George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

9-12 High School

Explore and share tips, strategies, and resources for helping students develop in grades 9-12.

  • Assessing Literacy Skills With One-on-One Conferencing

    Brief, frequent chats with students help teachers assess their reading and writing skills while building strong relationships.
    Kyleen Gray

  • 4 Activities to Boost Target Language Vocabulary Acquisition

    To give his students repeated exposure to relevant vocabulary terms, the author relies on a tried-and-true tool: index cards.
    Anxo Otero

  • Reducing Dependence on Slides

    Focusing less on the slides and more on student discussion fosters deeper engagement.
    Miriam Plotinsky

  • A Student-Centered Model of Blended Learning

    When educators at a Washington, DC, high school ditched their lectures and devised a self-paced blended learning model, their students thrived.

  • As Teen Stress Increases, Teachers Look for Answers

    Seventy percent of teens say stress is a major problem. Research backs that up—and teachers are beginning to offer solutions.
    Andrew Simmons

  • Six Scaffolds That Deepen Independent Learning

    When teaching problem-based lessons, use thinking scaffolds to propel students toward greater expertise and deeper learning.
    Sarah Gonser

  • The Case for Not Allowing Test Retakes

    As more educators drop penalties for late work and allow students to redo tests, a high school teacher says that traditional policies are better for the majority of students.
    Anthony Palma

  • 5 Ways to Support Struggling Students in World Language Classes

    Students with academic challenges benefit from these simple strategies as they develop confidence using the target language.
    Elena Spathis

  • A Strategy for Boosting Student Engagement in Math

    A four-step approach to group work can get students talking and boost their mathematical and metacognitive thinking.
    Ashley Taplin

  • Preparing Social Studies Students to Think Critically in the Modern World

    Vetting primary resources isn’t easy—but doing it well is crucial for fostering engagement and deeper learning in a rapidly changing world.
    Sarah Gonser

  • The Power of Short Writing Assignments

    Brief writing prompts and responses help students in any discipline.
    Benjamin Barbour

  • There’s a Cell Phone in Your Student’s Head

    A 2017 study found that cell phones that were turned off and stashed away silently reasserted themselves—distracting working students anyway.

  • 60-Second Strategy: Appreciation, Apology, Aha!

    A quick, low-key way to build community in your classroom on a daily basis.

  • 60-Second Strategy: Snowball Toss

    A quick, fun classroom activity fosters open dialogue while releasing pent-up energy.

  • Bringing Student Choice to Assessment in Science Classes

    What happens when students can opt to skip tests and instead give oral presentations or create art to show what they know?
    John Dorroh