iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨

Meghan Wells @megmwells.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Just dropped episode 11 with our buddy Alex Valencic. He tells us his views on professional learning and how he came into this crazy profession. @alextvalencic.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/7pSY...

open.spotify.com

011: Sustainable Teaching, Radical Reflection with Alex Valencic”

No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast · Episode

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

The Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute is a youth leadership conference I've been part of for over 25 years! Can you help us clear our list? #EduSky www.amazon.com/registries/g...

amazon.com

Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute 2025 Wishlist | Amazon Gift List

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Reposted by Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨

Susan Kotch @susankotch.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

See you next week! #sunchat

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

I am a @teachbetterteam.bsky.social Ambasssdor. One of their main focus points is on training, developing, and supporting teachers in implementing self-paced mastery learning with the Grid Method. Definitely recommend checking out their free resources! #TeachBetter #sunchat #edusky teachbetter.com

teachbetter.com

Reach More Students with Mastery Learning

Built to work with any curriculum and fit any teacher's style, The Grid Method was designed from within the classroom to help you reach more students.

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Chugach School District in Alaska looks to be the national model for CBE! Illinois was doing a pilot with CBE with 45 districts but I'm not sure if it is still going on or not. #sunchat #edusky aurora-institute.org/resource/chu... www.isbe.net/competency

aurora-institute.org

Chugach School District: A Personalized, Performance-Based System - Aurora Institute

This paper explores how an Alaskan school district shifted from a traditional K-12 education system to a...

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

The biggest pushback I get on competency-based education is that we would end up with 16-year-olds in classes with 6-year-olds. But those folks seem to think special education would cease, as if learning disabilities are only determined by traditional grade levels. #sunchat #edusky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Hey #EduSky community, I've got to know: Is #bowtietueaday a thing in these parts? I loved that community in the Other Place and am interested in bringing it over here. (Sadly, I am sans bow tie today due to being at a conference and rocking my @ideaillinois.bsky.social volunteer shirt.)

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Day two's learning included enhancing learning opportunities for ALL students, intentional planning that ties vision, strategy, and community needs, and increasing student engagement through games, authentic tasks, and a healthy dose of whimsy. #IDEAcon2025 #EduSky

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a man in a hat is saying `` oh we can handle it we are professionals '' in front of a painting .

ALT: a man in a hat is saying `` oh we can handle it we are professionals '' in front of a painting .

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

"Who have we become as a culture when so many innovators want to build a rocket, and so few want to build ways to protect and enhance the lives of children?" ~Kass & Cornelius Minor #IDEAcon2025 #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

I think you are using "entertainment" in the sense of amusement, not attention. #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Yes, they can help foster the growth of motivation but a student who is not motivated to learn at the start will continue to be unmotivated without an additional catalyst. #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Great chat, friends! I know I'm not able to join often, but let's stay connected and share out ideas in the days and weeks ahead! Remember, we are #BetterTogether! #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

I think that part of being an educator is to be an entertainer, but not in the sense of amusement; rather, we are entertainers in the sense of capturing and holding attention so that students can get into the zone of learning. (Of course, *how* to do this is question of the day!) #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

I don't have an immediate answer, but I do know that PBL and the such do not motivate students; they are strategies that help maintain motivation. So how do we get the motivation started? (And it is as simple as saying "relationships" a thousand times a day to teachers!) #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

We really did! Instead of pushing inquiry, projects, and teacher-guided, student-driven learning, we threw worksheets at kids, told them nothing would be assessed, and said that just showing up would be acceptable. So many lost opportunities to use it as a catalyst for change! #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

There are certainly students who are motivated to get "good grades," but that isn't necessarily related to being motivates to learn, just to playing the game of school. So what actually motivates deep, lasting learning? #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Good morning, #sunchat crew of #EduSky! I'm Alex, Doer of Things: #ProfessionalLearning Coordinator in Freeport, IL 🥨 #TeachBetter Lead Ambassador, Blogger, and Mastermind member 💚 #Routledge education book reviewer 📘 #ScoutingAmerica district training chair ⚜️

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Reposted by Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨

Edutopia @edutopia.org · 01/02/2025

“My dad used to tell me all the time: ‘Nobody knows what you planned; they only know what you did.’ He would then ask: ‘Did they learn? Were they loved? Then what you did matters, not what you planned!’” — #Educator @alextvalencic.bsky.social

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

The key part is to get that positive communication home early to set the tone! Even better if it can be kept up on a regular basis through various means that the parents prefer, like notes or postcards. (I always asked them how they'd like to hear deom me.) #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

I'd start with asking, "Can we invite the social worker or school counselor to join the conversation? Let's work together as a team." Maybe the student, too. But I would also be sure to not make any promises of overnight change, but assure the parents that we're all in it together. #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

Oh, absolutely! That's where I would recommend teaming up and setting a goal to get all of the calls done in the first week. #sunchat #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

Some of them saw it was the school calling and were like, "Really? It is the first day! What did they do?!" They'd never had a positive call about their child in the previous four years from however many schools they'd be to and so automatically assumed the worst! #sunchat #EduSky 2/2

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

One of the best decisions I made in the classroom was to call the parents of every single one of my fourth graders after the first day of school to say something positive about their child. #sunchat #EduSky 1/2

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

When I have to contact parents to discuss an issue, I find that they don't want me to give them fluff. They are usually busy and want to know what happened, why, what we are doing, and what we want them to do. I save the positives for the end so they know we are all on the same team. #sunchat

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

Good morning, #sunchat! I'm Alex from northwestern Illinois, where we haven't had much snow yet but it is getting bitterly cold! Excited to warm my heart as we share today! #EduSky

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Reposted by Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨

Susan Kotch @susankotch.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

Things they don't teach you in "teacher school" - partnering with parents (or, attempting to). What's the best way? How does one engage parents? What's the best way to deliver the good news, and the bad news? Let's talk about it this morning at 9am on #sunchat.

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

I think my snack drawer needs an upgrade. What should I add, teachers of #EduSky?

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Bright orange with blue polka dots and multi-coloured stripes on the sole! #RockingTheStockings #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

Got a bunch of new socks for Christmas! Love the bright, funky look! #RockingTheStockings #EduSky

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Coolsig Forum for sure! (I used AOL chatrooms for teens, but there was no obsessive use with those!)

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 28/12/2024

TpT isn't teachers paying teachers. It is teachers paying TpT, which takes the majority of the money for content that teachers have created or, as is more often than not the case, content that someone else created and the seller is using without permission. It is a scam at best and a crime at worst.

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Huh. It only took 15 months for my @bsky.app account to start getting spammed with OF content creators and unwanted DMs. However, it does seem to be easier to block them out, so that's another plus in favour of this platform over TwitterX.

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Reposted by Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨

Dominic Crapuchettes @dcrapuchettes.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

I’m giving away some of my unplayed games to increase my presence on Bluesky. Repost with a holiday comment and I’ll choose a random winner from all reposts on the 25th, 27th, 29th, and 31st of December. Free shipping in US only. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

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Alex T. Valencic, Ed.M. 🥨 @alextvalencic.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

The hardest part of AVID Elementary implementation is teachers learning how to let go and let students do the work, knowing they will fail at times, but being there to help them fail forward. @avid4college.bsky.social #AVIDNATCON

media.tenor.com

a woman in a pink dress is holding a rose and says honey

ALT: a woman in a pink dress is holding a rose and says honey

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