As a middle school social studies teacher, one of the very first things I teach my students each year is a unit on culture. Sure, the concept of culture is first up on my curriculum guide, but the overarching concept of culture is something that is essential to setting the tone for a productive year. … Read more
Students in the 21st Century need opportunities to develop a wide variety of executive function skills to prepare for success. Among these are crucial abilities like collaboration, task management, prioritization, and flexible thinking. While there are a variety of ways to target these skills individually, digital breakouts are an engaging and fun way to tackle them together. Read … Read more
Music is an amazing force. It can rev you up and it can calm you down. It can make you feel and it can make you think. Bringing music into the classroom isn’t a new concept, but there is much more to unleashing its power than just hitting “Play”. Here are 5 practical ways educators can bring music … Read more
One of the biggest challenges in education is motivation. For many students, getting older brings the added pressure to fit in and be accepted by their peers. This focus on popularity and “personal branding” doesn’t always line up with being seen as “the smart kid”. As educators, how can we successfully promote learning and growth … Read more
Taking notes is a vital skill in acquiring and retaining knowledge. Unfortunately, note-taking skills are not always explicitly taught in schools, or, when they are, they are often taught in a one-size-fits-all manner. A teacher or tutor can have an immediate positive impact by matching a student to a note-taking style that blends their learning … Read more