The teaching tool that wakes up sleepy students

🕵️ PD Intelligencer - Jan 4 2025

LINKS FOR YOU

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🎯 Discover how student feedback transforms small group math instruction and boosts learner confidence. Using Student Reflections to Inform Your Small Groups

📊 How Are U.S. Students Doing in Math? Two decades of math progress erased - new global study shows U.S. students back to 1995 performance levels.

📚 From AI to attention spans - here are the key research insights shaping education in 2024. The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2024

📋 Communicating Expectations to Make Instruction More Effective Set clear ground rules and watch engagement soar - here's how clear expectations transform learning.

🔬 Building tomorrow's innovators today by fostering early science and tech talent. How K-12 Can Get a Head Start on STEM 

GRANTS FOR PD

Money To Support Your PD

🔍 Teacher Time Study Initiative (Texas) - Secure up to $150,000 to revolutionize teacher schedules and maximize instructional impact through data-driven analysis and strategic reforms.

🌞 Summer Food Service Program Expansion Grant (SFSP EATS) - Support your community's youth nutrition programs with funding to expand meal sites, increase daily participants, and extend summer service periods.

📚 Genocide Education Grant - Support teaching this critical history with funding for curriculum development, professional learning, and enrichment activities.

🌟 Michigan's National Board Recognition Achievement Grant provides up to $10,000 available to support and celebrate National Board Certified teachers

🎨 Delaware Education Resource Grant Fund powerful partnerships between schools and arts organizations with professional development support for PreK-12 arts education.

JOBS

Find Your Best Fit in Education

👩‍🏫 Elementary School Teacher TK-6 at Sulphur Springs Engage young minds in a vibrant California district that values innovation and growth.

🎯 High School Assistant Principal at Leander ISD Join a top-rated Texas district and help shape tomorrow's leaders

🎓 Guide students toward their dreams through academic, personal and career development. High School Counselor at Westview High in Portland, OR

📐 Middle School Math Teacher at South Valley Academy, NM. Empower first-generation college-bound students through engaging mathematics instruction.

🚀 Lead K-8 curriculum transformation and professional development to drive academic excellence as Executive Director of Curriculum and Innovation at Pendergast ESD, AZ 

ONE BIG IDEA

The Classroom Magic That Transforms Every Student

Traditional presentations put students to sleep.

Curipod wakes them up.

It's the difference between watching a movie and being in one.

By combining interactive elements with smart technology, Curipod transforms every lesson into an experience.

Think PowerPoint meets TikTok - with a PhD in education.

Every feature is designed to boost engagement and track understanding in real-time:

• Real-time polls capture attention and provide instant feedback
• Word clouds transform brainstorming into visual magic
• AI-powered content generation saves hours of prep time
• Drawing tools unleash creativity across all subjects
• Pre-made lessons for when inspiration (or time) runs short

The future of education isn't about technology replacing teachers - it's about empowering them to create unforgettable learning moments.

Unleash Your Hidden Teaching Superpowers

Remember that feeling when a lesson really lands?

Curipod makes it happen more often.

It's like having a teaching assistant who never sleeps, constantly gathering data on student understanding and engagement.

Your new teaching superpowers include:

• Instant feedback shows exactly who needs help and when
• AI-generated content adapts to your teaching style
• Interactive tools keep hands raised and minds engaged
• Pre-made lessons maintain quality even in a time crunch
• Exit tickets that provide meaningful data, not just checkboxes

Every feature in Curipod was built with one goal: making great teaching easier and more impactful.

Watch Quiet Students Find Their Voice

Ever watched a quiet student light up when they finally feel heard?

That's the Curipod effect.

By creating multiple pathways for participation, every student finds their comfort zone in ways traditional classrooms can't match.

When students feel safe to share their thoughts, learning accelerates. The

transformation happens through seemingly simple but powerful tools:

• Shy students discover their voice through anonymous polls, finally sharing those brilliant ideas they've been holding back.
• Visual learners flourish as they bring abstract concepts to life with intuitive drawing tools that make learning tangible.
• Collaborative activities flow naturally as small groups work together in real-time, building on each other's ideas.

For students who need immediate validation, real-time feedback builds confidence step by step.

And because Curipod offers multiple ways to engage, every student finds their preferred method of participation - whether that's through quick polls, detailed drawings, or collaborative challenges.

The Result? Not just higher engagement - but students who believe in their own abilities to learn and contribute.

A classroom where participation isn't measured by the loudest voice, but by the depth of understanding and growth of every learner.

Three Proven Ways to Captivate Your Class

🎨 Mystery Masterpiece Transform abstract concepts into visual adventures. Perfect for any subject where visualization helps understanding.

• Start with a blank digital canvas
• Students take turns adding one element each
• Class collaborates to guess the concept being built
• Works brilliantly for vocabulary, scientific processes, or historical events
• Builds critical thinking and visual literacy

🎯 Knowledge Race Turn review sessions into exciting competitions that students actually look forward to.

• Create quick-fire polls with timer options
• Teams compete for points and bragging rights
• Watch engagement levels soar through gamification
• Perfect for test prep or concept review
• Builds healthy competition and team spirit

🌟 Story Cascade Blend creativity with curriculum in this collaborative storytelling adventure.

• Begin with a crowd-sourced word cloud
• Students vote on key story elements
• Build narrative through guided collaboration
• Works across languages, subjects, and grade levels
• Develops writing skills and creative thinking

The best part? These activities adapt to any subject, any grade level, and any learning style.

Quick Wins to Make Your Lessons Sizzle  🚀

Day One: Start Strong

Create a simple poll in your intro slide. "What do you already know about today's topic?"

Three options max.

Watch real-time responses light up your screen.

Quick Setup Wins

• Build one template: Title slide + Poll + Content + Exit ticket
• Save it as "Daily Starter"
• Practice the drawing tool during lunch (seriously, 5 minutes)

Must-Try Features

• Multiple choice polls (instant engagement)
• Word clouds (perfect for brainstorming)
• Quick draw (turn concepts visual)
• Exit tickets (actually see who got it)

Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

Don't overwhelm with options. Start with polls. Master them. Then add word clouds. Then drawing tools. Building blocks, not avalanche.

Emergency Kit - Keep these ready:

• One review game template
• One group activity setup
• One quick assessment poll

Next Level Found your groove? Connect with other Curipod teachers. There is a gold mine of tested templates out there. Just ask others.

Remember: Your first poll might feel clunky. By Friday, you'll be running them in your sleep. Start simple, add features as you need them.

Your move. 🎯