Student engagement
The Future of Learning
By Guest Blogger on May 17th, 2017
What’s so great about sci-fi and fantasy?
These genres allow us to explore complicated ideas in an intriguing way, and both students and adults love them.
Take The Hunger Games and Harry Potter.
Aside from the excitement of these blockbuster hits, they also tackle real-world issues like poverty, oppression, love, death, and war.
To hook students into the learning process, FLVS tries to find ways to incorporate these types of imaginative elements into our courses to teach and captivate them.
From gaming to virtual reality to medical advances, the FLVS curriculum team is always searching for new and innovative trends that can inform course development. Continue reading
How Career & Technical Education Changed My Life
By Guest Blogger on February 21st, 2017
In honor of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, I would like to reflect on the influence CTE has had on my life – even though I didn’t realize it until a decade later.
As a teenager, I wasn’t a big fan of school. Classes, homework, and way too much science! I couldn’t stand it.
However, every time I left my rural campus to assist nurses at the local hospital, I felt the thrill of escape and the fun of doing something new. So, for all the wrong reasons, I enrolled in my high school’s nursing program and was quickly on my way to plenty of time not in school. The perfect plan!
It didn’t take long for me to learn my first CTE lesson: there is much more to a nursing program than wearing scrubs and getting out of class. I’d signed up for a daily, three-hour block of anatomy and physiology, as well as an introduction to nursing skills. Yep, my brilliant plan to escape school somehow locked me into three hours of science a day. Continue reading
Blueprints for Building Community
By Guest Blogger on August 11th, 2016
When I share with people (especially those who are teaching in traditional classrooms) that I’ve shifted into high gear preparing for a new year with my students, I must admit, I’ve gotten a lot of puzzled looks and questions, like “What exactly do you need to do? I mean, you teach virtually.”
Before I answer (or take offense), I take a relaxed breath and smile.
Because, like them, exactly one year ago, I didn’t have a clue.
So how do virtual elementary teachers prepare for a new crop of eager learners? Luckily, for all the new teachers just starting this adventure, the blueprint is surprisingly similar to a brick-and-mortar school. The 2016-17 year kicked off this past week by building community. Continue reading
The FLVS Minions
By Guest Blogger on May 17th, 2016
Young adolescents require drastically different and unique approaches to education.
Middle school educators have always understood that the biological events of puberty fundamentally disrupt the somewhat smooth development of elementary school years and has a profound impact upon the cognitive, social, and emotional lives of young teens.
In line with this important insight, educators see the need for the delivery of special instructional and administrative changes in the way that education takes place for kids in early adolescence.
Continue reading
Teach Me With Minecraft: Contest Winners
By Guest Blogger on July 25th, 2014
The votes are in!
We are so excited to announce the winners for our “Teach Me With Minecraft” competition. Our goal was to learn more about what can be taught from games like Minecraft and how we can use similar interactive elements in our FLVS courses.
We had hundreds of amazing submissions and have learned so much from your Minecraft builds!
Congratulations to all the winners, and to everyone who submitted a build…YOU ROCK!
Keep Them Learning All Summer Long (3 of 3)
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on July 22nd, 2014
Enrichment Activities for Families
This is part three of a three-part FLVS Virtual Voice blog series about enriching activities that will keep students learning all summer long. Part one shared enriching opportunities that can be found at your local public library. Part two focused on Geocaching. This post (part three) is all about art.
This summer, in between the barbeques and fun in the sun, take a moment to soak in the enriching art and cultural activities of your community.
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas
Keep Them Learning All Summer Long (2 of 3)
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on July 18th, 2014
Enrichment Activities for Families
It’s summer! In between the summer camps, pool parties, and lazy summer days, I encourage parents to add one more activity to their summer calendar: enrichment.
In part one of this three-part Virtual Voice blog series, I shared enrichment opportunities that could be found at your local public library.
For part two, I will be sharing another enriching activity that will keep students learning all summer long: geocaching. Continue reading
Keep Them Learning All Summer Long (1 of 3)
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on July 16th, 2014
Enrichment Activities for Families
In this three-part FLVS Virtual Voice blog series, I will share enriching activities to keep students learning all summer long.
As our children enjoy the long days of summer vacation, parents all over the country have been hyperventilating as they fill 10 weeks of play dates, summer camps, pool parties, and weekend family adventures. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned parent’s eyes glaze over. As an educator I encourage parents to add one more activity to their summer calendar: enrichment.
Now wait!
10 Engaging Facts About Engagement
By Guest Blogger on December 12th, 2013
Student Engagement is what I do.
I research it. Blog about it. Present about it. Make infographics about it. It’s even in my job title. All day, everyday, it’s student engagement.
My official title is “Student Engagement Technician,” but I like to think of myself as an Ideator/Innovator/Gamer/Trend Creator/Researcher/Connector/Explainer. I spend my days researching student trends—music, viral videos, websites, blogs, social media…anything and everything, trying to find ways to connect them to student learning and course development. Continue reading