Align, Assess, Achieve

Rather than posing difficult questions and having students only respond to a portion of them, it is better to pinpoint a succinct question that can allow students to thoughtfully respond. By exploring 4QM, students and teachers can feel more confident when it comes to formulating questions and showcasing knowledge in their responses.

Strategy Spotlight: Moving Beyond Ambiguous Questions By Lani Aquino In this Strategy Spotlight, the Four Question Method (4QM) is explored in 4QMTeaching’s The High Stakes of Getting the Question Right. Gary Shiffman, co-developer of 4QM, shares his work with a history teacher who was hitting a roadblock when it came to garnering student responses t...

While summer may mean time away from the classroom, it shouldn’t turn into time away from learning. Getting kids to read daily is a lot easier with some engaging titles to offer! These new releases will likely fit the bill and offer something engaging for students at a variety of reading and interest levels.

What’s New in Children’s Literature? June 2019 By Lani Aquino While summer may mean time away from the classroom, it shouldn’t turn into time away from learning. Getting kids to read daily is a lot easier with some engaging titles to offer! These new releases will likely fit the bill and offer something engaging for students at a variety of re...

With toys and resources that encourage STEM learning, parents also have a way to head outside with their kids and join the learning fun.

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Helping students develop a set of strategies for managing their time is never wasted time. These 10 time management tips offer timeless support for an overloaded schedule and/or the ins and outs of everyday life.

10 Time Management Tips for Students By Lani Aquino It certainly can seem like there is never enough time in the day. This is a dilemma that plagues students and persons of all ages. Finding ways to manage the time that is available during the day can go a long way toward alleviating many daily stressors. By offering implicit instructi...

Whether the goal is to try out Project-Based Learning or add some new ideas to an existing repertoire, these resources should definitely be a part of any PBL toolkit.

5 Must Have Resources for PBL By Lani Aquino Lots of programs, trends, and bandwagons come and go in the world of education. One concept that has proven its worth is PBL or Project-Based Learning. The PBL framework allows students to take a vested stance in their learning as an extended experience working through an engaging and...

Finding the right books to reinforce or build key personal qualities and behaviors can have a positive impact on the learning environment and beyond.

8 Book Collections to Build a Healthy Learning Environment By Lani Aquino As students come together in different learning environments, they bring a diverse set of prior educational experiences and personal backgrounds. They also enter the classroom with a diverse set of character qualities and behavioral histories. Sometimes the combination of students and...

Juggling the many facets of teaching in tandem with all the other components of life outside of school can be overwhelming, but a few key apps can make all the difference!

5 Downloadable Ways to Help Teachers with the Work-Life Balance By Lani Aquino Keegan has a dentist appointment at 11:00, Maisy’s IEP meeting starts at 3:30, Shawn’s new medication side effects need to be documented, the tutorial on the math program pilot isn’t going to watch itself, Camden needs to eat a more balanced diet, Spike has to get to the vet, an...

The creation of digital portfolios gives students an accessible method for capturing their learning that reinforces growth and understanding.

5 Platforms for Creating Digital Portfolios By Lani Aquino Paper trails with projects and activities getting lost in the shuffle are a thing of the past. As the digital world plays a heavier role in student learning, it’s key for this same digital world to play the role of learning archiver. With digital portfolios, students are able to cre...

The Unteachables- 📕
Students in the middle grades will love traveling to Room 117 with the unteachables and Mr. Kermit, their burnt-out teacher. Bestselling author Gordon Korman tells the tale of a group of students who have been cast away from the regular student body and isolated in the unteachable room. Over the course of the school year, much unfolds behind the door of Room 117, and readers will enjoy seeing the transformation that all of its occupants experience.

What’s New in Children’s Literature? January 2019 By Lani Aquino It only takes one book to ignite a spark and create a lifelong love of reading. With all of the demands teachers face on a daily basis, finding the time to peruse every new title can be overwhelming. Narrowing down the search just got a lot easier. This list of January 2019 releases i...

Whether teachers are looking to change up the traditional homework concept or parents are wanting to add more learning opportunities at home, these 15 activities are packed with quality educational time!

15 Homework Alternatives to Keep Kids & Families Engaged in Learning By Lani Aquino Teachers, parents, and/or any combination of the two know that the term homework is often met with deep sighs and stooped shoulders. With kids of all ages being involved in a myriad of activities outside of the school day and families working to carve out some quality time, it can be....

Infographics are here, there, and everywhere, so making them a part of the learning journey should be a no-brainer.

Making Infographics an Integral Part of Learning Infographics are everywhere. They inform, persuade, entertain, and so much more. These brief visual depictions are on screens, on highways, on business displays, and in print. Infographics are real-life visuals that inform people of all ages about anything and everything, and they should also be tak...

Unlocking your student's full potential, because every child deserves the brightest future. https://buff.ly/2l3E5sU

The days of praise phrase stamps should be a thing of the past. Digital communication and real-time feedback opportunities make joining students on the learning journey much more accessible, and tweaking the when and how of these communications heightens their positive impact.

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Change Is Good!
Using a new lens for constructing classic lessons and activities can revitalize those go-to favorites and offer students more engaging opportunities to learn and grow.

5 Ways to Hit the Refresh Button on Tired Lesson Plans By Lani Aquino Whether a teacher’s experience spans two years or thirty-two years, there are likely to be some key lesson plans that have been used throughout it. Being an expert in a curricular area and exploring a variety of ways to share that curriculum with students are at the forefront of wha...

The Four Question Method was developed to clarify what is being asked of students, negating the need to question the question being posed.

Strategy Spotlight: Moving Beyond Ambiguous Questions By Lani Aquino In this Strategy Spotlight, the Four Question Method (4QM) is explored in 4QMTeaching’s The High Stakes of Getting the Question Right. Gary Shiffman, co-developer of 4QM, shares his work with a history teacher who was hitting a roadblock when it came to garnering student responses t...

Turning to the tools of makerspaces to build student interest in mathematics.

Building Math Engagement with Makerspaces By Lani Aquino Combining hands-on activities and real-world experiences can do wonders for increasing student engagement levels. Finding lessons and resources that foster this winning duo can be a little bit trickier when it comes to mathematics. Elizabeth Little, a middle school teacher in Californ...

Help kids unplug with a variety of engaging alternatives that can develop more than fingertip dexterity.

25 Screen Alternatives for Kids By Lani Aquino When summer is in full swing or any other break from school is upon you, the reality of occupying a child's time with something other than video games and screen time can seem pretty daunting. Here is a go-to source of ideas to get the ball rolling. Some may require a little prep, but...

The school year is rounding out with some great new titles for keeping the reading passion fueled over summer or any time throughout the year!

What’s New in Children’s Literature? May 2019 By Lani Aquino Many teachers spend their careers trying to develop that spark and love for reading in all of their students. This becomes a much easier task when the right reads are available. This collection of new releases offers a variety of titles across the K-12 spectrum and may just hold the k...

As with any feedback, it’s about guiding students to improve. If students become reliant on feedback to move forward and grow, then they will have difficulty becoming self-sufficient when it comes to formulating future assignments. By shifting feedback methods, students are able to take ownership of their learning and skill development to become more successful and self-assured as they continue to navigate their own learning journeys.

Revamping the Praise Phrase By Lani Aquino A huge part of teaching and helping students grow as learners comes from feedback. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the construction of said feedback should be fresh and focused. When it comes to expanding students’ learning potentials, a stamped phrase of Good Work! or...

As the school year comes to an end, it’s time for teachers to start the packing process to ensure they transition into summer with ease.

Packing for Summer in 3 Easy Steps By Lani Aquino As the number of days in the year decreases, it seems that the items on the to-do list tend to see an increase. One item that can easily be checked off that pre-summer list is packing up the classroom. Storing materials and tidying the shelves can often feel like an overwhelming task,...

While summer is a time to rejuvenate, students and the classroom are never far from the forefront. As teachers traverse the much needed summer respite, these are 10 ways to incorporate thoughts and plans for the classroom into everyday life.

10 Ideas to Help Teachers Refresh This Summer Teachers always have a bit of teacher mode going, even in the summer months. They can be spotted offering direction and advice to kids that aren’t their own, shopping competitively at sales, and brushing up on new trends and ideas through an educational lens. While summer is a time to rejuvenate, ...

While time to run wild and free is an excellent learning opportunity, having a few go-to resources for adding some more structure to outdoor play can also be beneficial. With toys and resources that encourage STEM learning, parents also have a way to head outside with their kids and join the learning fun. Adding a few of these resources to the recess rotation or backyard fun at home offers kids a STEM lens for outdoor learning!

10 Outdoor Toys & Resources for Promoting STEM Learning By Lani Aquino With longer daylight hours and nicer weather, teachers and parents want to encourage kids to spend more time outdoors. For some kids, it can be hard to simply head into the backyard and make adventure happen. This can be even more difficult when there aren’t an abundance of neighbor...

To build a healthy mindset, practicing the application of a positive spin can do wonders for the psyche and career longevity.

Building a Healthy Mindset for Teachers By Lani Aquino While every day as an educator may not be picture perfect, there is certainly a lot to be said for entering the profession with a glass half full mindset. Education is a career with a bevy of expectations, and the biggest takeaways from heading down this professional path are not the....

A tight budget shouldn’t be wasted on software licenses that goes unused.

5 Educational Software Licenses Worth the Investment By Lani Aquino With all of the personal funds that teachers pour into their classrooms and the education of their students, it can be very frustrating to see districts spending exorbitant amounts of money on software licenses that go unused. Many programs are purchased without much input from staff....

A slight shift in two key elements of feedback can make a world of difference.

Revamping the Praise Phrase By Lani Aquino A huge part of teaching and helping students grow as learners comes from feedback. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the construction of said feedback should be fresh and focused. When it comes to expanding students’ learning potentials, a stamped phrase of Good Work! or...

10 Ideas to Help Teachers Refresh This Summer

10 Ideas to Help Teachers Refresh This Summer Teachers always have a bit of teacher mode going, even in the summer months. They can be spotted offering direction and advice to kids that aren’t their own, shopping competitively at sales, and brushing up on new trends and ideas through an educational lens. While summer is a time to rejuvenate, ...

These latest apps in education are both engaging and free!

The Latest FREE Ed Apps: Spring 2019 Edition By Lani Aquino Finding new ways to engage students in their learning is a priceless endeavor. When said endeavor is also price tag free, it’s a huge bonus. When the toolkit is stocked with a variety of educational apps that can bring a new interest to learning, teachers and students reap the rewar...

When any break from school comes about whether it’s a weekend, winter/spring break, a federal holiday, or summer break, teachers and students breathe a sigh of relief because they are finally able to recapture some time. Time for rest, time for building relationships, time for pursuing personal interests, and time for catching one’s breath. Why is it that this much needed respite and recharge never seems to find its way into the everyday facets of learning?

A Time for Learning When any break from school comes about whether it’s a weekend, winter/spring break, a federal holiday, or summer break, teachers and students breathe a sigh of relief because they are finally able to recapture some time. Time for rest, time for building relationships, time for pursuing personal in...

A huge part of teaching and helping students grow as learners comes from feedback. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the construction of said feedback should be fresh and focused. When it comes to expanding students’ learning potentials, a stamped phrase of Good Work! or Nice Job! simply won’t suffice.

Revamping the Praise Phrase By Lani Aquino A huge part of teaching and helping students grow as learners comes from feedback. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the construction of said feedback should be fresh and focused. When it comes to expanding students’ learning potentials, a stamped phrase of Good Work! or...