Teaching4Tomorrow Blog

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.

Aug 31, 2018

Using 13 Reasons Why to Discuss Mental Health with Students

With students ramping up their daily screen time, sometimes the most convenient place to find a lesson is within pop culture. Netflix's series 13 Reasons Why, based on the novel Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher, dives into serious real-life topics that face teenagers, including issues like depression, suicide, substance abuse, bullying, sexual assault, gun violence, and more.

Aug 24, 2018

Implementing ISTE’s Standards Across the Learning Organization

If you have not already heard about or reviewed the new ISTE Standards for Education Leaders you are in for a treat. These standards were designed as the framework to support all types of leadership roles in educational environments.

Aug 17, 2018

Our Top Five Resources in July 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 July.

Aug 10, 2018

Grant Writing—A Reality Check

I began my career in the nonprofit sector in the mid-1980s at a small art museum in Austin, Texas. First working as a volunteer, I eventually moved into half-time, then full-time employment.

Aug 01, 2018

10 Questions to ask EdTech Vendors Before You Buy

Project Unicorn is an educational initiative that strives to improve data interoperability in K-12 education. The initiative continuously works on determining shared priorities and forging partnerships between school systems and vendors. The team has compiled a list of 10 questions that decision makers and technology purchasers for schools and districts should ask vendors before deciding on a product.

Jul 27, 2018

Including Student Voice in Hiring: Student Interview Panels and Involvement

Educator and blogger Laura Steinbrink explains how her district involved one school’s students in selecting their new principal. This article was originally posted on her blog, Rockin’ the Boat, on June 17, 2018. The partial lyrics she included as subtitles are from Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.”