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WHAT WORKS IN EDUCATION The George Lucas Educational Foundation
Four young students are smiling and sitting at two desks pushed together. Five paper-made windmills are on their desks.
By Maurice J. Elias

All students want to feel part of their classroom community. Here are four activities to help them feel welcomed and comfortable.

A teenage boy and girl dressed in business clothes are sitting at a classroom table -- covered with opened binders filled with paper -- talking to each other.
By Mary Beth Hertz

Advisory groups are "school families" that give students a time block to focus on schoolwork, college applications, personal issues, or hearing and respecting one another.

A young woman is sitting on the ground, painting the underside of a table orange. A young man is laying on the ground on his back, watching the woman paint.
By Eric Sheninger

Rethink classroom and campus spaces, recycle and upcycle materials, tap student ingenuity, attract charitable donors -- and remake and revitalize your school without breaking the bank.

1,479 views
Six teenage students and a teacher are talking. They're sitting in a circle in chairs brought to the center of their classroom.
By Suzie Boss

Bringing students into conversations about school change is the goal of a student-led effort that has grown from a twitter chat into a national movement.

295 views
By Lizanne Foster

Taking attendance shows which students are physically present, but asking an attendance question stretches students' minds toward actively learning as part of a classroom community.

2 953 views
An illustration of people sitting on a stack of larger-than-life red and blue textbooks labeled, "History," "Geography," "Math," "English," and "Science."
By Dr. Jennifer Davis Bowman

While student input matters when creating curriculum, it's critical to manage their involvement and expectations in determining what and how they'll learn.

1,010 views
An illustration two women in safari gear. One is holding a vine, standing near a mountain cliff, extending her hand to another woman swinging on a vine towards her.

Social and Emotional Learning
Teachers, Students, and the Hero's Journey

By Dr. Lori Desautels

Joseph Campbell's monomyth of the Hero's Journey maps easily onto the annual cycle of growth, struggle, crisis, and opportunity faced by every teacher and student in every classroom.

685 views
A no furniture, empty, orange and green classroom with sun shining through from large rectangular windows, a large checkered whiteboard on the back wall, and three circular clocks above it
By Amy Erin Borovoy (aka VideoAmy)

How can a classroom be set up to maximize learning? Get inspired by this video playlist with tips and ideas for teachers to make over their classrooms.

21 27,507 198,929 views
By Todd Finley

Transformational lessons don't just happen. They require planning, mindfulness, and a commitment to shift away from educational approaches of the past.

18 3,817 75,384 views
Tablets and lamented information sheets next to boxes filled with marine life span across nine classroom tables. Seven students are sitting at one table, two students are standing together, and two others wearing headphones are working individually.
By John McCarthy

Social media can enhance differentiated instruction if the tools are selected with a careful eye on individual students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles.

25 11,028 67,217 views
Graphic of curriculum on a bookshelf

Explore a diverse collection of curriculum-planning tips, guidance, and other resources meant to help new teachers plan effective activities, lessons, and units.

1 12,395 58,003 views
Photo of students cooking together

Explore Edutopia's curated compilation of online resources for understanding and beginning to implement project-based learning.

9 7,985 51,303 views
An illustration of a shadow-like teenage boy. He's drawing a school, inspired from reading a book. The word "growth" is highlighted in green in the background.
By David Cutler

Transformational teachers share best practices, build mentoring relationships, observe their peers, keep things fresh, model their subject's usefulness, and demonstrate caring beyond what they teach.

21 4,824 27,435 views
Graphic of a start flag attached to a hammer

All of Edutopia’s downloadable and printable back-to-school resources are collected here for easy classroom reference.

2,563 24,500 views
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