Strong communication is key to any relationship. However, the most influential form of communication is non-verbal. However, in a virtual world, how do you express non-verbal communication through an email, in a newsletter, or a text? Nonverbal reduces conflict, promotes positive relationships, encourages communication, which makes you approachable. Today on the podcast, Laura-Sue and I brainstorm how to apply effective communication with our students, co-workers, and administration.

Thank you so much for a great season 2! I hope you learned so much! Season 3 will come hopefully come in Winter 2021 or Spring 2022! I know that sounds forever away, but I am currently pregnant with my second child due in April 2021. I'll be taking the summer off for maternity leave and then come back in August 2021. Please make sure you follow the podcast on Facebook and Instagram because I'll still be active on those social media pages between now and season 3.

Episode Info
Guest: Laura-Sue Karl 

• Linkedin: Laura-Sue Karl, M. Ed

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The music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner.
Licensed through Taketones

References

Albalawi, H., & Nadeem, M. (2020). Exploring the impact of ineffective formal communication between teachers and students: A case study of mustaqbal university and jubail university college, kingdom of saudi arabia. English Language Teaching, 13(3), 68–76.

Kuusimäki, A.-M., Uusitalo-Malmivaara, L., & Tirri, K. (2019). Parents’ and teachers’ views on digital communication in finland. Education Research International, 1-8.

This week on the podcast I had the honor of speaking with Katy Pointer. She's a lead elementary teacher who also teaches 5th-grade math. She is the queen of formative assessments and she had so much to share. We also brainstormed many issues that virtual teachers have with formative assessments from grading and validity.  After listening to today's episode, head on over to our social media pages and share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for formative assessments.

Resources Discussed with Katy:

• GoFomative
• Edulastics
• Pixton (Bitmoji Alternative) 

Episode Info
Guest: Katy Pointer

• Instagram: @virtually_5th_grade

Join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook!!
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The music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner.
Licensed through Taketones

References
January, S.-A. A., Van Norman, E. R., Christ, T. J., Ardoin, S. P., Eckert, T. L., & White, M. J. (2018). Progress monitoring in reading: Comparison of weekly, bimonthly, and monthly assessments for students at risk for reading difficulties in grades 2-4. School Psychology Review, 47(1), 83–94.

Jones, F. G., Gifford, D., Yovanoff, P., Al Otaiba, S., Levy, D., & Allor, J. (2018). Alternate assessment formats for progress monitoring students with intellectual disabilities and below average IQ: An exploratory study. In Grantee Submission. Grantee Submission.

Militello, M., & Heffernan, N. (2009). Which one is just right? What every educator should know about formative assessment systems. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 4(3). 

Raising morale and building a community should not be a hard thing, but it’s often neglected. The value is sometimes lost within a school or classroom. As I think about my favorite jobs and classes, they all felt like a family or a community. I was seen and heard. Research proves that high job satisfaction leads to higher academic achievement (Kengatharan, 2020). Today on the podcast, I talk to two educators: Mrs. Wynn, an Elementary Principal, and Mrs. Dillon, a fifth-grade teacher at the same school. This school has experienced so much growth in school moral/climate to academic gains in the past year. Both educators share amazing tips and strategies that build a community among teachers and students.

Episode Info
Guest: Kelly Wynn

• Linkedin: Kelly Wynn

Guest: Staci Dillon

• Instagram: @all.about.that.class
• Facebook: All About That Class
• Tik Tok: @allaboutthatclass

Join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook!!
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The music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner.
Licensed through Taketones

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for encouragement, inspiration, or entertainment. This is not an advice show, coaching recommendations, and should not be taken as instruction.

References

Kengatharan, N. (2020). The Effects of teacher autonomy, student behavior, and student engagement on teacher job satisfaction. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 20(4), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.12738/jestp.2020.4.001

Liu, W.-S., Li, X.-W., & Zou, Y.-M. (2019). The Formation of teachers’ intrinsic motivation in professional development. Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 53(3), 418–430. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-018-9465-3

Molero Jurado, M. del M., Pérez-Fuentes, M. del C., Atria, L., Oropesa Ruiz, N. F., & Gázquez Linares, J. J. (2019). Burnout, perceived efficacy, and job satisfaction: Perception of the educational context in high school teachers. BioMed Research International, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/1021408

Serin. (2018). The Use of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivations to Enhance Student Achievement in Educational Settings. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 5(1), 191–194. https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v5i1p191

Sreckovic, M. A., Schultz, T. R., Kenney, C. K., & Able, H. (2018). Building community in the inclusive classroom: Setting the stage for success. YC Young Children, 73(3), 75-81.

Watson, M., Daly, L., Smith, G., & Rabin, C. (2019). Building a classroom community that supports students’ social/moral development. Teacher Education Quarterly, 4, 10-30.

Lindsey Howe spent years teaching students the life skill of test-taking concerning the SAT/ACT. The aim is to support students to worry about the test less to show their knowledge and skills more. No one likes standardized testing, but unfortunately, testing is here to stay. I know I personally clam up with nerves at the idea of taking a quiz. Our students are experiencing the same, but more exposure and practice can lower the anxiety.

Educators will always need formative and summative assessments, but I hope they are not such high stakes someday. Additionally, most careers require certification tests from educators, construction inspectors, architects, engineers, plumbers, doctors, and lawyers, which requires test-taking skills. Thankfully America is taking steps in the right direction, such as colleges moving away from requiring the SAT or ACT or high schools are using the ACT/SAT exam as their end-of-year exam. Hence, all students have the opportunity to take it for college acceptance.

Episode Info
Guest: Lindsey Howe

• Instagram @virtuallyinspiring

Join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook!!
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Your Host: Kimberly Ring

Instagram @Kimberly_ring
Facebook @Kimberly.ring
Linkedin: Kimberly Ring

Support the Show

• Subscribe today
• Share with a friend
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The music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner.
Licensed through Taketones

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for encouragement, inspiration, or entertainment. This is not an advice show, coaching recommendations, and should not be taken as instruction.

References

Douglass, J. A., & University of California, B. C. for S. in H. E. (2019). Berkeley versus the SAT: A regent, a chancellor and a debate on the value of standardized testing in admissions. Research & occasional paper series: CSHE.3.2019. Center for Studies in Higher Education. Center for Studies in Higher Education.

Rainey, A. (1996). Effect of american college testing (ACT) coaching courses on american college testing scores.

Strachan, M. (2019). Ban the SAT and ACT. Vice, https://www.vice.com/en/article/qvgyqm/ban-the-sat-and-act

Chelsea Gill virtual RTI teacher at Oregon Virtual Academy. She has spent years perfecting her practice. During season 1 of the virtual classroom, Chelsea and I discussed several different reading strategies to support students who are struggling in reading. Today we spoke about the instructional strategy Flipped Classroom. The flipped classroom is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning focused on student engagement and active learning, giving the instructor a better opportunity to deal with mixed levels, student difficulties, and differentiated learning preferences during in-class time. Chelsea explains how she has applied this strategy in her virtual classroom.

Episode Info
Guest: Chelsea Gill

• Instagram @virtual.reading.teacher
• TpT Store: Tick Tock Curriculum
• Shirt & Hoodies: Virtual Reading Teacher

Join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook!!
Follow The Virtual Classroom on 

• Instagram @thevirtualclassroom
• Facebook @thevirtualclassroompod
• Youtube @thevirtualclassroom
• Facebook Group: TheVT Lounge

Your Host: Kimberly Ring

Instagram @Kimberly_ring
Facebook @Kimberly.ring
Linkedin: Kimberly Ring

Support the Show

• Subscribe today
• Share with a friend
• Leave a review
• Buy from the stores
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The music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner.
Licensed through Taketones

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for encouragement, inspiration, or entertainment. This is not an advice show, coaching recommendations, and should not be taken as instruction.

References
Bolatli, Z., & Korucu, A. T. (2020). Determining the academic achievement of students who use flipped classroom method supported by a mobile application and their views on collaborative learning. Bartin University Journal of Faculty of Education, 9(2), 229–251. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.631835

McNally, B., Chipperfield, J., Dorsett, P., Fabbro, L., Frommolt, V., Goetz, S., Lewohl, J., Molineux, M., Pearson, A., Reddan, G., Roiko, A., & Rung, A. (2017). Flipped classroom experiences: student preferences and flip strategy in a higher education context. Higher Education (00181560), 73(2), 281–298. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-0014-z

Tekin, P. Ş., Ilgaz, H., Adanır, G. A., Yıldırım, D., & Gülbahar, Y. (2020). Flipping e-learning for teaching medical terminology: A study of learners’ online experiences and perceptions. Online Learning, 24(2), 76–93. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i2.2030

Dyslexia makes up 80% of learning disabilities, yet often teachers aren't given instruction or PD on how to support these students (Degirmenci et al. 2020, p 31). Dr. Lauren is a Dyslexia Advocate with a doctorate in Education. Her experiences range from being a Special Education teacher to a Learning Specialist/Instructional Coach. Her insight into dyslexia was exactly what I was looking for in explaining dyslexia in simple terms and ideas on supporting students with dyslexia. I hope that through this conversation, you find simple solutions to implement in your virtual classrooms. Don’t forget to head over to our social media pages to share any ideas you have to support dyslexia students!

Episode Info
Guest: Dr. Lauren

• Instagram @think_dyslexia
• Twitter: @think_dysleixa
• Linkedin: Dr. Lauren

Resources:

• Color Scheme most pleasant for your mind: www.irlen.com
• Gamification Website: https://www.genial.ly/
• Orton-Gillingham: www.ortonacademy.org

Join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook!!
Follow The Virtual Classroom on 

• Instagram @thevirtualclassroom
• Facebook @thevirtualclassroompod
• Youtube @thevirtualclassroom
• Facebook Group: TheVT Lounge

Your Host: Kimberly Ring

Instagram @Kimberly_ring
Facebook @Kimberly.ring
Linkedin: Kimberly Ring

Support the Show

• Subscribe today
• Share with a friend
• Leave a review
• Buy from the stores
  • Redbubble
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Music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner
Licensed through Taketones

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for encouragement, inspiration, or entertainment. This is not an advice show, coaching recommendations, and should not be taken as instruction.

References

Degirmenci, N., Baglama, B., & Yucesoy, Y. (2020). The Use of technology in dyslexia: An analysis of recent trends. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15(5), 30–39. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i05.11921

Fallon, K. A., & Katz, L. A. (2020). Structured literacy intervention for students with dyslexia: Focus on growing morphological skills. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 51(2), 336–344. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_LSHSS-19-00019

Shaw, S. C. K., Hennessy, L. R., Okorie, M., & Anderson, J. L. (2019). Safe and effective prescribing with dyslexia. BMC Medical Education, 19(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1709-5 


 

Nicole Bryson is an expert in ELA/Writing and a District Teacher of the Year winner. Last year alone, she received over 50 hours of professional development in writing. In the 21st Century, students need much more than content knowledge. There are specific skills required to be successful that can and should be taught through content. Skills that include: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy, media literacy, technology literacy, flexibility, leadership, initiative, productivity, and social skills.  Wouldn't we all agree that all careers require these skills in the form of writing? Would we then agree that we should teach our students these skills in their writing?

In today's episode, Nicole and I discuss why students should write regularly and how to implement writing in our virtual classrooms. Writing is not limited to ELA classes and a writing workshop. Research has proven repeatedly (see references below) that writing leads to academic gains when used cross-curricular.

Episode Info
Guest: Nicole Bryson

• Instagram @nbryson

Join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook!!
Follow The Virtual Classroom on 

• Instagram @thevirtualclassroom
• Facebook @thevirtualclassroompod
• Youtube @thevirtualclassroom
• Facebook Group: TheVT Lounge

Your Host: Kimberly Ring

Instagram @Kimberly_ring
Facebook @Kimberly.ring
Linkedin: Kimberly Ring

Support the Show

• Subscribe today
• Share with a friend
• Leave a review
• Buy from the stores
  • Redbubble
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Music for the show is "Journey to the Dream" by Alex Stoner
Licensed through Taketones

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for encouragement, inspiration, or entertainment. This is not an advice show, coaching recommendations, and should not be taken as instruction.

References

Costello, D. (2020). Linking Literacy and Matii: Applying the Writing Process to Mathematics. Ontario Mathematics Gazette, 58(3), 12–14.

Forbes, K. (2019). Teaching for transfer between first and foreign language classroom contexts: Developing a framework for a strategy-based, cross-curricular approach to writing pedagogy. Writing & Pedagogy, 11(1), 101–126. https://doi.org/10.1558/wap.34601

Hebert, M. A., Bohaty, J., Roehling, J., & Powell, S. R. (2019). Piloting a Mathematics‐Writing Intervention with Late Elementary Students At‐Risk for Learning Difficulties. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice (Wiley-Blackwell), 34(3), 144–157. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12202

Hendricks, C. C. (2018). Reframing the Relational: A Pedagogical Ethic for Cross-Curricular Literacy Work. WAC Journal, 29, 247–251.

Locke, T. (2015). The Impact of Intensive Writing Workshop Professional Development on a Cross-Curricular Group of Secondary Teachers. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 50(1), 137–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-015-0003-2