Author: Traci Hedetniemi

Traci Hedetniemi is an accomplished middle and high school mathematics teacher with over two decades of experience in education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s in Education from Clemson University. Traci has been recognized as a Teacher of the Year at both the school and district levels and is a Nearpod Certified Educator. Currently, she serves as a High School Math Interventionist at SC Connections Academy, where she is dedicated to implementing innovative math intervention programs and supporting student success.

Building Engagement in Virtual Learning Environments, Part 2: Leveraging Live Instructional Time

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When the majority of virtual students’ school day is spent on asynchronous learning, it is critical to capitalize on live instructional time as a place to push active engagement. During synchronous sessions, the aim should be to move students from simply participating in tasks towards investing in learning by asking questions, responding to feedback, and … read more »

Building Engagement in Virtual Learning Environments, Part 1: Relationships Matter!

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Establishing strong teacher-student relationships in a virtual learning environment can be challenging. Students may sometimes feel their teacher is just a name on their gradebook, or they may think the computer is their teacher instead, particularly in canned curriculum situations. Research on learning and development emphasizes that student success is contingent upon learning conditions that … read more »

Three Effective Retrieval Practice Activities to Level Up Test Review

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The end of the semester can be stressful for students and teachers. With midterms, diagnostics, benchmark testing, and state end-of-course testing looming, teachers have to decide how much of their limited instructional time to dedicate to preparing students for these tests that cover months of content. While no magic formula exists, we can leverage high-impact … read more »

The Power of Retrieval Practice for Long-Term Learning

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Every minute spent studying should strengthen a student’s grasp of the material, yet many common review techniques leave learners with a false sense of mastery while doing little to cement long-term understanding. In this post, we’ll explore how retrieval practice—a research-backed learning strategy that asks students to actively recall information—boosts retention, and we’ll share practical … read more »

Making Measurement Matter on National Metric Day

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Measurement is a mathematical and scientific skill we use daily, but it’s often only explored in singular lessons or units rather than infused throughout the math and science curriculum. Helping students experience measurement as a natural way they “see” and “do” math is essential for building a mathematical mindset. The National Council of Teachers of … read more »