Making Learning Personal
Spring 2019
Welcome to Spring
The Effective Blended Classroom
Why Blended Learning
Jessica Myers
Waverley Elementary School
@msmyersEL
I’ve learned that blended learning isn’t just one more thing. It’s a way to reach ALL of my students so they each are successful in the classroom. This in itself, has helped rid me of my teacher guilt. When I was in the classroom as a general education teacher, I always knew, deep down, that my lessons weren’t reaching all of my students, especially my exceptionally gifted students, or my struggling, needier students. I knew my gifted students were bored, and my needier students still didn’t “get it” but I didn’t know how to manage the classroom and all of their learning needs alone without another adult in the room. Thus resulting in teacher guilt, and the constant feeling that I wasn’t ever doing a good enough job. Blended learning has taught me how to reach all of my students. It is especially helpful today with my new position as an EL teacher. I can use blended learning to really target the language domains my students need help on. Through my new learning about blended learning and making lessons in new ways, my job is more FUN! It’s brought the passion and excitement back to my teaching career!
In the Spotlight
Congratulations!
Dive Into Blended Learning
Shari Stone
Brunswick Elementary School
@sharistone_FCPS
As an educator of intermediate students for most of my career, I took the leap in the primary world four years ago, and I have never looked back. During three of those four years, my classroom took on a blended learning station rotation model. My reason for doing so was to increase student agency. As educators we know we want our students to be focused, engaged and learning for as long as possible. In the primary world this can be a daily struggle, since their attention spans are so limited. That is the greatest asset of blended learning, the flexibility of being able to determine the pace, path, place, and time of lessons for your students.
Leading by Example
Gambling with Blended and Personalized Learning, from Atlantic City, NJ
Deborah Brandenburg
Frederick High School
@ms_burg
Three days, 12 FCPS colleagues, Atlantic City - this gamble paid off!
Gambling can be defined as taking risky actions in the hopes of a desired result. Vanguards take risks every day, in the hopes of increasing student achievement. Attending the Mid Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning (MACPL, http://www.macpl.net/, #MACPL19), March 13-15, Atlantic City, NJ, was a rewarding experience for this first time co-presenter. Please take advantage of professional learning opportunities offered through the Vanguard Program. Professional growth just oozed from this experience. I was able to step away from the day to day routine of teaching science at Frederick High. I immersed myself in a professional learning environment. I met like-minded educators from FCPS and around the country. I expanded my networking options. I was able to recharge, reflect, and now share. I have already implemented some new ideas in my planning and in my classroom.
#FCPSVanguard
Upcoming Dates and Reminders
May 16 - Vanguard Forum (Cohorts 1 & 2)
June 26 & 27 - Vanguard Summer Academy (Cohort 3)
Vanguard Teacher Program
Email: eric.haines@fcps.org
Website: vanguard.fcps.org
Phone: 301-644-5182
Twitter: @EHaines24