Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do. Barack Obama As educators, you have the honor of imparting knowledge … read more »
It’s that time of the year! Time to think about summer reading and helping our students stave off the summer slide. Students that don’t read during the summer stand to lose between 25–30% of their school-year learning. Reading over the summer encourages lifelong reading, helps children improve and maintain reading skills, increases children’s knowledge base, … read more »
Rita Mae Brown’s quote demonstrates how learning a new language for English language learners (ELLs) is not just about communication but also about gaining insight into a new culture and way of life. Currently, ELLs are a growing population in U.S. public schools, with an average of 10 percent of students classified as ELLs nationwide … read more »
Get Caught Reading is a campaign that promotes reading for enjoyment. As teachers, we can help students by celebrating them when we find out that they have been reading for pleasure. An easy way to give recognition of their effort is to use a punch card. It can help build interest and encourage students to … read more »
Reflecting on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, I’ve wondered what we as a society have learned and how those lessons can help our students today. Listening to some of the youngest participants in the march – children at the time – reminds me that our children need to see that they can “drive the change … read more »
March is International Ideas Month! Idea generation is an important skill for students. Maker education and design thinking (both aspects of making) nurture ideas in students! Students of any age can participate in making through short challenges, projects, or built-in maker opportunities—all of which allow students to generate ideas. If you would like to introduce … read more »
“Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.” -Theodore von Karman Celebrate the many ways engineers make a difference in the world during Engineers Week, February 19–25. This year’s theme is Creating the Future! Sponsored by DiscoverE, this week promotes and encourages educators to share the engineering field with … read more »
“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.” – John Dewey Digital Learning Day is an annual event celebrating technology’s innovative use in education. Championed since its inception by All4Ed and usually held near the end of February, Digital Learning Day’s goal is to raise awareness about the benefit … read more »
In Part 1 of this blog, we introduced you to Elementari—an engaging tool that allows you to create digital stories by making slides—and discussed applying the SAMR Model and the Triple E Framework to using Elementari in your instruction. You can add images, backgrounds, speech bubbles, voice narration, and other cool features to your slideshows. … read more »
What is maker education? In maker education, “students imagine, design, and create projects that align the content of learning with hands-on application” (Makered.org). Maker education was born from the maker movement, which believes that we are all “makers” and can be creators—not just consumers—of things. Makerspaces are specific spaces in schools, libraries, and community organizations … read more »