Sound Play Kickoff Let’s start our phonological adventure with a burst of fun! Phonological awareness is all about recognizing and playing with the sound structures in spoken language. Before children master reading readiness, they first need pre-reading skills like sound recognition — and sound play is the perfect warm-up. Think of it like tuning an…
Igniting Inquiry: Introduction to Thinking Tasks Imagine a classroom where students are out of their seats, buzzing with ideas, clustered in groups around vertical whiteboards, eagerly wrestling with mathematical puzzles. Welcome to the world of Building Thinking Classrooms—an approach developed by mathematics educator Peter Liljedahl that flips traditional teaching on its head. Here, learning begins…
Gaping No More: Introduction to Word Gaps Imagine two kids starting kindergarten together. One seems to have a treasure chest full of words, while the other is still collecting pebbles to fill theirs. That treasure chest—or lack thereof—is what educators call the word gap. It’s the gap in the number of words children hear and…
Get Started with Standards-Based Grading Alright, class – today we’re diving into the world of standards-based grading (SBG), a fresh approach to assessing student learning that’s gaining momentum in schools everywhere. Instead of tallying up scores from homework, tests, and projects into a single letter, SBG zooms in on what students actually know compared to…
Launchpad to MTSS Success Welcome aboard, fellow educators! Today, we’re taking off into the wonderful world of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)—a framework designed to help every student soar academically and behaviorally. Think of MTSS as your school’s GPS for providing just-right supports: Tier 1 (universal instruction for all), Tier 2 (targeted small group…
Fast-Track Your Restorative Revolution Ready to transform your classroom or school into a thriving community of connection, healing, and mutual respect? Restorative practices offer just that—a shift from rule enforcement to relationship building and collaborative problem solving. Instead of relying purely on punitive measures, these approaches encourage empathy, accountability, and meaningful dialogue. As outlined in…
Introduction – Unlocking Critical Thinking through Media Literacy Imagine your students becoming skilled detectives—not of crime scenes, but of the endless stream of news articles, ads, TikToks, and memes that flood their screens daily. That is the power of media literacy in action. Media literacy helps children and teens learn how to access, analyze, evaluate,…
AI Literacy Unlocked: Getting Started Imagine giving your students a “superpower” that helps them understand, question, and guide the technologies shaping their world—this is the magic of AI literacy! From smart assistants to recommendation engines, artificial intelligence is no longer something only scientists talk about; it’s woven into our everyday lives. According to Activate Learning,…
Kickoff to Excellence Alright, class—who’s ready to sharpen those pencils and fire up their brainpower? Assessment item writing isn’t just about popping out a few questions and calling it a day. It’s about crafting clear, purposeful, and fair tasks that actually measure what we intend them to measure. Think of yourself as both a detective…
Welcome Aboard: Setting Up Substitute Success Imagine walking into an unfamiliar classroom, thirty curious faces staring at you, and piles of lesson materials… or maybe none at all. A well-prepared substitute teacher plan is like a golden key—it unlocks the door to smooth transitions, happy students, and a confident substitute. As outlined in best practices…