Engage, Assess, Excel: A Teacher's Success Story with Pear Deck Learning

In the bustling world of education, finding tech that seamlessly blends into a teacher's instructional flow is like finding the elusive final piece of a 1,000-piece puzzle. 

Meet Tyler Brown, an innovative 6th-grade ELA teacher in Philadelphia, New York, who has mastered that puzzle by weaving Pear Deck, Pear Assessment (formerly Edulastic), and Pear Practice (previously Giant Steps) into a harmonious symphony of engagement and understanding. 

Here, he shares how these three Pear Deck Learning products have transformed his classroom, addressing challenges and enhancing the quality of education for his students.

Discovering the perfect trio

Tyler's journey began with Pear Assessment, catching his eye on social media about five or six years ago. Frustrated with the limitations of his district's assessment platform offerings, he personally invested in Pear Assessment’s premium features to support fast and actionable data analysis in his classroom. Soon after, he explored Pear Deck and was captivated by the way it helped his learners stay engaged, quickly adding it into his instructional routine.

"I don't feel like I teach like a normal teacher. I want kids up and moving, interacting. I needed something that was going to create that kind of environment for learning, reviewing, and assessment,” he explained.

Certified as a coach for both Pear Assessment and Pear Deck, Tyler found his way to the innovator team for Pear Practice, a product that resonated with his teaching goals and became the missing piece of his instructional puzzle.

Navigating classroom challenges

Before integrating these products, Tyler faced a challenge: A fragmented instructional flow. 

As a teacher who prioritizes engagement and interaction over rote learning, he struggled to find tech that seamlessly transitioned from instruction to review and assessment. Traditional methods felt disconnected, relying heavily on multiple-choice formats, leaving Tyler and his students without a cohesive and engaging learning experience.

"Before I had these products, I was a little disjointed. One solution kind of fit here, but it didn't fit here. There was no cohesiveness to it. It wasn't clear. With Pear Deck, Pear Assessment, and Pear Practice, they create the instructional flow I was looking for."

Seamless integration of Pear Deck

Pear Deck emerged as the hero, providing Tyler with a dynamic platform for engaging instruction. Whether working together, having students progress at their own pace, or helping support those who missed class, Pear Deck broke the cycle of routine and repetitive questioning. 

Tyler highlighted the significance of Pear Deck in fostering a class culture where students felt encouraged to take risks and embrace the value of making mistakes.

"Pear Deck allows me to capture the attention of all students. It gets them more engaged in a way that builds a routine of the expectation that everybody is accountable for their learning,” he said.

Pear Assessment: Bridging the gap

Pear Assessment acts as the bridge between instruction and assessment. With a focus on matching instruction styles, Tyler appreciated its versatility, allowing him to create assessments that aligned seamlessly with his Pear Deck activities. The platform's efficiency stood out, enabling Tyler to build quality assessments without the cumbersome back-end work he had previously experienced with other tools.

Pear Practice: A gamified learning game changer 

Pear Practice completed the trio, adding a gamification layer to Tyler's classroom. As the "Jeopardy board" of the modern era, it provided an engaging platform for students to practice, review, and self-assess. The avatars and rewards served as intrinsic motivators, encouraging students to take control of their learning outside the classroom.

One standout Tyler highlighted was the AI feedback feature. This not only enhanced the quality of feedback for students - it also saved Tyler valuable time. It generated precise and accurate commentary, allowing Tyler to focus on refining his instructional methods and gaining deeper insights into student performance.

Enhancing efficiency and data analysis

Tyler emphasized these products didn't just benefit students; they also transformed his role as a teacher. The time saved allowed him to invest more in enhancing individual student scores and further analyzing data. This newfound time empowered Tyler to refine his instructional roadmap and increase the quality of his teaching materials.

A new classroom ecosystem 

Tyler's story exemplifies the transformative power of Pear Deck, Pear Assessment, and Pear Practice when seamlessly integrated into the classroom. These products not only addressed the challenges Tyler faced, but also empowered him to elevate the quality of his teaching, foster a culture of engagement, and provide an enriching learning experience for his students.

"Using all three of these products has made my life so much easier,” he concluded.