By Lauren Hurt-Ashwin From kinder through high school, students give us 20,000 hours of their lives. It’s no surprise they eventually start asking, “Why are we learning this?” That’s actually a valid question! Authenticity helps students find relevance in their…
Everybody wants to have a fun, positive culture. You can implement all the strategies you want, but at the end of the day, a strong culture trumps strategy. Culture enables teams to work more efficiently and produce higher quality results….
One of my close friends told me that her son loved his 5th-grade learning experience. She said he would come home every day saying how cool his teacher was and how they were learning in groups and were allowed to…
by Janet Mobley With the holiday season approaching, think of all of the food that will be prepared as families and friends gather together. Just for a second, envision how someone’s plate might look with turkey, ham, dressing (delicious), mashed…
As educators, we have an amazing responsibility and mission to prepare our children for college, careers, and life. We bring formal education and life experiences to the learning environment. While academic achievement around content standards is critical and necessary, we…
By Albert Martinez We’ve all been involved in projects, whether in the workplace or at home. We’ve also experienced the much-dreaded project failure. Why does it happen to us and what did we miss? In K-12, schools not only need…
Ever wanted to go back and relive your scouting days? Great news! You can earn badges through e2L Studio. You can save them on to your eStudio Profile or even print them out and put them on the walls of…
Too often blended learning is thought of as a one-off addition, or that it’s only for STEM and STEAM programs. Some believe only magnet schools and gifted and talented programs can make blended learning a reality. Fortunately, none of this…
Did you know that traditional classroom design comes from the Industrial Era? This outdated learning environment design pushes obedience over autonomy and recitation over actual learning. How many workplaces do you know of where the boss stands at the front…
Humans analyze almost constantly throughout our day. We ask ourselves numerous questions as we plan our actions. What time do I need to leave to get to work? How do I phrase something in a meeting? Adults aren’t unique in…
Picture this: you sign up to attend a professional development program and you’re fired up about the speakers and topics. You’re eager to soak everything in and really get some great takeaways from the experience. But then the speaker comes…
Digital literacy is the key to navigating an uncertain but bright future. As the world continues to digitize in new, exciting ways, it’s clear that our students’ futures will be filled with screens. They need to not only understand technology,…
By Teresa Tate As a teacher, I pondered how I could deliver direct instruction that my students needed if they were working independently or in small groups. I questioned, “How can my students learn if I’m not directly teaching them?”…
The world of education is in constant flux, and as a team of educators, so are we. Check out engage2learn’s new look, which we’ve updated to better reflect our mission. Why a rebrand? A vital part of e2L’s mission is…
We firmly believe that education will continue to modernize thanks to the growing technology trends. EdTech promises to make our learning more efficient as it plays a central role in public schools. In fact, ISTE recently released a report on…
One classroom. One teacher. An average of 30 students per class. Deadlines. Curriculum. Pacing guides. Formal exams. Gaps. Grades and report cards. Add to that, the expectation that students must learn, “How to learn” in contrast to “What to learn”…
You know those students who sit in the back row of the classroom and are usually either asleep or otherwise oblivious to what is going on around them? The ones who avoid the front row like the plague? The ones…
By Christin Leggett As an educator and military spouse, I often find myself looking for an explanation for our life’s purpose. After all, those living a similar gypsy lifestyle are all too…
The e2L team is no stranger to Future Ready learning. But as our mission progresses, we find there’s sometimes a need to adjust our thought process, and thus change the terminology we use for that process. For this reason, we’re…
By Shannon Buerk You know how when you walk into a place and you get an immediate sense of the culture? Places have a feel to them. I remember my classroom when I was a first-year teacher. It was sterile….
Leaders are the heart of their campus. A leader’s decisions can determine student outcomes, teacher success, and even the campus culture as a whole. A campus culture is a unique outlook or set of behaviors that defines a school–but did…
We live in an ever-changing world. As our futures evolve, our approach to learning and teaching must also evolve to keep up with the economy of tomorrow. It’s our mission at engage2learn to make sure learners are prepared for this…
All schools have their challenges. But an “Improvement Required” campus faces additional challenges and pressures. Where does a campus turn to find help in facilitating an IR turnaround? What’s the best way to get a school out of IR status…
by Shannon K. Buerk People often ask me if I had always planned to own my own business. The answer is surprisingly no! I thought I would be a classroom teacher until our children graduated and then become a professor….
Learning doesn’t happen without an effective environment. Even if we coach and train teachers and leaders to the best of their abilities, they still rely on an amazing environment to facilitate learning. That’s why public schools often find themselves evaluating…
It’s a new year, and it’s a fresh chance to make and meet new goals. As we dive headfirst into 2018, one thing is for sure: technology will continue to play a huge role in education. Although tech can’t replace…
When building a house, one of the key components is the framework. It starts with a vision, a solid blueprint plus a plan for implementation. Once construction begins, the team works together to bring the vision/call to action of the…
I’m so excited to start our Game Changers series again this year! This is one of my favorite things that we have ever done. I love to learn from other people so much, and being able to learn from the…
Classrooms are sacred places for our youth. This is where the foundational skills needed to graduate and reach their personal goals are established. Students who have solid foundations easily stand out in a crowd. Their Life Ready Skills speak loudly…
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully….
“Having a safe space to imagine and dream and (re)invent yourself is the first step to being happy and successful, whatever road you choose to pursue.” ~ Ashley Bryan Every fall teachers begin the ritual of decorating their classrooms and…
During the last year, it has been easy for anyone to rattle off all of the negative things that have impacted our schools as a result of COVID-19. In some communities we’ve lost beloved educators, and in others we’ve lost…
Culture is critical in producing the results you want from your educators and learners. While leaders can take a starring role in building a school culture, the learning environment itself influences culture as well. Here’s how you can help create…
By Dr. Luz Martinez Since the publication of “No Child Left Behind,” high-stakes testing has become a current reality in our educational environments. In this reality, students of various grade levels are required to take standardized tests in specific areas and in specific…
By: Shannon Buerk, Founder and CEO of engage2learn I have always loved memorials that serve as reminders of pivot points in our history. When our path is challenging, we need reminders of why we do what we are doing, especially…
By Amanda Stephens My path to a college education has been non-traditional at best and glacial at worst. Working a full-time job, combined with financial and family obligations, have occasionally reduced me to taking only a course or two per…
By Shannon Buerk Driving back home to the coast after Hurricane Harvey, I was so moved by the scene at every turn. Images of irreparable damage: flattened homes and businesses, metal buildings cut up like paper through a shredder, power…
By Shannon Buerk I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has so graciously congratulated me on winning the Stevie Award for Most Innovative Woman of the Year in Technology in 2017. In the post-awards ceremony interview, I…
Norms aren’t something we always think about, but they’re everywhere. Norms are the reason we wait in lines at the grocery store, make eye contact while chatting with a friend, and brush our teeth before work. A norm is simply…
The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be challenging. Imagine how difficult it would be to transition without the skills necessary to function in today’s society. Skills such as Communication, Collaboration, and a healthy Growth Mindset are just a few…
By Christin Leggett According to Time Magazine, “When we free ourselves from the notion of one person delivering information at the front of a classroom at a set pace, it allows us to completely rethink our assumptions of what a…
School is back in session, and campuses are abuzz with activity. Safety and security is always a concern in public schools, especially after many acts of violence in our schools last year. Educators, leaders, community members, parents, and students are…
Happy almost spring break, educators! We’re sure you aren’t short of ideas of how to spend the week. It’s a great time to relax and recharge before finishing the school year strong. One great way to relax and practice self-care…
By Lauren Hurt-Ashwin I’ve always been obsessed with the psychology of relationships, and as a newlywed, it was no different. As many do, my husband and I read and implemented “The 5 Love Languages” book to ensure that the love…
By Ryan Pflughaupt It was a chilly January evening in a small, rural district in South Texas where community stakeholders gathered to provide district leaders with valuable feedback concerning the expectations they had for their children’s school experience. Also assembled…
No matter what field one is in and even in personal relationships, providing feedback and learning or developing new habits is an important and delicate process. These conversations should always result in growth. This can be difficult, however, without a…
School is almost back in session! As teachers decorate their classrooms and prepare for a new school year, it’s the perfect time to find new tools and resources to help make this year even better than the last. Here’s a…
By Samantha Parker If you have read my fellow eGrowe coach, Robyn Scott’s, blog post on “Using the School Design Framework as the One Thing” you already understand how the engage2Learn Blended Framework incorporates the facilitation of 21st Century Life…
By Jamie Zertuche and Ashley Guadarrama You are about to embark on a training journey! This training will be different. It will not be as teacher-directed as most training environments. You will be asked to self-assess, set goals, take risks, and…
Or: Striving for a Mickey Mouse Operation by Amanda Stephens Long before I had ever heard of organizational culture or began to consider its importance in developing an innovative workplace, I saw a sign on my college campus: the distinctive shape of…
By Kammi Green Why Formative Feedback? This summer I set a goal to run a half-marathon in 2 hours this coming December 2017. This is a big goal for me, considering my fastest time is 2 hours and 15 minutes….
Reflection is more than your face in the mirror. Self-reflection has a vital role to play in learning, both for adults and young learners. See why self-reflection is a big deal in education, and how you can actionably bring it…
If you ask any teacher what he or she desires for their students, be ready for a heartfelt response. You might hear something like, “I want my students to be self-directed, have great communication skills, master the content and grow…
We talk a lot about growth mindset at e2L. But what exactly is a growth mindset? And how do you accomplish the more daunting task of developing a growth mindset? What is a growth mindset? Author and professor Carol Dweck…
By Sonia Delgado The task of meeting the needs of students with varying abilities, attitudes, learning styles, perceptual modes, multiple intelligences, diverse languages and multicultural backgrounds is often our biggest challenge in the classroom. Planning and implementing small group instruction…
Did you know that engage2learn has a YouTube channel? Our team regularly uploads videos that show the work of our great partners, who change the lives of students every day. Our channel also features interviews with superintendents, classroom tours with…
By Chris Everett It is interesting that in today’s society we have significantly elevated the idealism of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial capacities. Ultimately, there seems to be this assumed association between entrepreneurialism and all of the great thinking and doing qualities…
by Robyn Scott Is this just one MORE thing or the ONE thing? It’s no secret classroom teachers feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and exhausted by their daily workload. I remember how excited and naive I was about becoming a teacher. I…
Welcome to e2L Studio! We hope that it will help make your job easier and more engaging! So here’s a question for you: what do you need from e2L Studio? Do you need a library of resources to bring in…
As 2017 draws to a close, it’s important to reflect and celebrate. It was a banner year for e2L, but more importantly, it was a great year for our partner districts and their learners! In honor of educators’ hard work,…
You logged in to e2L Studio, and now you’re staring at the screen. So many options. So much stuff. Where should you even start? Today, we’d like to introduce the Learning Library in e2L Studio, your home for finding and…
We’re all humans, and that means we have the potential to learn and grow. Growth takes shape in so many forms, whether it’s as simple as remembering a traffic shortcut or as amazing as curing a deadly disease. Sometimes we’re…
When e2L partners with a district, we strive to create a High Performance Culture. But what exactly is a High Performance Culture (HPC)? Is all this talk about culture just fluff, or is there a measurable return on HPCs? Too…
Education is a complex system. We want learners to emerge from public school with both hard facts and the Life Ready Skills that prepare them for both present and future challenges, inside and outside of the classroom. As we talk…
Everyone processes information differently, but there are three main categories of learners. The most common learner types are visual, auditory, and tactile. Your learner style will influence how you break down information as well as the best way to absorb…