Wonders

Educator Newsletter
Issue 19, Back-to-School 2022

Wonders News!

Hello, Wonders community –

Welcome back to school! We hope you had a restful summer break and are looking forward to this season of falling leaves, new classroom rosters, and endless learning possibilities.

The return to the classroom can feel overwhelming, so we invite you to take a moment to acknowledge the wonder of the work you do. Whether you’re a returning educator or brand-new to the field, your efforts supporting students are important and powerful. This year, you’ll work to shape how students interact with their worlds through literacy, and we truly thank you for being here.

In this newsletter, we’re sharing information and tools to make heading back to school a little easier. You’ll find digital updates, introductory resources, and helpful teacher tips from a Wonders expert.

We are excited to partner with you and wish you success this year.

- The Wonders Team

Back-to-School Teacher and Administrator Resources

As you prepare your classroom or school for students’ return, do you have questions around getting set up with Wonders? Our assortment of back-to-school supports for teachers and administrators can help.

In the articles below, you’ll find Teacher and Administrator Orientation videos; a guide to getting started with Wonders’ digital platform, ConnectED; an Organization Administrator User Guide; and quick links to other beneficial resources.

If you have additional technical questions or concerns, you can reach out to Digital Technical Support. You can also find Wonders-specific information on our Program Resources page.

Looking for further support? Check out the Wonders user community, where you can connect with fellow educators, converse with product experts, and attend community-only webinars, book studies, and more.

Introducing the New Adaptive Learning

If you use WonderWorks or Wonders for English Learners, your digital course now features a new Adaptive Learning system! This system includes a new design with different themes aligned to instructional topics, an updated instructional model in which each activity corresponds to a specific skill or objective, and a brand-new teacher experience. You’ll also find improved reporting, enhanced accessibility features, and a streamlined student experience, all available on a mobile-friendly platform.

To discover more about the new Adaptive Learning, you can access an updated user guide on ConnectED.

Wonders Adaptive Learning > Teacher Resources > Wonders Adaptive Learning User Guide

Tips to Start the Year with Success

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to set classroom procedures and expectations and to start building relationships with students. In the videos below, Wonders Curriculum Specialist Christina Quarelli offers tips and tricks for creating a supportive, welcoming classroom this year.

Sending Warm Fuzzies: Are you looking to establish rapport with student families, parents, or caretakers as the year begins? Try sending a warm fuzzy, or a special note about a student’s positive behavior. Did a student volunteer to help you pass out papers, offer a friend guidance about an assignment, or ask great questions in class? Let their families know, and you’ll have laid the groundwork for open, productive communication in the future.
Establishing Seating Charts: Building a set seating chart at the start of a new year can be tricky, particularly as you may not know your students well. In this video, Christina discusses fun activities you can do in your classroom to learn more about your students and their collaboration styles. This knowledge will help you establish a more effective seating chart as a result!
Teaching Digitally Savvy Learners: For students, back-to-school season means an abundance of new—a new setting, a new curriculum, and new digital classroom tools. As it can be difficult for students to learn these tools and grade-level content simultaneously, building digitally savvy learners early on can increase student confidence. This video covers activities to help familiarize your students with the digital tools they’ll be using as they learn.

Inspired Ideas

Looking for resources to share with parents, research to inform your work, or inspiration from experts and peers? Visit our blog, Inspired Ideas. You’ll discover stories from educators, strategies from experts in reading instruction, and news from learning scientists and edtech experts. Here are three highlights to explore:

Activities to Get to Know Your Students During the First Week of School: Knowing your students—their backgrounds, their goals, their dispositions—is key to fostering learning. This article presents our favorite activities for getting to know your students, including setting a class goal, creating self-portraits, and more.
Key Ingredients for the Beginning of the School Year: Written by educators Stephanie Howell and Tara Ruckman, this post presents a fun “recipe” for a successful school year. Learn how essential ingredients like embracing change, making choices, and establishing culture come together to build powerful learning experiences.
How Teaching Gave Me the Gift of Empathy: In this article, McGraw Hill’s Dan Parvu explores how teaching taught him empathy. He discusses his experiences as both a student and teacher and offers tips for practicing empathy in the classroom and elsewhere.