teaching Archives

From fragmentation to fidelity: How Wayne-Westland built a literacy system that works

March 16, 2026 by Nancy Schulz, Wayne-Westland Community School District

Proper diagnostics create a foundation to help close the literacy gap and drive measurable outcomes for all students.

On the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about one in four fourth graders in Michigan scored at or above proficiency in reading--a stark reminder that too…

AI in Education

AI didn’t break homework: It exposed what was already broken

February 23, 2026 by Nesreen El-Baz, Bloomsbury Education Author & School Governor

In an AI era where homework can be generated instantly, the most valuable evidence of learning is human reasoning behind the finished product

Who among us has never copied a homework answer in a hurry? Borrowed a friend’s paragraph? Accepted a parent’s “small correction” that eventually became a full rewrite?

Literacy

Why schools and public libraries must unite–in summer and all year long

February 19, 2026February 19, 2026 by Britten Follett, Follett Content Solutions

When schools and public libraries work together, they don’t just promote summer reading--they nurture lifelong readers.

Some of the most effective literacy ecosystems today are those where schools and public libraries work not in parallel, but in partnership with parents and students.

Teaching Trends

Fueling student passion for STEM with project-based learning

February 18, 2026 by Tami Brook, STEM School Highlands Ranch

Through PBL, students actively engage in real-world problems that require them to use STEM concepts to solve complex problems.

We live in an ever-evolving world, powered by advancements across STEM fields. Today, STEM has become increasingly intertwined with how we live our daily lives--from how we learn,…

Personalized Learning

Tips and tools to effectively differentiate learning for student engagement

February 17, 2026 by Emily Skinner, Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District

When we use differentiation to meet students at their level and celebrate their progress, we help them discover their love for learning.

As a paraprofessional for over 3 years and going on my 5th year as a certified special education resource teacher, I’ve learned that no two learners are ever…

Literacy

What’s in and out in literacy instruction for 2026

February 11, 2026 by Stacy Hurst, Reading Horizons

The conversation around literacy instruction has reached a turning point. After decades of debate, we're finally seeing a broad consensus around evidence-based practices--but the challenge now is moving…

Literacy

5 high-frequency and irregular word teaching strategies rooted in the Science of Reading

February 10, 2026 by Kendall Stallings, Fairfield County (CT) Kindergarten Teacher

When it comes to teaching, educators can move beyond memorization and equip students with the tools they need for fluent, confident reading.

When students learn to read in the early elementary years, developing phonemic awareness, decoding skills, and blending typically take priority. Another essential component of fluent reading, however, is…

Curriculum & Assessment

Sparking civic engagement as we approach America’s 250th

January 23, 2026 by Melaney Sánchez, Ph.D., Mt. Harmony Elementary

When every subject and resource become hubs for civic engagement, students begin to see citizenship as something they live.

Imagine students who understand how government works and who see themselves as vital contributors to their communities. That’s what happens when students are given opportunities to play a…

College and Career Readiness

Measuring student global competency learning using direct peer connections

January 22, 2026 by Marjorie B. Tiven, Global Cities, Inc.

Global competency can be taught--and measured--with simple but powerful strategies educators everywhere can use.

Our students are coming of age in a world that demands global competency. From economic interdependence to the accelerating effects of climate change and mass migration, students need…

Teaching Trends

5 tips for educators using video

January 9, 2026 by Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D., Learning and Development Mentor Academy

Educators can create instructional videos to save time, expand their reach, and create greater impacts on their students

When you need to fix your sink, learn how to use AI, or cook up a new recipe, chances are you searched on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or even…

College and Career Readiness

Decision Education: A new approach to driving STEM workforce readiness

January 7, 2026 by Mary Call Blanusa, Alliance for Decision Education

By integrating Decision Education into STEM, teachers can make learning more relevant and accessible to all students.

STEM workforce shortages are a well-known global issue. With demand set to rise by nearly 11 percent in the next decade, today’s students are the solution. They will…

AI in Education

An educator’s top tips to integrate AI into the classroom

December 18, 2025 by Hanna Kemble-Mick, Indian Hills Elementary

If used wisely, AI can extend educators’ reach, personalize impact, and unlock students’ potential for future success.

In the last year, we’ve seen an extraordinary push toward integrating artificial intelligence in classrooms. Among educators, that trend has evoked responses from optimism to opposition.

ELL

How an AI-generated song transformed my ELL classroom

December 16, 2025 by Nesreen El-Baz, Bloomsbury Education Author & School Governor

The true power of AI lies not in replacing learning, but in opening doors for every learner, including ELL students, to express who they are.

A trending AI song went viral, but in my classroom, it did something even more powerful: it unlocked student voice.

College and Career Readiness

More teens are using summer for college and career prep

December 12, 2025 by Philip Bates, UWorld

When it comes to college and career goals, teens are more focused on professional and financial success than on traditional milestones.

The academic landscape has evolved dramatically, especially when it comes to summers. More students are embracing year-round learning to build strong study habits and develop the critical thinking,…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Teaching math the way the brain learns changes everything

November 17, 2025 by Nigel Nisbet, Mind Education

$Using visual and meaningful context aligned to how the brain learns can make math more understandable and engaging for all students.$

Far too many students enter math class expecting to fail. For them, math isn’t just a subject--it’s a source of anxiety that chips away at their confidence and…

Universal Design for Learning

Next gen learning spaces: UDL in action

October 13, 2025 by Leslie Stebbins, Research4Ed

Learning spaces and UDL changes can significantly influence student engagement, well-being, and academic achievement.

By embracing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in purchasing decisions, school leaders can create learning spaces that not only accommodate students with disabilities but enhance the educational…

Classroom Management

3 steps to build belonging in the classroom

August 27, 2025 by Brandy Arnold, Wayfinder

Establishing classroom norms with students isn’t just about managing behavior; it’s about creating a culture of trust and support.

The first few weeks of school are more than a fresh start--they’re a powerful opportunity to lay the foundation for the relationships, habits, and learning that will define…

AI in Education

In training educators to use AI, we must not outsource the foundational work of teaching

August 26, 2025 by Timothy Cook, Chalkbeat

The problem is not AI or technology; it’s that educators and systems continue prioritizing finished products over messy learning processes.

I was conferencing with a group of students when I heard the excitement building across my third grade classroom. A boy at the back table had been working…

AI in Education

Creative approaches to teaching math can help fill AI talent gap

August 15, 2025 by Dr. Nadine Bonda, TERC

$Math is critical for success in STEM and AI, yet too many students either avoid or do not succeed in it--that must change.$

Not surprisingly, jobs in AI are the fastest growing of any in the country, with a 59 percent increase in job postings between January 2024 and November 2024.…

Trauma-Informed Teaching

Resilient MTSS: Adding a trauma-responsive lens for student support

August 6, 2025 by Vivien Villaverde, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

A supportive school community serves as a strong childhood protective factor against the effects of trauma--and MTSS helps.

Across the country, our schools are being taxed beyond their capacity to support educational success. We’ve known for a long time that students need a three-dimensional structure of…

Literacy

Emergent writing: 3 ways to plant seeds for lifelong literacy

August 4, 2025 by Dr. Christina Bretz, Learning Without Tears

Just as a gardener plants seeds and nurtures them into strong, flourishing plants, early childhood educators have the opportunity to nurture the earliest seeds of literacy in young…

Literacy

How we’re rebuilding literacy–and confidence–in our high school

July 28, 2025July 28, 2025 by Cindy Walker, Birmingham Community Charter High School

What began as a literacy strategy to help students access grade-level texts turned into a catalyst for broader reading transformation.

By the time students reach high school, reading struggles are harder to hide--and harder to address. Unlike early grades where texts are simpler and foundational skills are the…

AI in Education

Gen Z educators embrace AI tools more often than Gen X

July 16, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

Overall, U.S. educators say AI tools have enhanced classroom engagement, but want clearer guidance on its use in learning.

While educators demonstrate enthusiasm for AI’s efficiency and accessibility benefits--especially younger educators--they also have a desire to preserve the human element in teaching and a demand for clearer…

Literacy

Beyond formulas: Embracing complexity in writing instruction

July 8, 2025 by Brett Stamm, University of Southern Mississippi & Tiffany Larson, University of Central Oklahoma

Through thoughtful design and teaching, students can become flexible and skilled writers able to tackle the challenges of writing instruction

Early in our careers, when we were fresh-faced and idealistic (we still are!) the prepackaged curriculum and the advice of more experienced colleagues was the go-to resource.

Classroom Learning

Understanding and mitigating academic regression from summer learning loss

June 23, 2025 by Dr. Jason Richardson, Garden City Elementary School and International University of the Caribbean

Proactive strategies to prevent summer learning loss can help reduce the achievement gap that often widens during summer months.

Summer learning loss, also known as the "summer slide," represents a significant challenge in education where students experience academic regression during extended breaks from formal instruction.

AI in Education

My high school Spanish teacher taught me about the original AI–Authentic Interaction

June 16, 2025 by Becca Katz, Chalkbeat

When a teacher builds a face-to-face relationship with students , it is, as it turns out, just as impactful as many edtech tools and resources

As AI dominates the education zeitgeist, I think it’s time to highlight an effective teaching tool as tried and true as a Ticonderoga No. 2 pencil: high-quality IRL…

Classroom Management

How we designed a space where our students connect, collaborate, and flourish

June 6, 2025 by Jade Stevens, LA Promise Fund and Westbrook Academy

Our charter school, Westbrook Academy, has been serving middle and high school students in the South Los Angeles area for the past six years and stands as a…

Literacy

5 ways our students benefit from our online literacy platform

May 27, 2025 by Kasi Hockensmith, Mason Intermediate School & Emily Pate, Mason Middle School

Online platforms have helped significantly transform English Learner students' reading progress--and their confidence.

When we began noticing significant gaps for both our English Learner students and native English speakers between intentional phonemic awareness and work with word parts, we knew we…

Curriculum & Assessment

How to integrate environmental concepts into every subject

May 14, 2025May 12, 2025 by Rachel Arbor, Gaia Scholastic

Weaving environmental literacy into learning starts by connecting students to nature and finding an entry point for each subject.

Key points: As a teacher and advocate for environmental education, I’ve seen students around the country feeling “eco-anxiety.” When I ... Read more

Students with Special Needs

Meeting the rising demand for school-based speech and behavioral support

May 8, 2025 by Cheryl Haibach, Kelly Education

Adapting to the growing need for therapy services in schools requires innovation and flexibility--here's how to meet the demand.

As districts and schools nationwide struggle to find qualified therapists, particularly speech-language pathologists and board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs), there’s a growing demand for these specialized professionals.

ELL

6 ways to make math more accessible for multilingual learners

April 4, 2025 by Veronica Burnett, Accelerate Learning

$Using edtech tools and other supports, teachers can make math more meaningful and engaging for multilingual learners (MLs).$

Many math tasks involve reading, writing, speaking, and listening. These language demands can be particularly challenging for students whose primary language is not English.

Newsline

Product Enhancements from Discovery Education Foster Improved Engagement and Personalization

March 20, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

Charlotte, NC — Discovery Education, the creators of essential K-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world, today announced ... Read more

AI in Education

A new era for teachers as AI disrupts instruction

March 14, 2025 by Heather Staker, The Christensen Institute

The rise of AI and AI-powered, online apps for instruction is allowing for mass learning at unprecedented speed and scale.

Picture your favorite teacher from your childhood. He or she may have been great at explaining things, energetic, affirming, funny, or had other wonderful attributes. I remember Mrs.…

Edtech Trends

Leveraging edtech for differentiated instruction

March 11, 2025 by Sam Bowman, Contributing Writer

Edtech adoption succeeds when it serves clear pedagogical purposes and supports genuine student needs, including differentiated instruction.

Meeting the diverse learning needs of students has long challenged educators who recognize that each student processes information differently and progresses at their own pace.

Innovation Insights

How Competency-Based Education Can Sustain Today’s Classrooms

March 4, 2025March 1, 2025 by Kevin Hogan

Sean Ryan, President of McGraw Hill School Group, breaks down the elements of Competency-Based Education (CBE) in education and how its implementation can transform teaching and learning. CBE…

Teaching Trends

Explicit instruction: Students need more of it

February 21, 2025 by Jeremy Kaplan, Chalkbeat

Explicit instruction is a deliberate progression of modeling, guided practice, and independent practice of a skill or a concept.

As a progressive educator in New York City for 30 years, I thought I had all the answers. The best teaching had to do with inquiry, with “higher-level…

Curriculum & Assessment

Family support is key to closing learning gaps

February 20, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

A new survey shows that educators believe a primary reason for lingering academic and learning gaps is lack of parent or family support.

A lack of parent or family prioritization of academics is the primary reason for learning gaps, according to 46 percent of respondents participating in a recent Study.com survey.

Digital Learning

GenAI and cultural competency: New priorities in teacher preparation

February 19, 2025 by Kelly Vaughn, Ph.D., School of Education at Notre Dame de Namur University

Cultural competency and AI literacy in teacher training programs can fundamentally transform how educators are prepared for the future.

Generative AI has the potential to transform teaching practices, improve efficiency, and even promote equity--but if used without care, it can also reinforce harmful biases.

Digital Learning Tools

Growing communicative, knowledge-building composers: A focus on process

February 12, 2025 by Brett Stamm, University of Southern Mississippi

Digital skills are are skills students will use for life, and they’re already part of many state and national standards.

Teaching writing today is much like being a conductor of an orchestra. Just like a conductor brings together different instruments and dynamics to create a cinematic score or…

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