Web & Communications

News

Teachers, we appreciate you.

May 4, 2021May 4, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments emotional resilience, Teacher Appreciation Week

This year, for Teacher Appreciation Week 2021, we decided to do something different. We love and respect and miss and

Events Remote Learning

Lessons Learned from Vermont’s Virtual Academies

March 18, 2021March 22, 2021 Audrey Homan 2 Comments Two Rivers Supervisory Union, Winooski Middle School

We asked three Vermont educators to share some of the most powerful lessons they’ve learned from teaching virtually during the

News

One breath at a time is an acceptable plan

January 6, 2021January 6, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

This is not a new year’s post. And everything seems to have gone terribly wrong that can But one breath

Remote Learning

“Because internet”: learning to communicate in different online spaces

December 8, 2020April 29, 2022 Audrey Homan 1 Comment comments, digital citizenship, proficiency-based learning, transferable skills

When is a “lol” not a “lol”? Would a “ftw” hit as hard by any other name? Two things: Shakespeare’s

Remote Learning

5 keys to a successful virtual parent night: 2020 edition

November 13, 2020November 13, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

How do you blend a time-honored tradition and an unprecedented moment of social, civil and personal upheaval? Carefully. Very carefully.

Events

De-Colonizing Your Thanksgiving Curriculum

November 4, 2020April 14, 2022 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

De-Colonizing Your Thanksgiving Curriculum is the title of an interactive online workshop for educators offered in late October and

Education for Sustainability Events

4 tales of outdoor education in Vermont

October 30, 2020November 4, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

What does outdoor education and place-based learning look like right now? One of the recommendations from leading health officials

Remote Learning

4 ways to re-take taking attendance

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment

Because being “present” is very different from simply being here. Everyone reading this blog has very clearly moved on from

#vted Reads

#vted Reads with Jo Knowles

September 28, 2020October 1, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment

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Yeah. Me too. Everything is a lot. Everything… keeps getting to be even more of a lot, and somehow we

Remote Learning

Best practices for videoconferencing with students

September 14, 2020September 18, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

In some way, shape or form, we are all going to be using videoconferencing with students in the near future,

Self-directed learning

What can we learn from summer unschooling?

August 31, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments summer, ubiquitous learning

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to think and talk about innovative school change. It’s difficult to see the start of this

#vted Reads

#vted Reads with Aimee Arandia Østensen

August 26, 2020February 11, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

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This show is a little different. Listeners, I want you to think of this show… as a pre-show. Let me

The 21st Century Classroom

Graduations in the time of COVID-19

July 1, 2020April 29, 2022 Audrey Homan 14 Comments GRCSU, Poultney Elementary School, Warren Elementary School

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A couple of weeks ago, we had the chance to take part in a collaboration between the Vermont Agency of

#vted Reads

#vted Reads: Hemingway, with Elijah Hawkes

June 8, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment Cherie Dimaline, equity, Ernest Hemingway, racial justice, Ruha Benjamin, social justice, The Marrow Thieves

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Listeners: our hearts are breaking. Our hearts are breaking for all of Vermont’s Black students, Black educators, and Black families.

#vted Reads

#vted Reads with Mike McRaith

May 20, 2020May 19, 2020 Audrey Homan 2 Comments

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I’m Jeanie Phillips, and welcome to Vermont Ed Reads: books by, for and with Vermont educators. Today on the show,

Proficiency-Based Learning The 21st Century Classroom

Hunter education in Vermont

May 14, 2020April 13, 2022 Audrey Homan 3 Comments hunter education

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In this episode of The 21st Century Classroom: I don’t think a lot of people think that I’m a hunter.

Remote Learning

How to get physical copies of books to students

April 23, 2020February 11, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments librarians, literacy, little free library

Getting books in the hands of students is crucial to supporting their sense of well-being and reducing anxiety during the

#vted Reads

#vted Reads: Guts, with Lindsey Halman

March 27, 2020February 11, 2021 Audrey Homan 2 Comments anxiety, mindfulness

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I’m Jeanie Phillips, and welcome back to #vted Reads, the podcast for, by and with Vermont educators. And I? Am

Remote Learning

Setting online norms for faculty meetings

March 26, 2020March 26, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments #Zoom, videoconferencing

We find ourselves in a new frontier, suddenly in each other’s homes with online faculty meetings. Now that we are

Remote Learning

Creating a new schedule for remote learning

March 15, 2020March 16, 2020 Audrey Homan 2 Comments

So you’re moving to remote learning. There’s a lot to prepare for, and before anything else, relationships to maintain, strengthen

#vted Reads Proficiency-Based Learning

#vted Reads: The Standards-Based Classroom

March 4, 2020May 26, 2020 Audrey Homan 3 Comments Champlain Valley Union High School

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I’m Jeanie Phillips and welcome back to #vted Reads: books by, for and with Vermont educators. Today is a little

Pop Up eduvideo: make a chapter segment in iMovie

Videos

How to make a pop-up video

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

Ahem. Or a pop-up edu-video. Here’s one we made earlier! And yes, we were inspired by the late great VH-1

#vted Reads

#vted Reads at Teen Lit Mob 2019!

February 21, 2020May 26, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Teen Lit Mob

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I’m Jeanie Phillips: welcome to #vted Reads, the podcast by for and with Vermont educators. And today, with Vermont students

#vted Reads

#vted Reads: Juliet Takes a Breath

February 7, 2020February 11, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments allyship, equity, microaggressions, preferred pronouns

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Welcome back to #vted Reads! The podcast for, with and by Vermont educators. I’m Jeanie Phillips and in this episode,

News

Warm winter greetings, friends

February 6, 2020February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 2 Comments Compassionate Systems Framework, winter

Do you have your own yearly cycle of internal seasons? I think I’m realizing I do: spring is a time

Self-directed learning

Self-awareness and self-direction

January 30, 2020March 26, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Heidi Baitz, Ludlow Elementary School, self awareness, self-direction

I’m going to be honest with you, writing this blog post about self-direction has taken, well, a lot of self-direction.

Project-Based Learning Service Learning

A critical lens on project-based learning

January 27, 2020February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 3 Comments asset-based pedagogy, Burke Town School, Edmunds Middle School, equity

When we talk about a student in an intervention meeting, we often start with what is amazing about that student.

Transferable Skills

3 ways to bring positive emotional energy to your school

January 24, 2020February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment emotional energy, emotional resilience, gratitude journal, mindfulness

Positive emotional energy makes positive learning. We need systems focused on creating positive and safe climates. We also need, as

#vted Reads

#vted Reads: Dive Into Inquiry

January 22, 2020February 11, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Burr & Burton Academy, controlled inquiry, free inquiry, guided inquiry, inquiry, scaffolding learning, self-directed learning, self-direction, structured inquiry

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Welcome to another episode of #vted Reads! We’re so glad you could make it. In this episode, we talk with

The 21st Century Classroom

What CVU students want you to know about education

January 20, 2020February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 2 Comments Champlain Valley Union High School, equity

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Today on the 21st Century Classroom: Beckett: When the school systems were created was to produce factory workers, to have

Uncategorized

The Teacher Leaders Hero’s Journey

January 8, 2020February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments

Teacher Leaders are agents of innovative school change Situated in the heart center of education, teacher leaders are the true

News

Reboot, not resolutions

January 7, 2020February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment emotional resilience, new year, resolutions

Hello there! Happy New Year! We hope you had a relaxing and restorative break filled with whatever it is that

News

Wishing you a relaxing & restorative winter break

December 18, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 3 Comments

Much happening this week in our worlds. And equally much to look forward to as we approach not only school

News

Winter flavors for 2019

December 16, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment

Yes yes, usually we do book recommendations for the upcoming winter break. However, let’s try something new: flavors of winter

Reflection

To the emotional resilience of educators

December 13, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 7 Comments emotional labor

I remember coming home from teaching in the evening, and changing clothes. I would sit down in the darkness of

#vted Reads

#vted Reads: Look Both Ways

December 4, 2019May 26, 2020 Audrey Homan 3 Comments Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree, Jason Reynolds

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with Kendra LaRoche Here at #vted Reads, we are big fans of finding yourself in a book. Whether you’re a

News

A very happy Thanksgiving

November 27, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments self-care, Thanksgiving

You made it to break! The longest stretch of the school year with no breaks? That’s *behind* you. And we

students at the Middlebury Youth Climate Strike hold up homemade signs

Community-based learning The 21st Century Classroom

What I Learned at the Youth Climate Strike

November 22, 2019November 22, 2019 Audrey Homan 4 Comments

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On this episode of the 21st Century Classroom: Veronica: My name is Veronica, I’m 13, and I’m in eighth grade.

On The Come Up: guest Marley Evans, left, with host Jeanie Phillips.

#vted Reads

#vted Reads: On The Come Up

November 18, 2019February 11, 2021 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Angie Thomas, Charlotte Central School, equity, Marley Evans, Mississippi, systemic racism, trauma-informed education

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Hoo boy, we have a CORKER of an episode for you today, with On The Come Up, by Angie Thomas.

Proficiency-Based Learning

Knitting, algebra, & the promise of proficiencies

November 11, 2019February 8, 2021 Audrey Homan 2 Comments algebra, knitting

What could it look like to get credit for real world math proficiency? Here’s something you should know about me:

News

Educators, what are you afraid of?

October 29, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 2 Comments fearless and flawless

This past weekend started like many others. An early morning trip to the local hardware store with coffee and daughter

PLPs Student-Led Conferences

PLPs in Seesaw

October 28, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Ottauquechee School, Seesaw, Sutton School

Seeing students for who they are and what they can do We’re all still looking at various tools for building

Stories from VT Students

What Orleans students want you to know about student voice

October 21, 2019February 25, 2020 Audrey Homan 1 Comment community, Orleans Elementary School, student voice

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On this episode of The 21st Century Classroom: It makes me happy to come to school every day, because

Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades: A Guide for Classroom Teachers and School Leaders book cover

News

Tarrant Institute writes the book on Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades

June 21, 2019October 7, 2019 Audrey Homan 1 Comment

The Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education’s recent book, Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades, published by Harvard Education Press, places

Uncategorized

What does integrated studies look like at Flood Brook?

June 3, 2019November 15, 2019 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops, Flood Brook Union School

At Flood Brook School, middle level teachers believe in an integrated approach to curriculum delivery. Four years into implementing an

Service Learning Stories from VT Students ThisIsVTED

Connecting Vermont students with dairy farms

May 31, 2019June 7, 2019 Audrey Homan 5 Comments Cabot Leads, Molly Brook Farm, The Cabot School, Vermont dairy

There’s more math, biology, and chemistry than you’d think. It’s a wintry morning in one of the coldest Februarys in

Stories from VT Students

What do curiosity projects look like?

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School

“I think every school should do it!” Soup to nuts, curiosity projects — Genius Hour, 20% time or passion projects

Uncategorized

Jon Brown’s Learning Lab Lessons Learned

May 20, 2019November 15, 2019 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops

Bright Spots: They say imitation is the highest form of flattery… I guess I’m flattered. It never ceases to amaze

Stories from VT Students ThisIsVTED

How to make real, sustainable change in the Northeast Kingdom

May 14, 2019April 13, 2022 Audrey Homan 0 Comments bike trails, Burke Town Offices, Burke Town School, climate change, Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability, Global Goals, King Arthur Flour, Kingdom East, Shelburne Farms, sustainability, Trout Unlimited

Think Global Goals, make local change The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals are ambitious goals that countries, organizations, and

Equity Stories from VT Students

Equity and the in-school business

April 15, 2019March 23, 2021 Audrey Homan 2 Comments culture, economics, equity, field trips, holiday bazaar, in-school business, Mettawee Community School

Mettawee Community School, in West Pawlet VT, loves tradition. They’re a small, tight-knit school in a rural area, and home

Learning Lab VT

Sam Nelson’s Bright Spots & Belly Flops

April 12, 2019November 15, 2019 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops, Shelburne Community School

What’s the plan? Here’s a quick reminder of my focus question for this year’s Learning Lab: How can social justice

Learning Lab VT

Tom Drake’s Bright Spots & Belly Flops

April 8, 2019November 15, 2019 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops, Crossett Brook Middle School

Without question a big #highfive goes out to the opening of classroom and school doors through visiting other schools and

Action Research Reflection

Increasing student engagement in PLPs at Williston Central

April 1, 2019April 29, 2022 Audrey Homan 0 Comments goal-setting, Google Forms, MGC, proficiency-based learning, Protean, sketchnoting, student surveys, student voice, transferable skills, ubiquitous learning, Williston Central School

It’s about providing choice in reflection tools Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs) across the state have taken many different forms and

Learning Lab VT

The Year of Yes

March 26, 2019November 15, 2019 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops, Charlotte Central School, flexible seating, passion projects, silent reading

The Year of Yes Or, Why My Kids Have Their Phones Out… I am a stickler for a plan. Type

News

Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades

March 25, 2019April 12, 2022 Audrey Homan 1 Comment Harvard Education Press, our book, personalized learning, Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades, personalized learning plan, personalized learning plans, PLP, PLPs, portfolio, portfolios

How do educators personalize learning to engage, inspire & motivate students? We’re pleased to share that our new book,

Learning Lab VT

Courtney Elliott’s Bright Spots and Belly Flops

March 19, 2019November 15, 2019 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops, Proctor Elementary School

Students in Courtney Elliott’s class work on a Mystery Skype with a class in Wisconsin to demonstrate communication skills

Learning Lab VT

Corey Smith’s Bright Spot Belly Flops

March 11, 2019March 5, 2020 Audrey Homan bright spots and belly flops, Proctor Elementary School

Inquiry Question: How might personalization through self-reflection, self-assessment, and flexible grouping and scheduling across grades 3 and 4 at

Charlotte Central School project-based learning

Action Research

How do you measure success with project-based learning?

February 25, 2019April 1, 2019 Audrey Homan 0 Comments Buck Institute, Charlotte Central School, design thinking, iteration, learning through failure, MGC, NGSS

“A Tale of Three Projects” Two Vermont educators share how they measure success with project-based learning units… in space! Allan

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