Using Blended Learning to Strengthen Math Skills

This effective method allows students to be flexible,

develop critical thinking, and use math creatively
outside of direct instruction.
By Neven Holland
October 13, 2022

What if technology could aid our abilities to teach better in

the mathematics classroom? What if stations fit the needs of
digitally advanced new century learners ? Blended learning
isn’t new, but it’s sometimes inconsistent in math
classrooms. There is growing evidence  that blended learning
supports students' critical thinking skills.

However, small group instruction, computer time, and

independent work are sometimes treated as three different
entities rather than as a coherent unit to aid students’
mathematics knowledge. And I wonder how we might
integrate culturally responsive teaching using stations to
help students’ procedural skills and fluency, conceptual
understanding, and application while building critical-thinking
abilities.
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STUDENT VOICE
Giving Students Choice in the Classroom
Increases Engagement
When her students asked about tornadoes during a
unit on weather, this teacher saw clearly how
student engagement enhances learning.
By Laurel Maxwell
October 10, 2022

When I asked my third-grade students what they wanted to

learn about weather, the overwhelming response was
tornadoes. So I pivoted from my plan and designed a unit
about tornadoes in order to capture my students’ interests.

Paired with differentiating instruction, building on student

interests in the classroom can be a successful technique for
boosting engagement. Engagement can be thought of as the
curiosity that students utilize to engage in learning. Choice,
differentiation, and pivoting to meet student interest work to
increase motivation and create a classroom of highly
engaged learners.
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TEACHER WELLNESS

Getting Back to Basics