Provide Voice & Choice “When students feel supported and have a sense of belonging, they are more likely to actively engage.” (Baker & Will, 2024) It is important for adults to remember that all behavior is communication – ours and our students’. Equally important is that we do not take student behavior personally, but rather… Read More Five Effective Approaches To Address Interfering Behaviors: Student Apathy
Effective Classroom Practices to Get Ready for the New School Year: #5 Building Community Through Feedback
Group Contingency is an evidence-based practice that offers teachers the opportunity to provide positive, targeted feedback that reinforces specific classroom expectations and routines. When implemented with fidelity, and supported by strong teacher-student relationships, it also fosters social cooperation and community as all students work toward a common goal. This practice builds a foundation for successful… Read More Effective Classroom Practices to Get Ready for the New School Year: #5 Building Community Through Feedback
Using Evidence-Based Math Strategies to Specially Design Instruction
When teaching students who have difficulties in mathematics, it is important to incorporate instructional practices that have been shown, through evidence, to improve outcomes. Three evidence-based strategies for mathematics instruction are visual representations, metacognitive strategies, and schema instruction. Visual Representations In order to develop every student’s mathematical proficiency, leaders and teachers must systematically integrate the… Read More Using Evidence-Based Math Strategies to Specially Design Instruction
Learning at Home: A Family’s Guide to Prompting
Prompts are necessary for ALL new learning. Whether learning at school, at home, or out in the community we all learn new skills with the use of prompts. TTAC ODU has a free downloadable guide that provides families with information on what prompts are, how to use them, and how to fade them. The guide… Read More Learning at Home: A Family’s Guide to Prompting
Spotlight on High-Leverage Practice 14: Teaching Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies to Support Learning and Independence in Mathematics
Solving problems in context, also known as word problems or practical problems, is a challenge for students, especially students with disabilities. This is often because solving word problems requires students to read and understand the problem, identify relevant information, choose an appropriate strategy, solve the problem correctly, and ensure that the answer makes sense (Iris… Read More Spotlight on High-Leverage Practice 14: Teaching Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies to Support Learning and Independence in Mathematics
Promoting Equity in Math through Classroom Discourse
The 2018 VDOE Mathematics SOL Institutes highlighted the importance of strengthening the teaching and learning of mathematics through facilitating meaningful mathematical discourse. Why Discourse? Mathematical conversations and discourse among students, at all grade and ability levels, helps build a shared understanding of mathematical ideas (NCTM, 2014). Meaningful discourse supports metacognition and teaches students how to… Read More Promoting Equity in Math through Classroom Discourse
Understanding and Using Reinforcement
Common Misconceptions Misconceptions about reinforcement including, “I don’t believe in bribing students” and “I’m not going to reward him for doing work he is just supposed to do” are common barriers to the use of reinforcement in the classroom. Developing a better understanding of the definition of reinforcement, the role it plays in everyone’s life,… Read More Understanding and Using Reinforcement
