About half of kids’ learning ability is in their DNA, study says
Classroom Innovations
K-12 Curriculum news
Personalizing history for more impactful student learning
Social studies teachers can help students personalize history by embracing individualized pathways and oral or local history projects
10 ways to tell you’re a tech-savvy educator
Technology is a necessary part of formal and informal learning today. After all, students will need tech skills as they move into college and the workforce. Using tech…
12 STEM resources for all grades
In classrooms across the nation, STEM education is hailed as one of the most important concepts for today's students. After all, STEM know-how, coupled with skills such as…
Stopping the bully in your classroom
While bullying has long existed, it has only recently been recognized as a pervasive problem in schools across the nation. According to recent studies, up to 30 percent…
Why a writing workshop framework works for young authors
We all have stories to tell. Regardless if our stories are told orally, through body language, or written composition, students need to feel ownership and validation in their…
Why some teachers are choosing compensation over open source for lesson plans
In 2012, one kindergarten teacher defied the norm and earned over $700,000 by selling her lesson plans online. This success story was just one of many stories involving…
How to create scalable solutions to address the STEM crisis
Transforming STEM education and, as a result, the U.S. workforce, will require more than homegrown or one-off localized programs. This is a national challenge that requires scalable and…
15 OER tools for educators
As educators and students clamor for relevant and engaging digital content, many are turning to open educational resources (OER)--educational materials that are free to use under a special…
Shutterfly launches new education service
Shutterfly, the popular online service that enables users to create photo books, cards, and stationery and share these with their friends and family, has launched a new service…
How to graduate globally competitive students
During a recent webinar, Microsoft executive Cameron Evans discussed four key skills that students will need if they want to succeed in the new global economy.
Using eLearning tools to maximize summer PD
School’s out for summer, and what better time for teachers to continue their education through professional development programs?
Browse free math, ELA resources for grades 2-12
LearnZillion.com offers a free and growing set of Math and ELA resources for grades 2-12 that have been developed by expert teachers directly from the Common Core State…
Where have all the summer reading assignments gone?
Summer: a time in a child’s life where they are no longer bound by societal rules to attend school nor do anything school related. To do so would…
Fifty from ISTE: 50 new ed-tech services
This year’s conference from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) was the biggest yet, with nearly 20,000 people convening in Atlanta June 28 to July 1.…
Flipped learning skyrockets across the nation
Though no learning model is perfect, flipped learning offers educators and students one way to boost engagement and make learning much more interesting and organic. And as more…
It’s not accelerated learning; we just stopped decelerated teaching
Self-paced Blended Learning continues to produce amazing results. As self-paced courses "mature," they continue to improve; resources get fine-tuned and teachers become comfortable and confident with the new…
5 ways to teach kids about the Declaration of Independence
Having sizzling burgers during the day and watching a lit up sky at night seem to be hallmarks of celebrating the Fourth of July. But if that’s all…
What’s APPening: 100 apps for education
There really IS an app for that, whatever "that" may be. Need help taking notes or staying organized? Do you want an on-demand guide to coding and computer…
What will the classroom and curriculum of the future look like?
It's an interesting question: What will something look like or be able to do 5, 10, or 20 years down the road? Classrooms and curriculum are no different.…
Design Common Core assessments–for free
OpenEd, a K-12 educational resource catalog, is offering a free tool designed to enable teachers to easily create assessments with the question types required by Common Core standards.…
Preparing the K-12 network infrastructure for common core and online assessments
Like many school districts across the United States, the Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) in New Hampshire is making the move to Common Core. As part of…
Fixing technology’s biggest failure
In the last 30 years, schools have invested billions of dollars to deploy technology in classrooms with questionable benefit to students. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)…
7 ways to support summer learning–right now
School's out for summer! But learning doesn't have to stop. By now, you're probably familiar with the term "summer slide," and with efforts to keep students engaged in…
How an iPad can transform music classes
It’s no surprise that many teachers and superintendents view music as vital for a holistic learning experience. According to a study by McMaster University, students who took one…
7 engaging video sites for teachers and students
Students have different learning styles, and teachers strive to individualize instruction whenever possible. But videos often appeal to students of all learning styles when they are engaging, informative,…
Project-based learning done right
Two years ago, Kyle was a bored kindergartener at Parkside Elementary School in Coral Springs, Fla. “He wasn’t being challenged enough,” said his mother, Chris Beck.
Why everything about personalized learning is about to change
Be prepared to be amazed...very amazed. A quantum leap in the way online learning materials are organized and presented to students is happening as you read this. It…
7 steps to authentic learning
Why authentic learning? There are so many reasons to choose from, some of the most important being: providing deep purpose for learning, empowering students, providing differentiation and choice…
Skipping summer slump: Igniting a passion for learning
As educators, we all look forward to summer vacation with elation and a bit of concern. We’re happy, of course, to have a few months off to enjoy…
Op-ed: Does this new curriculum cross the line?
Unfortunately, it seems that school violence has reached an all-time high, as ‘kids will be kids’ bullying has escalated from hurt feelings to suicide, and banned items from…
This method is helping students excel under Common Core
One of the central goals of the Common Core State Standards was to make education more uniform across the country. There were simply too many differences between the…
50 top books for teachers
Every teacher will tell you that it's one thing to learn about classroom instruction in a teacher preparation program. It's quite another to be in charge of a…
STEM community offers real-world applications for K-12 students
What teacher has not heard students challenge, “Why do I need math? Why am I learning this? I’m never going to use it.” To help teachers answer these…
3 things you might not know about Google for Education
What does it mean to “go Google” as a K-12 school or district? In a recent eSchool News webinar, James Leonard from the Google for Education team gave…
2 vital components for true college, career readiness
To succeed in the real world, a student must have the ability to work well with others, persevere through challenges, and make healthy choices and responsible decisions. Oftentimes…
How games can engage students and improve learning
Teachers have used games as a part of instruction long before the advent of computer games. The reason is that teachers recognize the emotional energy that is created…
Four favorite tools for English language learning
Here are reviews of four high-quality digital tools that can help teach English language skills, courtesy of Common Sense Media and its new Graphite service--a free database of…
Access the best commencement speeches ever
Before the caps fly, commencement speakers offer graduates words of advice and inspiration for the next phase of life – many of which go on to be shared…
What WWII pilots can teach us about math education
