March 23, 2020
In the past few decades, educators have learned a lot about how students learn best. One important consideration is the learning environment itself. Gone are the days of desks lined up in a row, all facing the teacher in the center of the room. Today, teachers are moving towards designing a classroom for 21st century learning. This article explores the essential ingredients that should go into making a modern and relevant classroom. Keep reading to find exciting new ideas to give your room a face lift!
March 10, 2020
For generations, students in America have been accustomed to receiving letter grades for their schoolwork. Most kids and parents have come to accept that letter grades from A-F measure a student’s success in a subject. But do those grades truly reveal the whole story behind a child’s proficiency? Many educational experts now think the answer is a resounding no! A new grading system has been sweeping the country, and it uses the best practices in grading and assessment to support student learning. Keep reading to find out more about Standards-Based Grading, or SBG, and discover how it benefits students, parents, and teachers.
Feb. 10, 2020
Sometimes it seems that everyone has different ideas when it comes to teaching character in school. Some believe that parents should be solely responsible for teaching morality and ethical values, while others think districts should include it in the curriculum, too. The truth is that character education has been an important facet of our educational system dating back to our founding fathers! Keep reading to learn more about character education in schools, and to find ways to support character growth in your classroom.
Jan. 27, 2020
Learning that your child has a disability can be lifechanging for many families, especially as they navigate through the scary world of planning their future. What school will she attend? How will he go to college and get a job? Will she ever learn to talk? These are just a few of the questions that parents agonize with after an autism diagnosis. Thankfully, there are many educational options for children who need support once they enter school.
Jan. 20, 2020
There’s no denying it: in America, it’s all too often that failure is looked down upon and viewed negatively by others. This is never more prevalent than in school, where low grades are considered “bad”, and high grades are considered “good”. In fact, kids are often rewarded for good grades, and admonished for bad ones. It’s no wonder why students are so afraid to fail in the classroom! Read this article to discover a fresh take on failure-focused learning, where learning through mistakes is mandatory. Then, find 4 solid strategies to help children embrace error in the classroom to become capable and confident learners!
Jan. 8, 2020
When your child is bored at school, it could seem impossible to reignite their previous curiosity and love for learning. For teachers, it’s common problem that strikes kids from elementary through high school, and it can seem just as hopeless an endeavor as it seems for parents. But like in anything else, there are many reasons for why it occurs, and just as many ways to tackle the problem. Read this article to find out why kids get bored with school, and how to make learning more meaningful and enjoyable!
Dec. 30, 2019
If you haven’t heard about flexible seating yet, it’s time that you do! Of all the trends sweeping through the educational world, this one has been embraced by educators all over the country, transforming classrooms into engaging learning spaces! No matter if you’re a parent or a teacher, every classroom or study space can be improved. This article discusses the benefits of flexible seating and gives you ten seating ideas that will make you want to kick your chairs and desks to the curb!
Dec. 2, 2019
As teachers or even parents, when we think about utilizing games in learning, most of us think of objective subjects with clear answers, like math or science. In preschool and kindergarten, kids might play games using sight words or phonics. But for older children who already know the basics of reading, how can games possibly enrich reading comprehension when questions are text-dependent? The answer requires a bit of creative thinking, but we’re here to tell you that it can be done! Read this article to discover the benefits of using games for reading, how to use them effectively, and to try out the best reading games to play in class!
July 15, 2019
Teachers today know that the days of lecturing in front of students all day are long gone, as new technology in education has taken school districts by storm! This article discusses the hottest topic in the educational world: blended learning. Keep reading to learn about what it is, the methodology behind the concept, and strategies for implementing blended learning into your classroom or homeschool.
June 3, 2019
School might be out of session for the summer, but in just a couple of months the never-ending debate over homework will heat up once again as children return to the classroom. Across the country, students, parents, and even teachers are asking more than ever before the same contentious question: why is homework important? With many school districts ending home-based assignments at the elementary level, it might seem that homework is no longer needed. Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument in this next article that explores the usefulness and effectiveness of homework for all ages.