Sparking Students’ Curiosity to Enhance Their Problem-Solving Skills (5.11.23)
Curiosity about small questions, or micowonderings, can help students solve problems in any discipline.
May 18, 2023
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that signals the brain about the worth of a task, which directly impacts motivation to begin work and satisfaction of completion. Teachers who understand the connection between pleasure and motivation craft learning experiences with this in mind because they understand that students work more enthusiastically and more persistently when pleasure is associated with the task.
Cultivating Wonder and Awe in the Classroom (5.16.23)
Exposing students to amazing things creates a classroom environment where they feel creative, engaged, and primed to learn.
May 18, 2023
60-Second Strategy: Jitter Sticks (5.11.23)
When students need to get their wiggles out so they can settle down to learn, this simple movement-based brain break does the trick.
May 18, 2023
Getting Students Comfortable with Critical Thinking via @ASCD (4.1.23)
Three strategies for weaving critical thinking into everyday learning. Researcher and education expert Bryan Goodwin highlights three strategies—structured problem solving, cognitive writing, and guided investigations—that help educators weave critical thinking
May 18, 2023
An Innovative Way for High School Students to Take Control of Their Own Learning (4.14.23)
Giving students a chance to build a project based on a rubric they created can increase engagement and investment.
May 18, 2023
A Handy Framework for Designing Units of Study (5.5.23)
People, places, and problems offer rich opportunities for real-world learning. This unit design framework ensures engaging, aligned learning objectives, experiences, and assessments.
May 18, 2023
Plotinsky, M. (2022, June 13). Creating a Classroom That Is Student, Not Teacher, Driven. Edutopia. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
Teachers can take a step back and create lessons that put student explorations at the center of learning.
June 29, 2022
Schroeder, S. (2020, November 30). How to Help Students Focus on What They’re Learning, Not the Grade. Edutopia. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
Work that emphasizes students’ developing skills instead of a graded product reminds them to see learning as their goal.
June 29, 2022
Brukner, Lauren. “A Movement Sequence to Help Students Maintain Self-Regulation.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 6 May 2022.
An occupational therapist offers a series of calming whole-body exercises for students to do as a class throughout the school day.
May 11, 2022
Courtney, Thomas. “A Tool Kit for Substitutes.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 10 May 2022.
Filling in for an elementary teacher can be easier when substitutes have flexible go-to strategies to keep the class running smoothly.
May 11, 2022
Best Practices
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