

Good Teaching Professional Learning

Coaching, Building Relationships, and Brain Engagement

by Miguel Guhlin July 24, 2023

written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you an instructional coach supporting teachers with instruction or technology questions? You may find this collection of tips and resources worth pondering for next year.

The First Obstacle

When you look at the number one obstacle to encouraging change, it isn’t the technology you use. It’s whether the people you want to see adopt the technology do so. Why don’t they do it the first time you ask? Perhaps there is work to do on building a relationship. For some, building a relationship is harder than for others. For those folks for whom the relationship is the first obstacle, you have to be deliberate.

Let’s explore what actions you can take in a grab bag of ideas curated from online forums and blogs. I hope you find them useful. Lauren S. inspired this article when she asked (edited for length and readability):

I’m an instructional specialist serving approximately 120 teachers in 2 buildings. My primary focus is language arts and social studies. I’m available and willing to help any teacher with anything related to instruction and/or ed tech. The most important part of this job is building relationships with teachers. While I have made some progress, I still feel like a lot of teachers are afraid to come to me or see me as evaluative….

How have you built trust and positive relationships with your teachers?

Finding a Way to Build Relationships

Since teachers and students are human beings, building relationships is the first obstacle. We’ll look at three detours inspired by Lauren S. to build relationships that you can use with teachers. Many of us already rely on social-emotional learning (SEL) with students. What can we do with adult learners?

Image Source: Teacher Gift Bag

Detour #1: School Goody Bags

When Liza put the decorated jar of candies and goodies in my hand, I was a bit surprised. The glittery surface of the mason jar, the bedazzled metal lid, the gold ribbon were a bit much for me. But I still felt a moment of appreciation for her effort. Lauren says that this is one of her go-to habits, providing school goody bags with a letter. The letter explains how she can work with them.

Image Source: Teacher Survival Kit

Every year, my wife would give her students a goody bag with toys and candy. Whenever I went to a birthday celebration, for as long as I can remember, goody bags were a way to say, “Thanks for coming!” I can definitely see packing instructional strategies and tips and tricks for teaching in a bag to start out. But focus more on simply building a relationship than advocating for how you can provide assistance.

Here are some places to see some ideas about school goody bags:

Amazon has a great collection of teacher gift bags.
Etsy offers teacher goody bags and ideas for inspiration
Pinterest collections share 240+ Goodie Bag/Teacher/Gift ideas
Teacher Gift Basket Ideas are a nice variation

What else could you do besides giving stuff to teachers at your schools?

Detour #2: Hot Topic Professional Learning

As an instructional specialist on a K-6 campus, providing just-in-time professional learning made for a long day. Even when teachers showed up (always three or four) for a thirty-minute session, all plopped down in chairs, bone-tired. Teaching is hard work, and learning is as well. How do you get past that?

Finding the answer to that question is what propelled me into technology. Later, as an instructional technology director, I thought that recording short video lessons (see one example above) and then posting them worked. And, it did. I received emails from people who said, “This was sooo helpful to me! Thank you.”

Image Source: NorthEast ISD

Today, YouTube videos on every subject abound. Online professional development, micro-learning, and micro-credentials all work well. “PD in Pajamas,” the mantra of Simple K-12, sticks with so many of us today. Even my old school district, where I served as an Instructional Technology Director, is doing it:

Image Source: San Antonio ISD

Many school districts have launched their own PD in Pajamas efforts. With 2019 behind us, any teacher still standing became an expert in learning on the fly, watching videos when needed.

Did You Know?

TCEA offers a wealth of free professional learning, PD you choose, via recorded Lunch and Learn livestreams. You can also sign up for $39 online, self-paced courses that show you enough to try it on your own.

Activities Mentioned: See the end of this article for more details and resources.

Detour #3: Optional Brain Engagement Activities with Prizes

Want to get anyone excited about learning? Offer OPTIONAL professional learning with brain engagement activities that include prizes. Bingo and choice boards aren’t a bad way to do this. You can find Canva templates for choice boards and bingo games online, as well as Google Slides.

Here are two examples of templates you can take and make with:

Choice board templates
Create interactive learning with a choice board
Wakelet choice boards
Bingo templates, such as Chromebook Skills, Google Drive Bingo, Game Show

Additional Relationship-Building Ideas:

Those are three ideas that Lauren S. suggested. Others responded with more tips for building coach-to-teacher relationships. Here is a list of what they suggested to Lauren:

Provide examples of what a resource would look like. Include digital copies of templates.
Host “Bite-Sized PD” sessions that are short and include a snack.
Show gratitude through emails, notes, and hallway hug-n-chat
Play games with teachers to build relationships and teaching skills.
Create a “Warrior of the Month” Google form. Use it to enable teachers to recognize their colleagues and earn a $10 gift card.
Put in place a student-focused coaching model (ala Diane Sweeney)
Have Coffee with Coaches time to brainstorm and dialogue

Special thanks to Lauren S, Caitlin, C., Kaysie W., Kittie B., Sonia G. for sharing their insights via the Gold EDU group.

More on Brain Engagement Activities

These are four of a huge list of great ideas for brain engagement. Give these a try:

Entry ticket. You may already know about entry and exit tickets. Entry tickets force students to retrieve information about a previous lesson. This act of retrieval ensures students retain information for a longer time. Get examples of Bell Ringers.

Pass the Plate. This dopamine-raising, brainstorming activity relies on a group of four students. They pass a paper plate between them, stopping at each person to write his/her idea down. When done, students share what they came up with. Learn more about this.

Movement. This norepinephrine-increasing activity helps focus student attention. Use activities like Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up, or Pair and Share. In this way, students increase their focus and engagement. Find a wealth of ideas online.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Building positive relationships with students engages the brain. What’s more, SEL activities ensure students will listen to you and not turn their brain to more important matters. Explore SEL activities.

July 24, 2023 0 comments

Professional Learning

A Choice Board of Summer Learning Activities for Educators

by Peggy Reimers June 22, 2023

written by Peggy Reimers

When I was teaching, summer held two distinct categories for me: leisure and learning. It was a time to unwind, allowing my mind and body to relax and rejuvenate. Simultaneously, it provided an opportunity to engage in learning that I had been unable to pursue during the busy school year, igniting my neurotransmitters and fostering new knowledge acquisition. Recently, I’ve been thinking about the topic of summer activities for educators and summer learning.

As a TCEA staffer, I would say our best online resource is the TechNotes blog. Talk about the crème de la crème! You name it, and I bet TCEA has written about it. TCEA has a blog post for every audience, resource, platform, and topic. And if we haven’t written about it, drop us an email, and we’ll get to it. That said, I’ve hand-selected a few top TechNotes articles, and sprinkled in some other things, to make a Summer PD Choice Board with summer learning activities for educators. (Don’t worry. It includes a little leisure mixed in with the learning, too!)

What Is a Choice Board?

A colors choice board example made from a Canva template. — ***See this template in Canva!***

A choice board is a graphic organizer that allows students to choose how they will learn a concept. Usually, a choice board includes these aspects:

9-square grid
Each square has an activity
Each activity might relate to one of the multiple intelligences
The level of difficulty can vary or stay consistent throughout the board

If you need more information on choice boards, what do you know! TechNotes has an article or two on this topic. Not surprised, are you?

TechNotes Articles on Choice Boards:

If you are interested in digging even deeper into choice boards, check out the TCEA online course for educators.

The Summer Choice Board

I offer you the TCEA Summer PD Choice Board with summer activities for educators’ learning and leisure. Let’s take a look at exactly what this choice board offers you.

An image of the choice board (linked in text below the image) with a 3 by 3 grid of linked summer activities for educators' learning and leisure.

Classroom Posters. These classroom posters can be used for special months of celebration or hung all year long. Take a look — they’re all free!

ChatGPT Promps. Take a look at ChatGPT prompts for educators! Learn how to craft your best prompt to maximize your results and get what you’re looking for.

Info on Copyright. Let’s break down the basics of copyright, explore Creative Commons licenses, learn about fair use, and then…teach it to our students!

Cybersecurity Tips. My colleague, Miguel Guhlin gives five tips to better protect yourself online and offers easy strategies to help you do this.

TCEA Member Benefits. You are a TCEA member (or should be) – this gives you a rundown of the benefits you will enjoy as a TCEA member.

Differentiation with ChatGPT. Need an adapted or translated text? Use ChatGPT to generate differentiated texts and better accommodate varied reading and language levels!

Info on TCEA 2024. Want the best of tacos, technology, and teachers in Texas? We are back in Austin in 2024, and it’s never too early to preview the TCEA 2024 Convention & Exposition.

Back-to-School Resources. It’s the only back-to-school roundup you may ever need, presenting a treasure trove of ready-made activities, templates, tips, and more.

Recommended Bing-Watching. Check out the Binge-Watching Board with show recommendations from the TCEA staff.

I hope you take advantage of this choice board with summer activities for educators to fuel your curiosity, expand your horizons, and recharge your teaching spirit. Embrace the joy of learning and the pleasure of unwinding with your favorite shows, knowing that you’ve earned this well-rounded summer experience. Happy learning and happy binge-watching!

June 22, 2023 0 comments

Elementary Technology Conference Professional Learning

Why Attend a Beachside Conference for Elementary Teachers?

by Emily Horn April 3, 2023

written by Emily Horn

If you’re an elementary educator and you’ve not been to the Elementary Technology Conference (ETC), you’re missing out on a beachfront conference that’s the only one of its kind. But you’ve still got time to sign up for the lowest price. Early bird pricing ends at midnight on April 6!

Not only is it one of the most fun conferences around, but it’s also completely geared to elementary educators in any role (which is why it’s so fun, am I right?). It’s right off the beach in Galveston, Texas and, an attendee favorite perk, breakfast and lunch are included. But I digress. Let’s look deeper into what makes ETC is so popular.

Top-Notch Speakers and Quality Sessions

photographs of engaging ETC sessions with numerous educators in attendance.

Sessions are truly meant for elementary educators, so each one is applicable to you. And all our speakers understand why elementary is so unique! The Session Listing is posted, so go ahead and take a look at what’s offered. You’ll find sessions focused on:

Content areas like math, literacy, science, computational thinking/coding…
Skill-building for specific roles like coaches, librarians, administrators, teachers…
Technology tools and strategies to pair with subject areas to boost learning…
And more.

We’ve assembled a team of leading educators to speak and teach, providing you with guidance, tips and tricks, knowledge of useful tools, and insights into what’s worked for them. And you will be able to apply what you learn directly to your work.

Networking and Collaboration

four photos of teachers collaborating and networking at ETC

ETC also offers plenty of opportunities to meet new people. You’ll get the chance to interact with some of the friendliest and most supportive speakers around. You can mix and mingle with other ETC attendees during sessions and activities to brainstorm, idea swap, discuss sessions, and more. Since breakfast and lunch are provided, there’s extra time to chat over delicious meals in a casual and relaxed setting. Then, when the day is done, you can head to the beach with your new ETC friends to relax, unwind, and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. There’s no bonding like beach-time bonding!

Fun in the Sun

Photograph of pleasure pier in Galveston, Texas — Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas

Speaking of beach-time bonding, you’ll have time to explore or relax in Galveston. Sure, it’s PD during the summer, but it’s not all work and no play! With 32 miles of beaches, you can kayak, surf, enjoy more than 500 species of birds, fish, and more – or lay back and read that new book in your beach chair. Plus, there are many options for dining, shopping, touring, and cruising in addition to fun attractions like museums and the historic Pleasure Pier.

Research on the Impact of Professional Development

All this sounds great, but what does the research say about the connection between professional development and student achievement? Does it really make an impact? Yes.

An article by Learning for Justice explains that one wave of research in the 1960s focused on teaching skills. The results showed that student acquisition of basic skills was minimally to moderately impacted. However, a second wave of research in the 1990s that focused more on student learning and content areas indicated that student achievement was “consistently higher,” showing growth in both basic and advanced skills.

“Extended opportunities to better understand student learning, curriculum materials and instruction, and subject-matter content can boost the performance of both teachers and students.”

Learning for Justice concludes that professional development directly – and positively – impacts student learning when it is focused on content, student thinking about the content, and aligns with actual work experiences.

Why not take the opportunity to attend quality sessions that positively impact your work AND relax at the beach? Join us June 11-13 in Galveston, Texas for the elementary educator event of the year! Hurry and register by midnight on April 6, for an early bird discount of $40 off!

Register Now!

April 3, 2023 0 comments

Android Chromebooks Coding/Computer Science iOS Tips and Tricks Math Microsoft Professional Learning STEM/STEAM Writing

TCEA Announces All-New Scratch Computational Thinking Course

by Miguel Guhlin March 17, 2023

written by Miguel Guhlin

Make coding more than a programmer’s tool. Teachers can now learn how to use Scratch, a block coding tool, across the curriculum! This course allows you to learn how to use Scratch to teach computational thinking. Teachers can use it to present, animate, and gamify their lessons. The online, self-paced course (Scratch Computational Thinking) is available through TCEA.

What Is TCEA?

If you don’t know us, we’re a nonprofit education association. Our mission? Advancing teaching and learning through the use of technology. Improving education with teachers and ensuring student success is our goal!

What You’ll Learn in the Scratch Course

Participants in the Scratch course watch videos to learn how to create animations, make mathematical instructional resources, and create games. And the course shows teachers how to pose and solve computational thinking problems.

TCEA Course Developer James Abela says that teachers will make lessons that encourage literacy and writing. Abela assisted in the launch of the Raspberry Pi at Cambridge, and he is also the course developer of TCEA’s Swift Programming course.

Abela says he loves teaching computer science, and with this course, teachers can take first steps into coding. “You will be able to create interactive animations. Teachers can support learning across all subjects!” he says.

Screenshot showing the block palette, code area, and stage in Scratch. — Image Source: **Scratch Wiki**

What Are the Scratch Course Details?

Once you complete the course, you will be able to create learning experiences for students with Scratch. “You can click things together just like Lego, so it’s a great way to get things started. It enables us to teach real models like the input process and output model,” says Abela.

The course includes five modules:

Module 1: Getting Started with Scratch
Module 2: Sequence
Module 3: Selection
Module 4: Iteration (Repetition)
Module 5: Interactivity

Enrolling in the course gets you a free TCEA membership, and once completed, you receive 12 CPE credits, and a digital badge. What’s more, you’ll get a digital certificate of completion! Course access lasts for one full year from a your date of enrollment in the course.

What Are the Scratch Course Prerequisites and Requirements?

This course is for teachers of students ages 7 – 14 and is an introductory course to computational thinking using Scratch. More sophisticated techniques shown here are suitable for older students. Scratch is also featured in Harvard’s CS50 course, which shows learning Scratch can benefit adult learners.

The course is available for $39, but for groups of 10 or more, the price is discounted to $34 per person. Contact Miguel Guhlin (mguhlin@tcea.org) for pricing quotes for 10 or more people. Large groups can also pay via TCEA Credit Card Authorization Form. Interested? Go ahead, enroll now!

March 17, 2023 0 comments

Elementary Technology Conference Professional Learning

A One-of-a-Kind Conference for Elementary Educators

by Lori Gracey March 8, 2023

written by Lori Gracey

With the increasing demands for enhanced and interactive curriculum and the need to prepare students for online testing, effectively integrating the use of technology in the elementary grades is more important today than ever before. But what should that integration look like? How can teachers best use technology to foster greater student achievement and retention?

Four Ways Technology Boosts Learning

Research adapted from Cohen and Ball (1999) has identified four ways that technology can be used to accelerate student learning:

Provide more effective instruction through the use of prerecorded lessons.
Facilitate differentiated instruction through software that offers one-on-one tutoring or skills practice.
Offer more and expanded opportunities to practice critical skills.
Increase learner engagement through videos and games.

With these four goals in mind, the next step is to decide how to implement them. And that’s where the hard work really begins. How in the world is an elementary educator with limited time supposed to research the best ways to accomplish these goals?

How ETC Supports Elementary Educators

The good news is that TCEA is here to help with the Elementary Technology Conference (ETC), held June 11-13, 2023 in fabulous Galveston, TX. Workshops and sessions at this interactive and fun learning event will focus on giving you ways to integrate technology to boost learning, so you don’t have to spend time searching. And everything applies to you because this conference is just for elementary educators!

Jeannine Freeman, TCEA’s Partnerships and Events Manager, was an elementary digital learning coach prior to joining TCEA in 2022, and she’s been attending ETC since 2013. “My background is in primary education and to go to a conference where everyone speaks the same language I do gives me life!” she says. “The biggest benefit is a schedule full of sessions that speak directly to elementary educators. You can find something in every single session that will benefit you in your role and enhance your work.”

At ETC, experienced presenters offer ready-to-use lessons and resources that you can easily integrate into your teaching this fall, all while you enjoy the beach and fun of Galveston. The included continental breakfast, full lunch, and an afternoon snack make the learning even more delicious!

Put the TEAM in STEAM (grades K-2)
Teach in Style: Elevate Your Materials with Canva (all grade levels)
How STAAR Librarians Support Teachers and Students (grades 3 and up)
Applying the Latest Research to Improve Instructional Coaching

Register today for just $259 before the price increases on April 7. There’s no better way to learn and grow than with TCEA!

Register for ETC!

March 8, 2023 0 comments

Leadership Professional Learning

Five Tips for Giving Constructive Feedback

by Emily Horn March 2, 2023

written by Emily Horn

Feedback is essential for improvement, regardless of age, profession, or skill level. But many in leadership avoid giving constructive feedback or simply focus on the positive. Why is that? There’s no doubt that giving feedback can sometimes make for a difficult or uncomfortable conversation, depending on what needs to be addressed. But as a leader, if you’ve built relationships with staff based on trust, respect, and empathy, there is nothing to fear in giving or receiving constructive criticism or feedback, as long as it’s truly constructive; but this means everyone on the team must be on the same page with the definition and purpose of feedback and learn how to both give and receive it.

Feedback helps individuals and the organization as a whole improve and grow. In fact, in my opinion, one of the most caring things that can be done by a leader or peer is to offer honest, constructive feedback! When an organization’s culture promotes telling the truth with kindness, everyone can assume good intentions. However, the method of delivery and the content of the feedback is still important to ensure the message is well-received.

What Is Constructive Feedback?

Feedback isn’t the same thing as praise or criticism, and there are many ways in which feedback has been categorized and defined. As far as constructive feedback goes, this is a conversation during which work-related weaknesses or behaviors are discussed with a peer or employee for the purpose of growth, improvement, and positive change. Constructive feedback can be given between peers, from an employee to a supervisor, or from a supervisor to an employee. But how in the world do you deliver constructive feedback in a positive, helpful way? Let’s take a look at a few tips.

1. Schedule a face-to-face conversation.

So many things can be misconstrued in writing! We can’t see facial expressions, hear a tone of voice, or read body language through written text. Phone calls offer us verbal expression and tone of voice, but they still leave out facial expression and body language. This means written and phone feedback can potentially come across differently than intended. Plan to deliver and discuss constructive feedback in person rather than sending an email, written message, text message, or calling on the phone. This will ensure you’re intent is clear, and you also have the opportunity to correct any misunderstanding in real-time.

2. Be clear, specific, and compassionate.

Harvard Business School Online‘s Business Insights suggests the following:

Be direct and speak to the issue you want to coach them on.

Identify a specific behavior, rather than speak in generalities.

State the impact of that problematic behavior and connect it to the consequences.

Share specifics around who was affected and the impact the recipient’s actions had not just on the organization but on their own career.

“The more clear and specific you are, the less room there is for the feedback recipient to misinterpret your advice,” they shared. And showing compassion for the person you’re speaking to, as well as to those who may have been affected or impacted, is crucial. This will take some intentional planning prior to the meeting. As a school leader, before I’d meet with teachers for constructive feedback, I would create a short outline, type out what I wanted to say for each point, and read over it a few times. This helped prepare me for the conversation and, sometimes, calmed my nerves!

3. Ask questions and listen carefully.

Speaking of two-way conversations, it’s important for constructive feedback conversations to be collaborative and include the recipient. No one likes a lecture! Try not to make assumptions about employees’ behaviors or why they are doing something. Ask them questions and assume good intentions. Then, the conversation becomes a dialogue where they share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings, and you can add to them or redirect accordingly.

The reasons behind certain behaviors might just surprise you, and their answers might lead to something (or someone) else that needs to be addressed. It also might reveal that the employee needs support in some way. Not making assumptions and asking questions to dig deeper into the ”why” leaves room for the individual to actually share what’s going on. Then you can ask, “What are some potential solutions?” etc. Now you’re collaborating with the individual in their own constructive feedback by encouraging their self-awareness, ownership, and involvement.

4. Discuss next steps.

Once you’ve discussed the constructive feedback and brainstormed ways to improve, talk about the plan for how to get from point A to point B. Identifying and addressing what isn’t working or what needs to change and discussing potential solutions is necessary. But it’s also essential to lay out a plan of action for implementing the solution, define roles in the process, and clarify the expected outcome. How exactly will the improvement be observed or measured? Will the employee be doing check-ins with you on this? Will they be working with a coach for a period of time? When the meeting is over, what’s next for you, and what’s next for the employee?

5. Express confidence in the recipient.

This is so important. Reiterating your belief in the capabilities of and the ability of the employee to improve is vital and can go a long way. This encouragement and confidence can truly lift an individual up. Leaving with your constructive feedback, support, and faith in their ability to improve and grow is powerful. What can this look like?

One Brief Example

Person #1: “I’ve noticed that you’ve frequently been late to your recess duties, and several of your colleagues have had to stay late and miss part of their break to cover until you arrive. I really want you to have great relationships with colleagues and for your students to get their much-needed recess time. What’s going on?”

Person #2: “Well, I’ve been struggling with restroom times before recess, and it’s making us late. It’s been difficult to get the students in and out in a timely manner, and lining up has been a challenge. I know I’ve been late, and I feel really bad about it!”

Person #1: “I understand, and thank you for letting me know what’s happening in the restrooms. Do you have any ideas for how things could run smoother?”

[Discuss ideas, brainstorm, and outline a potential solution together]

Person #1: “Great! Ok, so it seems you have some new restroom protocols that could work. Do you want to give them a try starting next Monday, and we can check in on Friday to see how it’s going?”

Person #2: “Yes, that sounds good!”

Person #1: “Ok, let’s plan on that. I’ve seen you make really positive changes to how you’re managing student behavior in your reading small groups with classroom procedures and protocols. You’ve really done a great job with that. I am confident that you’ll implement a workable solution for restroom time, and I appreciate your coming to meet with me about it. I’m here to support you, so if you need anything next week while you’re starting to implement the new restroom protocols, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll set up a follow-up meeting for next Friday.”

This is just one scenario, but you can see how the person in the supervisory role was direct with the problem, the impact of the problem, and what they would like to see happening. They asked the employee a question to give the opportunity to offer insight and explain their perspective, experience, and situation. Then, both people involved discussed solutions together. The “supervisor” outlined specific next steps, expressed confidence by giving a specific example, and offered support in the process.

Initially, as a school leader having these types of conversations put a knot in my stomach! But over time and with practice, giving and receiving constructive feedback became easier. And seeing the positive outcomes and growth, both in myself and in others, made these discussions invaluable. For everyone in a school or organization to improve and grow, addressing areas for growth and improvement directly with kindness and clarity is an absolute necessity.

March 2, 2023 0 comments

Professional Learning

TCEA Announces All-New Swift Programming Course

by Miguel Guhlin February 17, 2023

written by Miguel Guhlin

Teachers now have access to a Swift programming language course! The online, self-paced course is available through TCEA. If you don’t know us, we’re a nonprofit education association with a mission of “advancing teaching and learning through the use of technology.” Participants in the Swift Programming course watch videos and get sample code that guides them through hands-on projects.

Teaching Children Useful Skills with Swift Programming

TCEA Course Developer James Abela serves as head of computing in an Apple Distinguished School in Kuala Lumpur. “We have problems that need to be solved at a global scale. It’s about teaching children skills that are useful in a time when information is a mere click or voice command away,” says James Abela.

What Are the Swift Programming Course Details?

Participants will be able to create apps with Apple’s Swift and use it with students in a variety of learning situations as a new way to make exciting resources. “This is a great opportunity for educators to become versed in Swift,” asserted one TCEA member in the TCEA Community in the Apple Users Group (01/18/2023).

The course includes five modules:

Getting Started with Swift Playgrounds
Handling Swift Layouts
Inputs and Outputs
Calculations in Swift
Animations in Swift

Educators who enroll in the course also get a free TCEA membership. Once completed, they receive 12 CPE credits, a digital badge, and a digital certificate of completion. Course access lasts for one full year from a participant’s date of enrollment in the course.

What Are the Swift Course Prequisites and Requirements?

This course is intended for middle and high school teachers and is a beginner course for Swift app development. No previous experience with any programming language is required. You can choose to use either an Apple Macintosh computer or an iPad. This software is free of charge from the Apple App Store.

Enroll in TCEA’s Swift Programming Course

February 17, 2023 0 comments

Online Tools and Apps Professional Learning TCEA Convention & Exposition

Resources Shared at the 2023 TCEA Convention & Exposition

by Lori Gracey February 9, 2023

written by Lori Gracey

Another amazing convention has come and gone. If you were lucky enough to attend, then you enjoyed networking with your peers, gained a ton of new educational resources, and had the chance to see some amazing technology for learning. If you weren’t able to attend, here’s a small sample of some of the great things we discovered at TCEA 2023.

Ms. M’s Free Online Resource Libraries

Elementary teachers, be prepared to have your mind blown by all of the free resources that Ms. M. has created! These include multiple virtual libraries on a wide variety of topics, digital stickers, Valentine clip art, drawing tutorials, math videos, and so much more. Check out her math library with clickable links, one of many libraries that she has available.

Centervention’s 90+ Free SEL Activities

TCEA’s own Diana Benner, our resident SEL expert, shared Centervention’s 90+ Free SEL Activities. “The free resources include lessons and activities in the following skill areas: Communication, Cooperation, Emotion Regulation, Empathy, Impulse Control, and Social Initiation.”

Antimatter: A Collaborative Meme Generator

I overheard two attendees discussing Antimatter, a new collaborative meme generator for students. Teachers create a “studio” for each of their classrooms and then create spaces inside the studio for each lesson. Students are then invited into the space to begin their projects. Having students create memes to demonstrate what they understand about a particular topic or equation can be very powerful.

Google Arts & Culture’s The Descent of the Serpent

Social studies teachers were excited to discover The Descent of the Serpent from Google Arts and Culture. Students can explore the symbols, culture, and legends of ancient Mesoamerica in this fun and free game. The site includes downloadable lesson plans and gameplay in both English and Spanish.

Which One Doesn’t Belong?

In one of the sessions for math teachers, Which One Doesn’t Belong? was shared. This free site shows a collection of four objects, and students must discuss and decide which one of the objects doesn’t belong with the others. What makes this resource really powerful is that there is no one right or wrong answer; instead, it’s about the thinking that must occur to come up with an answer and then share and convince others that your answer is the best. These are appropriate for all grade levels and include shapes, numbers, and graphs.

Artificial Intelligence

If you are interested in the world of artificial intelligence and its use today, you would have loved Dr. Bruce Ellis’ session. He shared the following resources on the topic:

The AI Exchange – An amazing newsletter to subscribe to that will keep you current with the latest AI news and features
Futurepedia – A growing, curated list of AI tools that is searchable by category and updated daily
Elicit – Your AI research assistant to help with literature review

Matt Miller: ChatCPT in the Classroom

ChatGPT was a big topic this year. The amazing Matt Miller created this cool infographic on ways to use the new AI tool in the classroom.

Coaching Resources

For those supporting educators in improving classroom teaching and learning, a great resource on formal coaching cycles by Dr. Ashley McBride was shared. The site includes a printable checklist, a coaching interest form, pre-meeting information to gather, an observation document, and more. This EdTech Coaching Primer site has other ready-to-use resources for instructional coaches as well and is a real time saver.

The Kanbie Chrome Extension

TCEA Professional Development Director Miguel Guhlin shared a new resource for students that can help them with task completion. “Simple, task-based checklists can empower and assist learners to follow steps. What’s more, they help them do tasks with many steps, as well as serve as memory aids. When used effectively, checklists help students become more aware of their thinking. One tool that may be useful for older students, as well as teachers, are kanban boards. You may know about Trello, OneNote, CryptPad’s Kanban board, and Google Docs/Keep. But do you know about browser-based Kanbie, a Chrome extension?”