classroom Archives

Today’s classroom isn’t broken–but it wasn’t built for today’s top students

August 18, 2026 by Allison Altvater, Laurel Springs School

To serve today’s most driven students and prepare all learners for what comes next, we have to rethink long-held assumptions about education.

Walk into almost any classroom in America, and you’ll see a system designed for consistency: same lesson, same pace, same expectations for every student. For decades, that model…

AI in Education

5 ways AI can strengthen your teaching this school year

August 17, 2026 by Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester

The conversation around AI and teaching has changed and is no longer about using AI—it’s about using it wisely.

A year ago, many educators were still asking whether artificial intelligence belonged in the classroom. Some were cautiously experimenting with AI-generated lesson plans, while others were focused on…

Student Well-Being

The foundation for student success is a positive classroom culture

August 13, 2026 by Tiffany Wilson-Pugh, Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Dr. Luther Riley, & Rachel Campbell, Empower Community School

A positive classroom culture is built not built on a single activity but through thousands of intentional interactions.

As the school year begins, teachers often devote significant time to planning lessons, reviewing standards, organizing classrooms, and establishing routines. While these are all essential components of effective…

Classroom Management

The biggest back-to-school challenge

August 12, 2026August 12, 2026 by Christine Miles, M.S. Ed., The Listening Path

Teaching listening gives students practical tools they can use to remain mentally present, organize information and ask meaningful questions.

As students return to classrooms across America this fall, parents are focused on school supplies, class schedules, and academic expectations. Teachers are preparing lesson plans, organizing classrooms, and…

Classroom Management

How to build a positive classroom in the first 5 days of school

August 12, 2026August 11, 2026 by Kim Harding, Van Andel Institute for Education

The most important thing educators can do at the start of a new school year is build trust and create a positive classroom culture.

There’s a wise quote that says, “Kids don’t care about your expectations until they know you care about them. Connection is the foundation everything else stands on.”

Teaching Trends

Don’t forget nature’s classroom

July 29, 2026July 29, 2026 by Vanessa Garza, Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles

Outdoor education has been shown to improve academic outcomes across subjects, including science, reading, and math, while also strengthening motivation, well-being, and school engagement. Studies also link outdoor…

Digital Learning Tools

Not all screen time is equal

July 20, 2026 by Dr. Carolyn Brown, WordFlight

Screen time debates should center on if individual technologies, programs, and digital learning experiences support student growth.

With the growing movement to limit technology in schools, parents and educators are right to question how much time students spend on screens. But, as schools reconsider the…

AI in Education

The best time to be a teacher: Leading with AI and technology in the age of personalized learning

July 14, 2026 by Dr. Harold Jeffcoat, AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Teachers shouldn't fear that AI and advancements in technology will diminish their expertise--instead, they amplify it.

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and an unprecedented explosion of information, public education stands at a pivotal and exciting crossroads.

Teaching Trends

Children learn best on paper: We need better technology, not less of it

July 13, 2026 by Abbas Manjee, Kiddom

Technology should make teachers' work lives easier and their impact more powerful, not have students spend more time on screens.

It is an odd thing to hear from someone who builds education technology for a living, but the most important tool in an elementary classroom is still a…

District Management

We need accessible data and greater student agency

June 29, 2026 by Elisabeth Read & Dr. DeNay Speaks, Jefferson County Public Schools

Increased student agency strengthens and enables a growth mindset and supports the transfer of classroom knowledge into real-world skills.

Students are more than letter grades and test scores. They are unique individuals with their own goals, skills, and needs--deserving an educational journey that supports all three.

District Management

Learning doesn’t happen by accident–it starts with consistency and communication

June 25, 2026June 25, 2026 by Dr. Mike Ryder, Hardyston Township School District

A student’s school experience can shift dramatically--not just from year to year but from classroom to classroom each day. They may feel seen and encouraged by one teacher,…

Teaching Trends

The future researcher in every fifth grader: The case for curiosity-first teaching

June 18, 2026 by Dr. Rayna Freedman, Jordan/Jackson Elementary School

A Massachusetts teacher has spent her career building a classroom culture where her students argue, wonder, and bring history home.

I've been teaching fifth grade in Massachusetts for 26 years. I hated social studies as a kid. I found it boring, heavy on dates and facts, and light…

Classroom Management

With students tuning out, it’s time to rethink the classroom

June 16, 2026 by By Patti Clark, Chief Academic Officer at Lakeshore Learning

Disengagement is often less about student behavior and more about how the classroom learning experience is designed.

Across classrooms right now, many educators are noticing the same shift: Students are even harder to reach than they were just a short time ago. In a recent…

Education Policy & Funding

We need to start giving agency to educators instead of edtech vendors

June 8, 2026 by Priten Soundar-Shah, PedagogyVentures

Teachers and students need agency as they are voicing concern and disagreement over administrators’ edtech purchasing decisions.

American schools spent roughly $30 billion on educational technology in 2024--a figure that's projected to nearly double by 2033. Superintendents are constantly bombarded with emails, brochures, and demos…

District Management

Data alone doesn’t determine school success–leaders who know how to use it do

June 3, 2026 by Chris Rose, Abre

School leaders must weigh quantitative data against qualitative insight and focus on long-term outcomes rather than short-term fluctuations.

Educators often see recommendations, dashboards, and strategic plans labeled as “data-backed,” as if the numbers themselves drive outcomes. The truth is that data alone cannot make decisions or…

AI in Education

How AI helps teachers spend less time on assessments and more time on impactful instruction

May 27, 2026 by Dr. Carla Braun, Community Unit School District 201

AI should never replace teachers in collaboration or expertise, but should shine a light on the insights that spark deeper conversations.

The overreliance on AI is a widely discussed topic for teachers, administrators, and families alike. The last thing we want is for technology to stifle the creativity, expertise,…

School Library Innovations

Demonstrating impact with data: How librarians can make the case for increased funding

May 21, 2026 by Jennifer Miller, @MeetMeInTheMediaCenter

After years of spending all their time on smartphone screens, today’s students are heading back to the school library for a range of reasons.

Libraries are more than a quiet corner of school where students can pick up a book now and then--they are vibrant learning environments that support classroom curriculum, spark…

AI in Education

In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use

May 14, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Illinois educators urge that statewide AI guidance be grounded in classroom realities, empower teacher leaders, and center human connection.

AI is a daily reality in the nation's schools, and in Illinois, it shapes how students research, problem-solve, and create. Now, Teach Plus Illinois and the Illinois Digital…

Teacher Professional Development

What higher ed can do about getting research into the K-12 classroom

May 11, 2026 by Dr. Steve Baule, Dr. Tammy Champa, and Dr. Jessa Cook

A lack of structured collaboration between K-12 and higher ed contributes to a disconnect between research and practice.

Educational research has never been more abundant, yet its impact on classroom practice remains uneven at best. While universities continue to produce studies on instructional strategies, student outcomes,…

AI in Education

When AI means something different in every classroom

May 5, 2026 by Alex Luciano, Bilingual Second Grade Teacher, Central Islip, NY

AI is already in the classroom--will we give it a place that makes sense for teaching and learning as the technology evolves?

In many schools, AI is being handled through individual teacher decisions rather than a shared structure. That makes sense in the short term. Teachers are responding in real…

Teaching Trends

The 4 keys to creating meaningful student-led inquiry

April 30, 2026 by Cory Kavanagh, Van Andel Institute for Education

Inquiry-based learning can feel overwhelming, but it is very possible to establish student-led inquiry in the classroom.

Does the thought of student-led inquiry make you nervous? For some teachers, handing over control of the classroom to their students sounds like an invitation for disaster.

Classroom Management

Gender-specific education: Examining boys’ educational needs and learning strategies

April 29, 2026 by Dr. Jason Richardson, Garden City Elementary School & the International University of the Caribbean

Success lies not in rigid gender-based education but in creating diverse learning environments that can accommodate various learning styles.

In recent years, educational research has sparked significant discussion about whether boys and girls learn differently and if gender-specific teaching strategies could enhance academic outcomes.

AI in Education

When AI does the work, who does the learning?

April 28, 2026 by Christian Pantel, D2L

If we design AI systems that shortcut the learning process, we risk undermining the very purpose and value of education.

AI is rapidly reshaping education, but not always in ways that support learning. A growing number of AI tools promise to “help” students by doing assignments, writing papers,…

AI in Education

3 ways students can use AI tools to improve their literacy skills

April 22, 2026 by Dr. T.J. Vari, MaiaLearning & Thomas O’Brien, Winward Academy

Educators must seize on the opportunity to coach students on effective and acceptable uses of AI that enhance literacy learning.

Some might worry that the introduction of AI tools in the English classroom will simply lead to more cheating and even worse literacy rates, leaving students unprepared for…

Teaching Trends

When a teacher ditched screens, class got harder. That may be why it worked.

April 20, 2026April 20, 2026 by Matt Barnum, Chalkbeat

More educators and policymakers are having second thoughts about the growth of ed-tech, with some scaling back the use of screens.

Seventh-grade math teacher Dylan Kane decided to conduct an experiment in his classes by going cold turkey on ed-tech.

AI in Education

We can’t wait for another Mississippi Miracle

April 17, 2026April 17, 2026 by Nancy Weinstein, MindPrint Learning & Otus

AI should play a role in supporting learning, but it must be in a way that enhances--not interferes with--core learning science principles.

Recent findings on the negative impacts of AI on learning might be sparking national debate, but they are unsurprising to learning scientists.

AI in Education

The screen-time debate’s blind spot

April 17, 2026April 15, 2026 by Adriana Perusin, IASEA & Flip Education

The point of AI is not to replace the teacher--it is to give her more of what he or she actually needs: time and structure.

Last fall, during a professional development session I was running with a group of teachers in São Paulo, a fifth-grade teacher raised her hand and asked a question…

Featured on eSchool News

A new need-to-know for the AI classroom

April 17, 2026April 10, 2026 by ESchool Media Contributors

In an AI-rich classroom where ideas are abundant and answers are cheap, the scarce resource is not information--it is ownership.

Most project-based learning workshops are built around three domains: design, assessment, and implementation.

AI in Education

Building AI for kids: A developer’s guide to age-appropriate safety architecture

March 26, 2026 by Robin Singhvi, Gramms AI

Building AI apps and products for kids isn’t harder than building them for adults—but it does carry different considerations.

When I shipped Gramms AI to the App Store, I ran straight into a question that every developer building for kids will eventually face: What does “age-appropriate” actually…

AI in Education

The AI-resistant classroom is a myth: Designing assessments that assume AI is present

March 12, 2026 by Steven M. Baule, Ed.D., Ph.D.

The goal is not to eliminate AI from the classroom; the goal is to ensure that human thinking remains central.

Artificial intelligence is no longer approaching the classroom--it is already embedded in it. Students are using generative tools to brainstorm, summarize, translate, draft, and revise.

Digital Learning Tools

5 keys to turn escape rooms into classroom inspiration

March 12, 2026March 10, 2026 by Michael Grieb, Van Andel Institute for Education

Using the Engineering Design Process and Process of Scientific Inquiry can help educators design educational escape rooms that are meaningful.

Have you ever been to an escape room? For those unfamiliar with the term, an escape room is a structured, problem-solving experience where participants are locked in a…

Digital Learning Tools

As classrooms go digital, are educators ready?

March 9, 2026 by Emma B. Kassan, Sy Doan, and Julia H. Kaufman, RAND

Educators can develop best practices that ensure digital learning fulfills its promise rather than amplifies its problems.

Today, about 80 percent of K–12 students use computers or tablets at school--up from about 50 percent before the pandemic. Even as parents worry about too much “screen…

AI in Education

New research challenges fears about AI in the classroom

February 5, 2026 by Staff and wire services reports

A new analysis shows AI in the classroom is most often used to promote reasoning, analysis, and evaluation rather than answer-getting.

Rather than replacing student thinking, when teachers design and guide AI experiences, the technology is most often used to deepen critical thinking and strengthen instruction

Today’s classroom isn’t broken–but it wasn’t built for today’s top students

5 ways AI can strengthen your teaching this school year

The foundation for student success is a positive classroom culture

The biggest back-to-school challenge

How to build a positive classroom in the first 5 days of school

Don’t forget nature’s classroom

Not all screen time is equal

The best time to be a teacher: Leading with AI and technology in the age of personalized learning

Children learn best on paper: We need better technology, not less of it

We need accessible data and greater student agency

Learning doesn’t happen by accident–it starts with consistency and communication

The future researcher in every fifth grader: The case for curiosity-first teaching

With students tuning out, it’s time to rethink the classroom

We need to start giving agency to educators instead of edtech vendors

Data alone doesn’t determine school success–leaders who know how to use it do

How AI helps teachers spend less time on assessments and more time on impactful instruction

Demonstrating impact with data: How librarians can make the case for increased funding

In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use

What higher ed can do about getting research into the K-12 classroom

When AI means something different in every classroom

The 4 keys to creating meaningful student-led inquiry

Gender-specific education: Examining boys’ educational needs and learning strategies

When AI does the work, who does the learning?

3 ways students can use AI tools to improve their literacy skills

When a teacher ditched screens, class got harder. That may be why it worked.

We can’t wait for another Mississippi Miracle

The screen-time debate’s blind spot

A new need-to-know for the AI classroom

Building AI for kids: A developer’s guide to age-appropriate safety architecture

The AI-resistant classroom is a myth: Designing assessments that assume AI is present

5 keys to turn escape rooms into classroom inspiration

As classrooms go digital, are educators ready?

Nearly half of high school students now use AI in college search

New research challenges fears about AI in the classroom

Why interactive solutions are a smarter investment for schools

ClassMate by World Book Recognized with Prestigious ISTE Seal

School Specialty Honors Top Educators with 12th Annual Crystal Apple Awards

Follett Content Accelerates Public Library Strategy

Celebrating Teachers: Nominate Outstanding Educators for Crystal Apple Awards

School Specialty Expands Learning Beyond the Screen with New Outdoor Furniture Line

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