In this episode, I share how a simple seating chart can transform the Station Rotation Model into a more focused and productive learning experience.

I talk about how intentional grouping can minimize distractions, strengthen collaboration, and make it easier to assign a facilitator or group leader at each station.

I also offer tips for displaying groups and numbering stations so both teachers and students can navigate rotations smoothly and stay on task.

Episode Resources

Related Blog

Grouper — Grouping Tool 

[Template] Grouping Sheet 

[Template] Grouping Display

In this episode, I chat with Christine Feenstra, Executive Director of the California Association for Leading Innovation in Education (CALIE)—formerly known as CUE—about the organization’s evolution and rebrand.

Christine shares the why behind the shift, how her team engaged educators and stakeholders throughout the process, and what this change means for the community moving forward. We discuss CALIE’s renewed mission to inspire learning, empower educators, and expand access to professional growth opportunities.

Episode Resources

In this episode, I explore how AI can make differentiation not only doable but sustainable.

I share how I use AI tools to support differentiation across content, process, product, and learning environment—helping teachers meet diverse learner needs without doubling their workload. From creating leveled texts and choice boards to designing asset-based rubrics and flexible online spaces, I highlight practical ways AI can enhance equity and efficiency.

My goal is to help you spend less time prepping and more time connecting with students as learners.

Related Blog

Differentiation doesn’t have to mean creating 30 different versions of a lesson.

Related Blog: Differentiation in Action: Why It Matters, What It Is, and How It Works

In this episode of The Balance, Jessica Vance joins me to discuss her new book, Evidence of Inquiry: Exploring, Questioning, and Documenting with Learning Walls.

We explore what it means to “follow your learners” and how inquiry shifts the way teachers engage students around the topics and concepts at the center of the curriculum. Jessica unpacks the purpose and power of learning walls, explaining how they make student thinking visible, create space for collaborative meaning-making, and even serve as professional playgrounds for teachers themselves.

Together, we reflect on the mindset, culture, and practical strategies that help both teachers and students embrace uncertainty, curiosity, and deeper learning.

Episode Resources

In this episode of The Balance, I tackle one of the biggest concerns teachers raise about the Station Rotation Model: can I really trust students to work independently while I’m at the teacher-led station?

I share strategies for setting the stage for success, including co-creating class agreements, establishing a clear and consistent path of consequences, and teaching smooth transitions between stations. I also talk about how to set realistic grading expectations so you don’t burn out trying to collect work from every station.

These routines and structures not only build trust and accountability but also make it possible for teachers to focus fully on their small groups, where the real magic of differentiation happens.

Episode Resources

In this episode of The Balance, I dig into why the teacher-led station is the heart of the Station Rotation Model. I share how I use this time with small groups for differentiated direct instruction, modeling sessions, and need-based instruction driven by real-time data.

In this episode of The Balance, I talk with Shira Woolf Cohen, co-founder of Innovageous and author of Leading Future-Focused Schools: Engaging and Preparing Students for Career Success.

With nearly three decades in education and workforce development, Shira shares why the gap between what students learn in school and the skills needed in today’s workplace demands urgent attention. We explore what it means to cultivate a future-focused mindset, why every teacher is a “career teacher,” and how schools can embed career-connected learning across grade levels and subject areas.

Shira offers strategies for building on student strengths, examples of what this work looks like in practice, and actionable steps leaders can take to begin designing future-focused schools.

Connect with Shira Woolf Cohen and learn more about her work.

In this episode, I’m digging into a challenge I hear about a lot: the tension between fidelity to an adopted curriculum and the need for teacher creativity.

Too often, teachers feel pressured to follow lessons lockstep, leaving little room to respond to their students’ needs or bring their own expertise into the design. That rigidity can strip away joy and engagement for both teachers and students. I’ll share why schools adopt curriculum, the benefits and challenges these programs bring, and concrete shifts teachers can make to move from scripted compliance to creative engagement.

We’ll also explore how leaders and instructional coaches can shift their messaging and support so teachers feel empowered to adapt curriculum with purpose. If your team is navigating the challenges of curriculum adoption, this episode will give you practical strategies and fresh ways to think about fidelity, differentiation, and engagement.

If your team or teachers need support, feel free to contact me.

Related Blog: 

AI is transforming education, but I believe strong prompts are the key to unlocking its potential.

In this episode, I share the REFINE acronym I developed to give educators a structured approach to writing effective AI prompts. I walk through each step—assigning AI a role, setting clear expectations, framing the context, specifying inclusions, defining nuance, and evaluating outputs—to show how this process keeps teachers in the driver’s seat.

Whether you’re designing lessons, assessments, or scaffolds, REFINE can help you create more effective, inclusive, and responsive learning experiences with AI.

Related blog: https://catlintucker.com/2025/08/refine-ai-prompting/