Black History Month Teacher Feature: Dana McDaniel
When she is not teaching Dana McDaniel loves trying new recipes in her kitchen and giving herself “self-prescribed” plant therapy gardening and outdoor time. Although she is a mathematics teacher, Ms. McDaniel uses the power of words to inspire, motivate, and connect with her virtual students. Quotes like, “If you cannot do great things, do […]
Equity For 1 Million Students: Why the U.S. is Failing to Solve the Teacher Shortage Crisis
Every morning, I get inundated with google alerts around the teacher shortage. In desperation to solve this issue, schools try everything they can, including pleading for parents to volunteer in classrooms. Meanwhile, states are trying to help, sometimes by taking actions that have been frantic, extravagant, or misguided. Tennessee offered free apprenticeships to would-be teachers. […]
Illinois Superintendent Emphasizes Need for Flexibility and Planning
Illinois Superintendent Emphasizes Need for Flexibility and Planning From variants to mandates to flexible settings, administrators were charged with rapidly meeting the needs of all students, despite the obstacles in their way. With this experience, Dr. April Willis uncovers how Prairie-Hills Elementary District 144 Superintendent, Dr. Kimako Patterson, is preparing for an even more successful […]
10 Ways to Start Your Virtual Classes
Your lesson plan is ready, you’re awake and caffeinated, students enter the virtual classroom…but now what? How do you kick off the class? Our expert virtual teachers share their best practices for starting their virtual classes every day. Whether you are livestreaming into a brick-and-mortar classroom or are being joined by students streaming in from […]
December Featured Live Virtual Teachers
Our December featured live instruction teachers watch their students grow and thrive in their online classes. They build relationships using their Social-Emotional Learning training and create warm environments to help their students open up. Meaningful connections are made, even in virtual learning. Crystal Demsky Hudak Crystal Demsky Hudak (Ms. D) loves her remote teaching job […]
5 Ways to Incorporate SEL into Virtual Teaching
Written: January 2022                 Updated: February 2026 You can see the small moments when students reflect on how they’re feeling, hesitate to speak up, or struggle to stay regulated during the school day. That’s why it’s so important to incorporate social-emotional learning (SEL) into virtual teaching. SEL focuses on helping students understand themselves, connect with others, […]
Live Online Instruction for Illinois Students With Proximity Learning
A Solution for Quarantined Students in Illinois North Shore School District 112 in Illinois needed a solution to continue to educate quarantined students. According to CDC guidelines, students who test positive for Covid-19 must quarantine at home for five days. The district had to decide how to keep students learning during their absence. A packet […]
Top Events for Educators in 2022
Meeting fellow experts in your field broadens your perspective and engages your mind. Teachers and district leaders can continue to learn at a variety of annual events to engage in skill building, utilizing updated tools and techniques, and professional networking. Educators should have continuous education themselves to ensure they provide the best possible environment for […]
New AAEE Report Sheds Light on Current and Future Teacher Shortages
Since schools reopened, educators have been doing their best to help students recover from interrupted learning caused by the pandemic and address the educational inequities brought to light. However, the efforts of many institutions have been severely hampered by a lack of teaching staff. To find out more about the ongoing teacher shortages, the American […]
Free Resources + Virtual Instruction Certification Webinar
As more and more teachers decide to make the transition to teaching online, they want to be equipped with the best resources and training to serve their students. For the Proximity Learning December webinar, certified virtual teacher Dawn Comer joins host Dr. April Willis as they discuss free resources and educator preparation tools. Ms. Comer […]
