Cooperation among teachers, parents, students, and administration has been key as Katie Durkin’s middle school has adopted a strict phone-free policy this school year. She cites three factors that she believes account for a smooth transition and shares her hopes for the future.
“Life Skills for All Learners” by A.S.F. Amir and Thomas Guskey offers a comprehensive exploration into crucial life skills education and shows how to integrate the skills into lessons. Melinda Stewart says the book is both insightful and a practical guide to skill-building.
Educators tend to think of building strong relationships as something we do to impact others, but we are also helping ourselves. Taking into account the challenges of relationships, Julie Schmidt Hasson looks into how connections with adults and students help us grow stronger.
Setting goals across all subject areas is an important practice that helps students at every grade level excel academically and nurtures essential life skills. Incorporating mindfulness into this process strengthens student focus and resilience, writes Kathleen Palmieri.
I Will Screw This Up / Real Self Care
by Dina Strasser · Published 02/08/2025 · Last modified 02/09/2025
When teacher Jay Wamsted tweeted about why and how teachers should leave school on time and not work at home or on weekends, he lit up social media as teachers took sides for and against his proposition. In Dina Strasser’s interview, Wamsted explains and expands on his thinking.
Instead of focusing only on teachers who need to improve, the authors of Invest in Your Best recommend that school leaders recognize the achievements of the school’s best teachers and tap into their expertise. A perspective-shifting read, says department chair Stephanie Choate.
When you operate within your zone of tolerance, you are better able to manage the complex interplay of student needs, teaching demands, and life beyond the classroom. By staying in and expanding your zone, you can grow stronger and keep making an impact, writes Julie Hasson.
Students will rise to the level of high expectations, but they may need support and scaffolding to achieve the goal. Teaching coach Barbara Blackburn explains the essentials of effective scaffolding, its critical relationship to rigor, and how both can be achieved in your classroom.
In his collection of six real-world math projects, Mark Hess provides supporting materials and decreases prep time for otherwise complex undertakings, making the book a win for Gr. 4-5 students and teachers. Included: detailed images, student examples, handouts and teacher guides.
By introducing students to grammatical concepts using mentor texts, we can help our classes see those concepts as tools for meaningful and effective writing that they can use for the rest of their lives. Educator Sean Ruday shares his own process.
More
