Communications by Design

11/02/2023

03/03/2023

🔔We're giving a teacher 💵$2,000 dollars!🎉 You can nominate a teacher for Impact Teacher of the Year now (deadline is March 20!). 1st place is $2,000 cash prize. We are also awarding a prize an Admin of the Year and runners up.

Nominate a teacher or admin (or both!) here: cbdconsulting.com/teacher-of-the-year

11/01/2022

05/17/2022

PBL Academy in June filled up quickly, so we've added another session in August!

At PBL Academy, we help teachers connect their standards to real-world, high-interest topics and engage their students in deep learning.

Join us in Grand Rapids on August 10th-12th for:
--Practical experiences that directly support classroom learning
--Collaborative, engaging learning (rather than "sit and get" PD)
--Adaptable resources that save time
--Knowledge about what actually helps students achieve
--A renewed passion for teaching!

Learn more: cbdconsulting.com/services/pbl-academy

05/06/2022

Communications by Design is pleased to announce the winner of its 2021-2022 Impact Teacher of the Year award: Andrew Schoenborn, English Language Arts teacher at Pioneer Alternative High School in Clare Public Schools, Clare, MI.

“Andy took nonreaders in his alternative education English classes and flipped the script,” says Cathy Wirth, administrator of Pioneer Alternative High School. “Students who would not even pick up a book now are, and they are enjoying it while reflecting on their growth.”

Schoenborn has helped his students, many of which came to him without much confidence in their ability, become recognized writers. His students have presented their writing to state and national organizations including Central Michigan Writing Project, Michigan Reading Association, and the National Council for Teachers of English.

Schoenborn attributes the success of his students to the opportunities he gives them to reflect on their growth. “By documenting their growth metacognitively, students observe for themselves the progress they are making,” says Schoenborn.

The Impact Teacher of the Year recognizes and honors a Michigan teacher who has demonstrated exemplary impact on student learning through classroom innovation, relationship building, positivity, and kindness. The award carries with it a $1,000 cash prize.

05/04/2022

Chances are, your school faces problems with cheating and academic dishonesty. In fact, 95% of high school students have admitted to cheating in some form. We put so much of ourselves into helping our students succeed, it hurts to see them not value their education or our efforts.

We must also acknowledge that our students are learning, so we need to expect and even welcome mistakes. So, how can teachers and administrators be prepared to handle problems like plagiarism and academic dishonesty?

In our latest article, we are sharing how schools can define, prevent, and treat the problem of academic dishonesty. This includes reasons why students cheat (these might not be what you think!), why giving a zero is a bad idea, and five consequences to try instead.

We must expect that our students will make mistakes in regard to plagiarism and cheating. They are learning, after all! Here’s what educators can do to prevent academic dishonesty and respond appropriately when it does occur.

04/27/2022

In the midst of a busy school day, how many times do your students reflect on their learning? And how often do you take a moment to reflect on the day? We know reflection and metacognition help us learn, but it's tough to find the time. There’s so much to do, so when one lesson wraps up, we are on to the next! 

What to do? Try this simple, highly adaptable strategy to can help students and adults grow from their own learning experiences: 

Reflection or metacognition helps students connect their thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs to their learning outcomes. This awareness of how to learn helps students self-assess and employ the most effective strategies.

04/19/2022

Would you rather have a two-week break every two months or have eight weeks off in the summer?

We're sharing ideas about using "would you rather" questions in the classroom!



One question to make learning more interesting…and dare I say…fun? Would you rather….?

04/12/2022

The past two years have been unlike any before, for teachers and students. Faced with new challenges and fluctuating attendance, the need to make our class content relevant, interesting, and important to our students becomes increasingly urgent.

This isn't always easy, but we can help!

At PBL Academy, we help teachers connect their standards to real-world, high-interest topics and engage their students in deep learning.

Join us June 15-17 for:
✅ Practical experiences that directly support classroom learning
✅ Collaborative, engaging learning (rather than "sit and get" PD)
✅ Adaptable resources that save time
✅ Knowledge about what actually helps students achieve
✅ A renewed passion for teaching!

Learn more at https://cbdconsulting.com/services/pbl-academy/

03/28/2022

Social learning environments are beneficial to students, but it can be challenging to know when and how to group students.
Here are six student groupings and explanations for when to use them:

There are lots of ways to group students–the key is to do so with INTENTION. Here are six student-grouping formats–along with why you might choose to use each.

03/17/2022

Only three days remain to nominate a teacher for the Impact Teacher of the Year award! One Michigan PreK-12 teacher will receive $1,000!

Nominate a teacher here by March 20, 2022: https://cbdconsulting.com/teacher-of-the-year/