Educators Blog

5 Ways PBL Can Benefit ELLs

Summer vacation has just begun, but that doesn’t mean a teacher’s brain isn’t still in school, reflecting on practice in a most challenging year; thinking about how to improve instruction when they return to the classroom in August. Among those […]

Addressing the Needs of English Language Learners in the Classroom

Teaching during the 2020-21 school year was a learning experience for everyone. Quick shifts from in-person to virtual instruction had heads spinning. Navigating classrooms of sometimes invisible students felt like driving with a blindfold. And, […]

How to Connect with Students at the Start of the School Year

The start of the school year is an exciting and important time for educators and students. Read these tips for planning and creating a welcoming classroom environment focused on student success to set the stage for a supportive learning atmosphere […]

STEM for All Through Meaningful Project Based Learning

On March 9, 2021, Defined Learning hosted a virtual PBL & STEM Summit. With over 2000 participants from across the nation, the summit featured a session by Tabitha Branum, Deputy Superintendent of Schools and Kyndra Johnson, Executive Director of […]

Outdoor STEM for the Summertime

Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy your surroundings. Kids and families can take advantage of summer weather by finding the science, technology, engineering, and math in the outdoors. Just because there is no school doesn’t mean we […]

Professional Development That Changed My Teaching and Inspired My Students

Educators have many options to hone their craft in the quest of becoming better teachers. Professional development (PD) opportunities include: 1) improving teachers’ content knowledge; 2) updating teaching practices; 3) learning how to work with new […]

Connecticut Dept. of Education Adopts Defined Learning for All Students

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) announced a statewide partnership with Defined Learning for the 2021-2022 school year.

Defined Learning was selected after a thorough procurement process. The online curriculum directly supports […]

How to Plan Well-Designed, Innovative Lessons that Boost Student Engagement

The past school year has taught us all a lot of valuable lessons. In spite of the challenges that came with a year of “non-traditional” school and experiencing a “new normal,” we also saw tremendous gains in our professional skills and in our […]

Changing the Culture of Professional Learning Through Micro-Credentialing

A deputy superintendent at a large district in Texas explains how her district is transforming professional learning through micro-credentialing.

With 54 school campuses and nearly 40,000 students, Richardson ISD has been recognized in Texas and […]

Springtime Activities that Encourage STEM Curiosity

At the end of the year, it is great to find something fun and relevant to use to engage your students in STEM learning. May 16^th is National Love a Tree Day and you can celebrate this day by taking your students outside to count trees, measure […]