Teaching4Tomorrow Blog

Dec 14, 2018

How Constructive Connections Can Change Your Classroom

I have received more apologies from former students in the drive-through of fast food restaurants than I can count. The scene is always the same: I place my order, feel a bit embarrassed that my desire to eat local and organic food has been foiled once again, and then pull up to get my order. I roll down my window and hear, “Mrs. C!” Each time, I recognize the face—older than what I remember, but always the same smile. Almost immediately, the words start cascading out of their mouth: “I’m so sorry for how I acted in high school.”

Dec 07, 2018

Building Relationships and Empathy with EdTech

One of the most powerful moments in my 22 years of teaching occurred on the last day of the school year.

During the first week of school, my students in rural Pennsylvania played a game via Skype with a group of students in a rural Kenyan village. During that call, they learned of a bridge in the village so dangerous that many children were not able to go to school because of it. Over the course of the school year, the children in Kenya taught my students how to garden. In exchange, my students designed and fundraised to replace that bridge.

Nov 30, 2018

Just One Hour

Next week, December 3–9, students and educators worldwide are encouraged to spend an hour during the school week to explore the concepts of coding and computational thinking through Hour of Code. Code.org provides an opportunity for all learners, young and old, to explore something new and different.

Nov 23, 2018

Can this 12-Step Program from Finland Aid U.S. Education?

We are two American public-school dads who just returned from a fact-finding trip through Finland.

We wanted to see what the United States could learn from an education system that consistently receives top marks from UNICEF, the OECD, and the World Economic Forum.

Nov 16, 2018

One Educator’s Journey in Creating a Choir to Roar About

The student body at Crystal Lake Central (CLC) High School is a diverse community of students from a variety of backgrounds, abilities and interests, including students enrolled in the Life Skills program. These students may struggle with emotional connections, physical limitations, or cognitive understanding. Regardless of their individual challenges, they bond through their school experience as Central Tigers.

Nov 09, 2018

Our Top Five Resources in October 2018

Each month we publish blogs andsnewsletters full of digital learning, funding, professional growth, social media, and STEM resources. Below are items from our blogs and newsletters that educators turned to the most in October.

Nov 02, 2018

What Makes a School Successful?

I was fortunate to spend the last few days in Tacoma, Washington, learning with folks from the Aspen Institute’s National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development. I got to have conversations with lots of smart adults about ways we can support kids and how teachers, researchers, and policymakers need to work in partnership to do that work. But to be honest, the best part of the trip was when we drove to a local middle school to see the Tacoma Whole Child Initiative in action.

Oct 25, 2018

Let’s Get (Ed) Technical!

To connect or not to connect? That is the question. Actually, it’s not a question. Connection is an important aspect of every elementary classroom. What type of connection am I talking about? There is the connection that teachers need to make with each one of their students. There is the connection to the curriculum that educators need to hopefully create for their students. There is the connection between home and school that is crucial for student growth and achievement. Lastly, there is the connection between school and the rest of the world that helps take learning outside of the four walls of the classroom. The short answer is connection takes on many different forms, yet each type of connection is important for our youngest learners.

Oct 19, 2018

Making One Student’s Vacation into a Class Field Trip

Every year I have one or two students who are given the opportunity to go on an amazing adventure with their family during the school year. As their teacher, I love the opportunities this gives students. I fully support any chance students have to see more of the world. However, I do not want to create busy work for them to do while they are gone. I want their time doing schoolwork to be as meaningful as their time in my classroom.

Oct 12, 2018

Our Top Five Resources in September 2018

Each month we publish newsletters full of digital learning, funding, professional growth, social media, and STEM resources. Below are items from our blogs and newsletters that educators turned to the most in September.

Oct 05, 2018

A Community of Peers

Melissa Charette (Regional Teacher of the Year for the Olympia area) has created an environment unlike any other I’ve seen in a middle school. I walked in early in the morning, after students were already settled into their first period classes. The hallways were quiet and I could hear the sounds of learning and engagement all around me. Washington Middle School is already a pleasant place to be, with bright hallways and student artwork on the walls, but Melissa’s class makes it a truly amazing community.

Sep 28, 2018

The Best School for Each Student

On Monday, September 24, the CoSN Delegation had the opportunity to visit Elvebakken Upper Secondary School in Oslo, Norway. The students and staff shared the story of Elvebakken’s transformation from a low performing, “not very popular school” in the early 2000s to its current status as the most popular school.

Sep 21, 2018

Emotional Intelligence: The Skills Our Students Deserve—Part 2

In Part One of our series, we looked at Roni’s research on what emotional intelligence is and why it’s so important. Today, in Part Two, we’re focusing on how emotional intelligence skills can be implemented in the classroom.

Sep 14, 2018

Our Top Five Resources in August 2018

Each month we publish blogs and several newsletters full of digital learning, funding, professional growth, social media, and STEM resources. Below are items from our blogs and newsletters that educators turned to the most in August.

Sep 07, 2018

Emotional Intelligence: The Skills Our Students Deserve—Part 1

Roni Habib begins his TEDx Talk with a story about receiving a watch with a compass from friends during college. He explains that while it was intended to combat his lack of directional skill, he soon realized that he needed a compass that would help lead him to a happier and more fulfilled life.