Navigating the debate on the effects of screen time
Parents want to know how much screen time is too much but research suggests there's more to consider with smartphones, tablets, and TV. The post Navigating the debate on the effects of screen time...
View ArticleHow to use personal learning goals to improve students’ learning
Perhaps the most important — yet too often overlooked — outcome in education is for students to be able to learn information on their own. I teach this skill in my own classroom through how I structure...
View Article6 types of learning goals for students
True motivation comes from within. It can be inspired, encouraged, and facilitated by outside forces, but the most powerful resolve is intrinsic. As teachers, we’re tasked with helping students find...
View Article5 classroom management strategies for middle school
Middle school is a very challenging age group to teach. You have some students who are maturing towards high school, and others who seem to still be stuck in third grade. This is also the age where...
View Article7 great middle school books to read (that teachers love, too!)
Research shows that reading improves content knowledge, fluency, and vocabulary. Get your middle schoolers reading with this list of great books! The post 7 great middle school books to read (that...
View ArticleHow to teach through storytelling
Teaching through storytelling is the original form of instruction. It has the power to captivate students and make learning more relevant. The post How to teach through storytelling appeared first on...
View ArticleHow to assess student engagement
Assessing student engagement can be a tricky task, but it helps teachers see what is working and what might need to be changed. The post How to assess student engagement appeared first on Classcraft...
View ArticleMoney lesson plan — February’s Quest of the Month
Introducing Classcraft’s 11th Quest of the Month! The first in a series of quests from Arcadia Parson that teaches financial skills to middle schoolers. The post Money lesson plan — February’s Quest of...
View ArticleNational Say Something Week empowers students to prevent gun violence
National Say Something Week teaches students how to spot and prevent someone from harming themselves or others by taking action before it’s too late. The post National Say Something Week empowers...
View ArticleHow to use discussion as a teaching strategy
One of the great challenges of classroom management is figuring out how to quiet the exuberantly talkative students and redirecting that energy (you don’t want to stifle it entirely) to a more...
View ArticleThe 8 Ps of an effective student engagement strategy
A room full of seventh graders sat silently, wide eyed and intrigued. The lunch bell rang. No one moved. In fact, no one even seemed to notice or care that it was time to leave — each of the twenty-six...
View Article6 dystopian novels for middle school about the power of change
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a dystopia as “an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives.” This description sounds dark and gloomy, but as a former...
View ArticleHow to use PBIS strategies in the classroom
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has definitely made its mark on the world of education. States, districts, and schools have made PBIS a requirement in an attempt to improve...
View ArticleHow to guide and monitor student learning
It’s one of the great horrors of teaching to be standing in front of a group of students, passionately expounding upon some great subject, only to realize that not one bit of what you’ve been saying...
View Article6 engaging writing activities to improve student learning
Some kids are freaked out by writing. These creative activities will help students find their words and could result in expressing profound thoughts. The post 6 engaging writing activities to improve...
View ArticleCooperative gaming: A path to being human
Guest blogger and teacher Aaron Kaio discusses how he used a class on cooperative gaming to help students build real-world skills. The post Cooperative gaming: A path to being human appeared first on...
View Article10 ways to integrate technology in the classroom into your lesson plans
As someone born in the 80s, I can hardly remember a time before computers. I vividly remember the day my dad brought our first computer home — it was big and white, and my older sister and I learned to...
View ArticleResearch into the use of electronic devices in school shows how educators...
A new study investigated whether Classcraft could drive students to adopt devices, like Google Chromebooks, and improve 21st-century skills. The post Research into the use of electronic devices in...
View ArticleHow to deal with classroom management for difficult students
There will always be those students who seem more challenging to connect with, or those who just don’t seem to listen, or those who are perpetually unengaged… and a few who check off all of the above...
View Article24 PBIS school-wide celebration ideas
PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) has been gaining increasing popularity among schools because of its consistency in teaching students about positive classroom behaviors. Many...
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