9-12 High School

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

Culturally Responsive Teaching
22 Diverse Book Choices for All Grade Levels
Suggestions from teachers who are working to offer students at every grade level book choices that represent their lives.
Social and Emotional Learning
3 Ways School Counselors Can Boost SEL
Tips for student support professionals working to promote social and emotional learning at a middle or high school.
Lesson Plans
Studying Female Poets to Understand History
Women have often been omitted from histories, but the work of female poets can give students a needed perspective.
The Research Is In
Understanding a Teacher’s Long-Term Impact
Fostering skills like self-regulation does more to improve students’ long-term outcomes than helping them raise their test scores.
Classroom Management
60-Second Strategy: Appreciation, Apology, Aha!
A quick, low-key way to build community in your classroom on a daily basis.
Mental Health
60-Second Strategy: Snowball Toss
A quick, fun classroom activity fosters open dialogue while releasing pent-up energy.
Communication Skills
Scaffolding Discussion Skills With a Socratic Circle
Students deepen their understanding and build a sense of community by engaging with their peers’ reasoned arguments.
Collaborative Learning
Group Work That Works
Educators weigh in on solutions to the common pitfalls of group work.
Learning Environments
Learning to Be Flexible
For middle and high school teachers who avoid lecturing, the switch to flexible seating means the room aligns with their teaching style.
Professional Development
Using Video for Professional Development
When teachers film themselves in the classroom, it helps them reflect on and improve their teaching practice.
Project-Based Learning
Project-Based Learning and the Research Paper
Students take responsibility for their learning and develop solutions for complex problems when their research paper becomes a PBL unit.
Literacy
Transferring Ownership of Writing to Students
Putting students in the driver’s seat includes having them assess their writing, which also eases the teacher’s grading load.
Professional Development
Teachers Learning From Each Other
Educators can provide valuable professional development by opening up their classrooms to their peers.
Mental Health
Helping High Schoolers Manage Emotions
De-escalation spaces allow students to leave stressful situations or interactions so they can process their emotions and then return to learning.
Growth Mindset
Young Adult Novels That Teach a Growth Mindset
Use these novels to teach learning from loss and overcoming adversity to your middle schoolers and high school freshmen.