Educators Blog

College and Career Plans Hatch in Kindergarten

4 Educators’ Keys to Connecting STEM and Social Studies

By Meghan Raftery, Michelle Warrington, Kate Dodson, Darren Faust | THE Journal

First, there was STEM. Aiming to move education beyond isolated subjects, it was an integrated approach linking science, technology, engineering, and math. Then the arts […]

Why College and Career Readiness Begins in Preschool

“The transition to adulthood starts in preschool.” This sentence is fueling the educational reform in the Kankakee (IL) School District, where conversations about college and careers start earlier rather than later. From the moment students walk […]

Why This One STEM Course Has Four Different Teachers

A STEM rotation model engages students in multifaceted projects with real-world implications.

What does it mean to truly apply classroom knowledge? Years ago, application meant a comprehensive exam or essay. In today’s educational environment, […]

Four Teachers, Four Classrooms, One Cross-Curricular STEM Course

By Mathew Lynch - Education Week 4/6/2016

The STEM team at Huntingdon Area Middle School uses a rotational model to engage students in multifaceted, multimedia projects with real-world implications.

The dictionary defines "STEM" simply as an […]

What happens when college and career readiness starts in kindergarten?

Career-connected learning doesn't have to wait until high school! In fact, it shouldn't! Learn how Kankakee School District is incorporating college and career readiness into the classroom as early as kindergarten.

Ask a third grader what she […]

What CSI Can Teach ELA

The article highlights Horace Mann Middle School's use of Defined, where teachers use tasks to create cross-curricular projects focused on STEM and ELA, fostering hands-on career exploration and providing students with practical skills while […]

Phoenixville Area Middle School Combines Subjects in Cutting-Edge Program

This article is part of Defined's series on how schools are using innovative learning techniques.

At Phoenixville Area Middle School educators have introduced a new program, which they say is on the cutting edge of innovative learning.

Known as […]