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The Research Is In
Welcoming Students With a Smile
Assessment
Finding Clarity in Assessment and Grading
Ensuring that grades are valid and reliable for all students starts with educators examining their assessment and evaluation practices.
Laura Thomas
Collaborative Learning
Designing a Public School From Scratch
On a mission to reimagine traditional schooling, a K–8 school in San Diego puts teachers and students at the center.
Nora Fleming
The Research Is In
How Mistakes Help Students Learn
Guessing is useful for students’ ability to recall information—even when the guesses are wrong.
Youki Terada
Assessment
60-Second Strategy: Interview Assessments
A face-to-face chat provides an alternative for students who struggle to show what they know on tests.
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STEM
The STEM Zombie Apocalypse
What can zombies teach kids about the brain? Images from popular culture provide an entry point to exploring science and math.
Edward Kang
Literacy
Discovering the Depth in Graphic Novels
Graphic novels can give middle school readers rich opportunities to explore literary themes and conventions.
Jason DeHart
Parent Partnership
Building Relationships With Teachers
A parent and former middle school teacher uses thank you notes at the start of the year to foster ties with her child’s teachers.
Johanna Rauhala
Culturally Responsive Teaching
A Better Way to Teach the Civil Rights Movement
To improve history lessons on the period, educators emphasize the roles of grassroots activists, churches, schools, and women.
Melinda Anderson
Recent Videos »
Teacher Wellness
Prioritizing Teacher Self-Care
It’s a simple self-care strategy: Teachers text a colleague to cover their class for a minute when they need to de-escalate and recharge.
Technology Integration
Tech Buddies: Building Technology Skills Through Peer Teaching
See the learning on both sides when fifth graders teach computer skills to first graders.
Think Possible
8th Graders Writing a Novel?
Two videos explore what happens when a middle school teacher challenges her students to write a novel in just one month.
Tom Berger
Social and Emotional Learning
How School 21 Educates the Whole Child
At School 21, students are exposed to different real-world contexts—emotionally, academically, and creatively—to discover their voice and place in the world.
Popular
The Research Is In
Welcoming Students With a Smile
Greeting each student at the door with a positive message brings benefits for both students and teacher.
Youki Terada
New Teachers
6 Ways to Build a Rapport With Students
New teachers sometimes struggle with establishing relationships with students, so a veteran shares a few tips on how to get started.
Helen Boyd
Literacy
The Unexpected Power of Reading Conferences
A high school English teacher has a single accountability measure for her students’ choice reading: talking to them about it.
Jori Krulder
Differentiated Instruction
Succeeding With Differentiation
Differentiating instruction isn’t easy, but teachers and professional learning facilitators can work together to overcome the obstacles.
Lisa Westman
The Research Is In
The Science Behind Student Stress
A new study shows how a growth mindset helps students cope with academic setbacks.
Youki Terada
Mental Health
In High School, the Kids Are Not All Right
David Tow
Math »
Teaching Strategies
Self-Assessment in Middle School
Inspired by John Hattie, a middle school math teacher encourages students to articulate and measure their own learning.
Michael Giardi
Brain-Based Learning
When the Social Brain Misfires
Sometimes our powerful urge to belong can hurt us. We look at how stereotypes undermine learning.
Teaching Strategies
5 Tips for Improving Students’ Success in Math
Teachers who coach teams in a mathematical modeling challenge share ideas for helping students develop more confidence.
Rachel Levy
Curriculum Planning
The Flexibility of Computational Thinking
Three middle school projects—in English, math, and history—use computational thinking skills to address social justice topics.
Eli Sheldon
Literacy »
Literacy
Discovering the Depth in Graphic Novels
Graphic novels can give middle school readers rich opportunities to explore literary themes and conventions.
Jason DeHart
Literacy
The Unexpected Power of Reading Conferences
A high school English teacher has a single accountability measure for her students’ choice reading: talking to them about it.
Jori Krulder
Literacy
Getting Out of the Essay Rut
Alternative writing assignments can be just as rigorous as the traditional essay and can spark young writers’ creativity.
Rebecca Alber
Literacy
Reading Buddies
Pairing older elementary students with younger ones for community reading time has benefits for both groups.
Ryan Wheeler
Integrated Studies »
Integrated Studies
Using Science to Bring Literature to Life
Combining science and literature can help students engage more deeply with both subjects.
Edward Kang
Integrated Studies
Using Stories to Teach Math
Teaching literacy and math at once helps make the most of class time while deepening young students’ understanding in both subjects.
L.L. Barkat
Trading Places
Birmingham Covington: Building a Student-Centered School
Educators take on the role of guides and motivate students to direct their own learning.
Holly Korbey
Integrated Studies
Sparking Curiosity and Solving Real-World Problems
See how students apply their literacy skills to explore science problems outside classroom walls.
