student voice
PhotoBlog | Teton Science Schools & The Power of Place-Based Learning
I recently had the opportunity to visit Teton Science Schools, our partner in Getting Smart’s “Power of Place” campaign. Here are some initial thoughts from the many things I learned, as well as photos of that beautiful part of our country.
Four Classroom Strategies for Integrating Critical Thinking and Kinesthetic Learning
By: Sandra L. Love. Learning is more effective when it is an active rather than a passive process, so engage students through movement. Here are four strategies for integrating critical thinking and kinesthetic learning in the classroom.
Choosing Camp Counseling for Career Readiness
By: Olivia Waldron. This summer, instead of taking on the typical office internship, I chose to become a camp counselor and ended up learning many real life skills still applicable to college and career readiness.
Beware the Iconography Trap of Personalized Learning: Rigor Matters
By: Betheny Gross. Supporting both rigor and personalization in the classroom is the key to the successful implementation of personalized learning. Here are how some schools are meeting both of these goals.
For The School Supply List: 25 Ways to Promote Effort, Attitude and Respect
Parents and teachers can do a lot of things on a daily basis to encourage positive mindsets. Here are 25 ways to help send kids back to school with positive attitudes, effort and respect.
Getting Prepared For Middle School: 7 Things Soon-to-Be Middle Schoolers Should Know
Inspired by a conversation I overheard between a grandfather and his pre-middle school grandson, here are 7 things I think soon-to-be middle schoolers should know before school starts.
Expanding & Enriching Relationships in Place-Based Education
By: Gillian Judson. In place-based education, the importance of relationships in education is taken to a whole new level. Here are three guiding principles for maximizing the creation of all relationships and, by extension, the learning of all students.
What Happens When You Combine a Writer’s Workshop and Makerspace?
I recently had a chance to observe Angela Stockman, author of "Make Writing: 5 Strategies that Turn Writer’s Workshop Into a Makerspace, teaching in her studio and learned three key ways to bring the studio experience to all students.
Huntley Blend Provides Support & Flexibility
Huntley Community School District 158 has implemented several innovations in its schools, including its high school blended learning program that offers students control over the time, place and pace at which they work.
Equitable Education for Students in Poverty Starts with the Teacher
In "Poor Students, Rich Teaching," author Eric Jensen discusses how teachers who choose to better understand poverty and work to change mindsets can be one of the biggest factors in making a difference for these students.