The call to serve children is clarion, resonating through time and across countless divides. Transcending culture and community, geography and space, we who teach feel our hearts swell and sing with the vibrations of that call, even when things are hard… and I daresay especially when they are. Teaching in 2018 is not easy. Working in a field that lives at the state of the … [Read more...]
Transforming Learning is All About Mindset
This blog post is part of the VSTE Voice series. VSTE directors, members, and friends share ideas and insights of interest to the VSTE community. Carol Dweck, the author of Mindset, describes mindset as either fixed or growth. The fixed mindset is one that is carved in stone, with no chance of change, while the growth mindset is one that is based on the belief that your … [Read more...]
Teacher Confidence & Effectiveness: 5 Key Factors to Success
Confident and effective teachers make a difference in the lives of students. At the heart of teacher confidence and effectiveness is the ability to understand and support the individual profiles—the strengths and weaknesses—of every student in their classroom. Included in this white paper are keys for professional development, resources, and processes that schools can put in … [Read more...]
4T’s of Technology
The following post was written by VSTE Board Member Janet Copenhaver. In our world today we are overwhelmed by acronyms that are used in government and education and especially social media. However, today I am taking the liberty of creating a new one called the 4 T’s of Technology-Training-Thinking-Teacher. First T: Technology-try-try-try As technology changes rapidly … [Read more...]
Technology for Non-Verbal Students
The following post was written by VSTE member Chelsea VanKerkhove, a special education teacher at Alvey Elementary School in Prince William County. The exceptional students in my classroom are all non-verbal and rely on technology everyday. Technology is not only fundamental for student learning, but necessary for students to communicate. Whether it is an electronic … [Read more...]