INSIGHTS & IDEAS

The Education Table Blog

Practical strategies, research, and perspectives from the Novak Education team to help educators strengthen instruction, leadership, and inclusive systems.

Professional Learning

Becoming an Expert Learner: Wait, What?

"Wait. What?” Wait. What? Translation: Stop for a moment. My brain needs some time to take this in, build comprehension, and determine what exactly is possible and what resources ...
Katie Novak · July 19, 2016
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Assessments
Universal Design for Learning

Formative vs. Summative Assessments

This morning I was checking out the question and answer forum on the TeachingChannel and I came across a question about the different types of assessments. Given that a new school ...
Katie Novak · September 29, 2014
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Collaborative Classroom
Universal Design for Learning

The Collaborative Classroom Management Plan

A reader of my blog recently asked for additional details about how I created a collaborative classroom management plans in my middle school classroom. I thought I’d share my ...
Katie Novak · August 4, 2014
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Beowulf lesson plan
Universal Design for Learning

Lesson Plan for Beowulf

Right now I’m feverishly trying to keep up with an awesome #ECET2 Twitter chat. I just got a question about using all 9 UDL guidelines (teaching strategies) in each lesson, so ...
Katie Novak · May 18, 2014
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Professional Learning

What’s the Role of a Literacy Coach?

Many districts are lucky enough to have literacy coaches, but what is the best model to utilize these talented individuals? I reviewed the research on literacy coaching and ...
Katie Novak · May 12, 2014
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UDL
Universal Design for Learning

What Does UDL Look Like?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is not just a framework for curriculum design. It is a belief that all students are capable of learning and that instructional methods, when ...
Katie Novak · February 28, 2014
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Variability
Universal Design for Learning

How to Introduce UDL at Your School

Universal Design for Learning is truly the best way to teach and learn. There are many passionate educators who want to spread the UDL message to their colleagues, but they don’t ...
Katie Novak · May 23, 2013
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