​What would the ultimate software for tracking student progress look like? In my opinion, it would help teachers map out curriculum outcomes throughout a school year, track both class and individual student progress, easily create rubrics based on learning outcomes and create student reports with ease. Seem like a lot to expect from a planning tool? Perhaps, but all this is doable with our upcoming software, ESBPlanners!

​​When planning for a school year, semester or term, ESBPlanners will allow you to select the curriculum(s) you will be working with and a duration. As you work your way through your long-term planning, the software will keep track of learning outcomes used vs outcomes that haven’t been selected. In this way, you can ensure that none are missed when planning for the year, semester, or term!

​​Not only will ESBPlanners support teachers in long-term planning for a class, but it will also provide a means for mapping out individual student outcomes on a singular template – perfect for planning a class with learners who are on IEPs! Tracking features will allow for both class and student outcomes to be noted so you can easily monitor where your class and students are at. 

​Designing rubrics need no longer be a tedious task as our software will allow you to input your own set of outcomes. These outcomes can then be selected from a drop-down menu when designing your template and inserted where you would like. Once your master copy is designed, simply copy the template for each of your students and when ready to evaluate, simply highlight individual progress on each student’s rubric! These rubrics can then be printed off and handed to students, if you so choose. 

​​When it comes to creating student reports, our software has a “Copy Curriculum” feature that allows you to copy an existing curriculum so that you can modify specific outcomes any way you like. This means that you can reword existing inputted learning outcomes into parent-friendly comments that can be inserted into a report format. And if the curriculum you are looking for isn’t in our database, simply enter your own and save it for use in future school years!
 
These are but a few of our upcoming software’s features. To learn more about ESBPlanners and its benefits, check out the following articles:

ESBPlanners - Planning Tools for Educators
Collaborative Teaching Planning Tools - ESBPlanners
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​A few weeks ago, I wrote an article on tips for implementing a multidisciplinary approach and proposed the planning template below as a solution. 

Given the similarities that exist between a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach, could the same 2-in-1 unit/lesson planner be used? To answer this question, let’s first take a look at the definitions of both approaches:
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1. Multidisciplinary planning refers to an approach wherein a singular topic is studied from the perspective of multiple curriculums.
2. Interdisciplinary planning is the collaboration between two or more subject areas to investigate a central problem or inquiry.

Given that both approaches are based on similar principles, the answer is yes, the above planning template (with a few modifications) as shown below could also work.

This modified template was designed using our upcoming software, ESBPlanners. When looking at the template, you will note that the top half (above Week 1) serves as the unit planner and the bottom half (below Week 1) is the lesson planning portion. Using our “shared planner” feature, this single template could be filled in by a team, each teacher having the ability to fill in the required information on the planner for their own subject area. Where the difference lies between the original template presented and the modified one is that instead of focusing on a topic, the modified template focuses on answering a question. After deciding on the question, each teacher would then brainstorm ideas for how concepts from their respective subject area (math, language arts or science) could serve to support addressing the question, and from there list learning outcomes that connect to it. After that, each teacher would list possible lesson and assessment ideas that relate to answering the question and note any materials that may be needed throughout the inquiry. With the unit planner complete, the team could then use the lesson planner portion on the bottom half to plan daily lessons for the week. In the above scenario, teachers are on a 2-day schedule, and thus have been provided with the space to plan for lessons twice a week; and the template would extend vertically per week until the end of the unit. Because the unit planner is attached, the team can easily refer to brainstormed ideas when planning individual lessons and because all three teachers are planning on a singular document, the team will be able to address the question in a consistent and unified manner.
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Wanting to use this planner at your school? This interdisciplinary planning template will be available on ESBPlanners in 2022 in our template bank and can be searched using the following tags: #interdisciplinary #2-in-1 planner. This template can be saved into your personal account and modified to suit your needs – happy planning!
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By Patricia Hill

Roughly 8 percent of children have a form of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Students who have been diagnosed with a form of ADHD face significant struggles in their educational programs on a daily basis. Most of these students have a harder time grasping the concepts in a group learning setting, focusing on one task at a time, or completing given assignments. Many of these students can benefit from some additional one-on-one tutoring in order for them to fully comprehend the material.
 
Thankfully, additional avenues of education are available for children with ADHD that help to support their learning time at school. By choosing a supplemental method of learning, the student can refocus on their studies in a setting that best fits their learning style.
 
By selecting an individual tutor or a tutoring center, you can help your child reinforce what they’ve learned in the classroom through additional resources and programs that make learning exciting for your child.

As you begin the search for the best tutor for your child, speak with your child’s teacher about which subjects your tutor should focus on. The teacher may have a recommendation for a well-established tutor. You can also speak with a school administrator for any tutors they have had success with in the past.
 
Once you start the interview process for potential candidates, consider asking each candidate a few questions about their educational background and their certification in a specific area. Speak with them about their knowledge of the subjects they will be teaching, and ask them about their experience with former ADHD students. Discuss your child’s specific needs and learn about the educator’s preferred techniques so that you can also help implement them at home. You might also allow your child to create a few questions of their own to ask the candidates so that they feel more excited about the future of their education.

​Tutoring centers design their educational programs based on each child’s unique needs. The benefit to choosing a tutoring center versus an individual tutor is that the interview process has been done for you. These centers typically hire professionals based on detailed educational requirements and schooling backgrounds. Because of their high standards and specifications for their staff, they usually offer a variety of programs that a sole individual may not be able to provide. Tutoring centers are equipped with materials that supplement an array of subjects. They have the classroom feel and the ability to give one-on-one time to your student, minimizing distractions.
 
The key is to find the right tutoring center that fits your budget, and that can provide all of the necessary opportunities for your student. Consider calling a few local facilities and speaking with them about their programs. Ask to interview the director and learn about a few of their success stories. Then, take a tour of the facility with your child and make sure it is somewhere that your child will feel comfortable during their time there.
 
After finding the perfect tutor or tutoring center for your student, consider watching a few of the lessons and focus on the kinds of activities they have included in the lesson plan. Once your child has been through several sessions, speak with their teacher at school about their progress to see if this option is best supports the educational process.

Not every parent is cut out to tutor their child, and that’s okay. However, some parents have the ideal combination of knowledge and patience so crucial for the tutoring experience. If you're well-versed in the subject matter your child struggles with and have the patience and time, there’s nothing wrong with tutoring them yourself.
 
Many parents who are teachers take on this role, though you have to strike the right balance. You don’t want to make your child uncomfortable or pressured. On the flip side, if your tutoring makes a significantly positive impact, then you know you’ve made the right choice. You may have even found a way to make a little money on the side during school breaks. ZenBusiness notes that top tutors can earn as much as $1,000 a month!
 
As you begin seeking out the perfect supplemental program for your child’s education, try implementing a few things at home to help them adjust to their new learning activities. Help your child gain confidence in their individuality by providing what they need to succeed in their education. A sense of accomplishment can set your child up for making better choices in all areas of their lives. Everyone has a unique learning style and should be celebrated for how they progress, no matter the pace. It is important that they know their value, their potential, and that their education can be obtained in their own unique way. Find your child’s perfect tutor today.