Sketching Success: How Doodles Improved My Students’ Comprehension

Written by Jenni Lamb, 11th grade ELA teacher for Livonia Public Schools

A Struggle with Engagement

In a post-pandemic world, my students often rush through assignments, filling in reflection and comprehension questions with nonsense answers they mindlessly searched on the internet (or worse, had AI write for them). They joylessly slog through even the most high-interest texts in our curriculum and opt out of most enrichment activities if they require interaction with other students.  Yet, one new task, sketchnoting, brought about a remarkable change. It stopped them in their tracks this spring, sparking a newfound engagement and understanding! 

How to Inspire and Foster True Student Engagement

How can educators transform classrooms into thriving hubs of learning and growth? In the ever-changing world of education, keeping students engaged remains critical for academic success and personal well-being (Nelson et al., 2020). Engagement is not just about showing up to class but about how deeply involved and minds-on students are in learning. So what exactly does student engagement look, sound, and feel like, and how can educators recognize it?

Unleashing Innovation: Dive into Kent ISD’s AI Summit 2024 Journey!

“A very solid event that has emboldened me to dip my toes into the AI pool, with the goal of wading by the end of next school year.” was what one participant said as they left Kent ISD’s AI Summit this Spring.

On April 29 over 100 education leaders representing principals, teachers, coaches, counselors, specialists, and district administration packed into Kent ISD to share a meal and learn about artificial intelligence. 

Why Should Educators Dive into AI Teaching with EdTech Cheer 2023?

Written by Sarah Wood, Education Technology Consultant for Kent ISD

“Who is the best teacher in the world?

It is not a human.

It is not a computer.

The greatest teacher in the world is a human using technology to its full potential.”

–Eric Curts, 2023

‘Tis the season for EdTech Cheer, and this year’s theme will not disappoint – Artificial Intelligence (AI). Educators have a lot of responsibilities, and learning about AI is an added task to stay on top of technology trends that impact teaching and learning, making it a stressful time of year. However, EdTech Cheer is here to spread joy by giving, sharing, and learning, hopefully providing clarity to otherwise frosty thinking.

The Transformative Power of AI in Education

AI is continually proving to be a transformative force in education. Understanding AI enables educators to harness its power to personalize learning, adapt teaching strategies, and make data-informed decisions. It equips them with the tools to prepare students for a technology-driven future. It ensures they remain competitive and adaptable in the evolving educational landscape. As an educator, embracing AI as a valuable teaching and learning tool is vital in providing the best possible learning experiences and preparing students for success in THEIR futures.

How Immersive Storytelling Transforms Education, Reaches Reluctant Readers, and Enhances SEL

Written by: Du Bui, STEM Consultant for Kent ISD

As a child, I never got into the Dungeons & Dragons craze. In fact, like many people, I associated it with negative connotations. But a senior in high school helped change my perspective on the game.

To explain, I have a side gig for Oakland University’s Center For Autism. I run a video game club that focuses on developing social skills. Additionally, I work as a social coach using the Brain Health Organization’s Charisma Program. As part of the program, I enter a virtual world to help individuals work through challenging situations, such as meeting someone new for the first time or preparing for a job interview. I take on different roles and change my voice to match the scenario best.

How North Godwin Empowered Education: Turning STEM Dreams into Reality

Written by Karen Baum, Instructional Specialist Godwin Heights Public Schools

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is a fantastic way to engage students in learning about the world around them, develop their problem-solving skills, and provide them with hands-on learning where they can create, collaborate, and think critically. We wanted North Godwin students to have STEM experiences where they could enjoy this type of 21st-century learning, but where to start?

The Journey Begins

Conversations about STEM learning goals began in the Fall of 2019. We worked with Kent ISD consultants Marcus Deja, Wendi Vogel, and Keith Tramper. We discussed what other districts were offering students for STEM learning, and we looked at published programs available for elementary students, like Engineering in Elementary STEM Education (EIE). However, we didn’t find any program that seemed the right fit for our community of learners. Equity was our priority, and we realized that we needed to make our program available to all students to achieve it. To achieve this goal, we decided to offer STEM opportunities during the school day, and we made teacher professional learning central to the design of our program. As we continued to plan for the new year, March 2020 brought COVID and school closures, and our STEM plans were quickly put on the back burner. 

Unleashing Classroom Excitement: Fantasy Football & Esports Transform K-12 Education

As a former 6th-grade teacher, I always tried to incorporate something new and engaging at the start of each year. In my mind, fall represents many new beginnings, so I had to add some new elements to keep things fresh. The leaves started to change color, school began, and two of my favorite sports-related activities kicked off. You may be surprised to learn that I incorporated fantasy football and esports into my classroom activities!

In the fall of 2016 and spring of 2017, I incorporated fantasy football and esports into my English Language Arts class to enhance student engagement. These activities served as reading comprehension tools and provided project-based learning opportunities. Fantasy sports and esports are two of the most popular hobbies in the world, and they are now being used in education to engage students and teach essential skills.

Boring to Brilliant: How to Enhance Your Webinars

Are people really burning out from too many webinars or are they burning out from boring webinars? This question was the focus of a webinar I recently attended called “Seven Secrets to Avoiding a Boring Webinar” hosted by the American Marketing Association.

One of the first topics the presenter discussed was human interaction. Our old style of face-to-face professional learning worked well because we could interact with our audience. If we noticed they were not engaged, we could adjust our presentation accordingly. Unfortunately, right now, many of us are missing the many benefits of human interaction.

Ellin Oliver Keene Returns Virtually to Ignite Engagement

Did you miss Ellin Oliver Keene’s presentation last fall? Well, now is your chance to learn how to ignite engagement in your classroom. Ellin Oliver Keene, the author of Engaging Children: Igniting a Drive for Deeper Learning, will be presenting a virtual course this October to support both face to face classrooms and remote learning!

Participants will be exploring the question: What can we do to help students develop internal motivation, or better yet, engagement? By differentiating between compliance, participation, motivation, and engagement, Ellin will show participants how to develop and recognize true student engagement in the classroom, and how to help students take more responsibility.

Results Show Student Engagement Increase

Written by Diane Titche, Early Literacy Coach at Kent ISD

How do we get our students to be truly and authentically engaged in classroom activities and learning? How can we know when they are engaged, and how do we sustain high levels of engagement once students have reached them?

These are the questions that a small group of educators set out to answer this school year. Together, this cohort of professionals and I embarked on a year-long journey of professional learning grounded in Ellin Oliver Keene’s research on student engagement, which she shares in her book Engaging Children: Igniting a Drive for Deeper Learning (K-8).