Focus and Its Benefits Why I've Been Away—Focusing on Content Creation for the Classroom

I hope this newsletter finds you well! You may have noticed a pause in our regular updates, and I wanted to take a moment to explain my absence from writing newsletters. Over the past few months, I've been hard at work developing new educational resources, including presentation rubrics and other tools designed to help teachers save more time in the classroom.

Why the Focus on Content Creation?

Creating high-quality resources that meet the varying needs of a classroom takes time and care. After receiving feedback from our wonderful community of teachers, I realized that there was a growing need for ready-made, practical materials that they could use in their daily lessons. With that in mind, I shifted my attention toward developing resources that will help enhance the classroom experience—especially tools like my newly created presentation rubrics.

The Benefits of Using Rubrics in the Classroom

Rubrics are one of the most effective tools for evaluating student work, especially when it comes to presentations and projects. Here’s why integrating rubrics can make a positive impact on teaching and students' learning:

1. Clear Expectations Rubrics provide students with clear, detailed expectations for their work. This not only helps them understand what is required but also gives them a roadmap to succeed. They know exactly what is needed to achieve a specific grade.
2. Objective Assessment Rubrics help minimize bias by offering a structured and transparent method of evaluation. Each component of the assignment is broken down into specific criteria, ensuring that students are assessed fairly based on their performance.
3. Fosters Self-Reflection When students have access to the rubric before beginning their project, they can self-assess their work along the way. This helps them take ownership of their learning and allows them to make adjustments before submission.
4. Time-Saving for Teachers As teachers, grading can be time-consuming—especially for large classes or complex assignments. Rubrics streamline the grading process, allowing you to quickly evaluate how well students met the criteria without having to make judgment calls on the fly.
5. Encourages Growth Rubrics highlight both strengths and areas for improvement. Students can see exactly where they excelled and where they need more practice, promoting a growth mindset that encourages continuous learning and improvement.

What to Expect Moving Forward

I'm excited to share that the presentation rubrics I’ve been working on are available through my two content creation websites: The ETI Academy on TpT and Canva!

These rubrics are designed to help teachers assess student presentations across subjects like English, math, and science, with an emphasis on both content mastery and presentation skills.

I've also been hard at work creating posts for my middle school blog: The ETI Academy and my homeschool blog: EduKitchen. I also share my educational resources on my blog as well as connections to my subject specific newsletters for teachers as well as newsletters for homeschooling parents.

In joining my growing teacher network, teachers get access to my free classroom management guide.

In joining my growing homeschooling network, homeschooling parents get access to my free recipes for learning guide.

Thank you for your patience during this creative period. I look forward to, and I hope you do too, our regular newsletter updates, bringing you not only news but also new ways to inspire and engage your students.

Lets connect: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube.

And until next time,

Keep being you, and have fun!

Danya