The Modern Classroom Blog
Resources, opportunities, and perspectives from the Modern Classrooms Team.
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Parallel Perspectives from Elementary Special Education
In this episode, Zach Diamond is joined by Leslie Pittman, a special educator from Baltimore City Schools to discuss her sixth year in education and her role in teaching math to grades three through five.
3 Ways to Implement Self-Pacing from a Shelby County Educator
Toni Rose met with Ms. Pollard, a Shelby County educator who has a self-paced classroom, and discovered some of her best practices for shifting away from lectures to a self-paced classroom and here is what we learned.
3 Lessons from Baltimore Public Schools
Community Engagement Manager Toni Rose Deanon visited Baltimore City Public Schools this fall and walked away with so many great tips from BCPS educators, we just had to share!
Student Voices from Elementary Modern Classrooms
In this episode, Zach Diamond is joined once more Marlene Tapia-Garcia, this time with three of her 1st grade bilingual Math students to discuss how her students enjoy the variety of learning activities, including math games and videos, and appreciate the flexibility to work at their own pace.
3 Tips from Hoover City Classrooms
Community Engagement Manager Toni Rose Deanon visited Hoover City, Alabama this fall and walked away with so many great tips for educators, we just had to share!
Xian Lu: On Culturally Responsive Teaching
In this episode, Zach Diamond is joined by Xian Lu, a high school World Language teacher and culturally responsive educator. Xian shares her journey from China to the U.S., emphasizing the impact of her early education experiences on her teaching philosophy.
Assignments vs. Mastery Checks: What’s the Difference?
Assignments and mastery checks are both important components of Modern Classrooms. But what’s the difference?
Caregiver Perspectives on Modern Classrooms
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by April Burton, an instructional technology content leader from the Francis Howell School District, to discuss her journey with the Modern Classrooms Project.
Revision & Reassessment Policies
Here are the ways in which Modern Classroom Educators in different grade levels explain revision and reassessment to their students.
Think Like a Scientist with Darius Brown
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Darius Brown, a passionate high school chemistry teacher, who shares his journey into education and his innovative approach to teaching.
Your New Progress Tracker
The heart of a well-run Modern Classroom is its progress-tracking system - teachers and students both need tools that make it easy to see and update their progress. Now introducing: your new progress tracker, featuring Wavio!
Creating a Safe Space for Classroom Innovation
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by school leaders Ryan Cordia and Roxane Thomas (plus a surprise guest!) to talk about how they support teachers who are implementing Modern Classrooms and create a safe space to innovate.
Lessons from an Ethnic Studies Classroom
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Mark Aquino, an experienced Ethnic Studies teacher, to discuss his approach to teaching and the importance of ethnic studies in education
Forget the Pacing Guide - Supporting True Learning with Drea Siford
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Drea Siford, a fourth-grade teacher, who prioritizes student understanding over rigid pacing.
Interactive Learning with GooseChase
In this episode, Zach Diamond is joined by Alyshahn Kara-Virani, co-founder of GooseChase, to discuss how the platform can be used to enhance the classroom experience.
Benefits of Self-Pacing in Skills-Based, Hands-On Classes
Modern Classrooms mentor Mauranda Comley discusses six benefits to self-pacing in hands-on classes such as family and consumer sciences, CTE, and other project-based academic courses.
Leading Innovation in Rural Elementary Schools
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Sara Bennis, a school principal in a rural district.
Successfully Implementing in High School Math
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Sabrina Monserate-Lindsay, a high school math teacher who has successfully implemented the Modern Classrooms Project model in her classroom in the early years of her teaching.
Adapting Modern Classrooms for Young Learners
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Evette Reid, a second-grade teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools who has been implementing a blended, self-paced, mastery-based learning model in her classroom.
Supporting Student-Centered Classrooms with Project-Based Learning
In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Jorge Valenzuela, a renowned performance and education coach with expertise in project-based learning (PBL).