Outdoor STEM for the Summertime

Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy your surroundings. Kids and families can take advantage of summer weather by finding the science, technology, engineering, and math in the outdoors. Just because there is no school doesn’t mean we […]

Professional Development That Changed My Teaching and Inspired My Students

Educators have many options to hone their craft in the quest of becoming better teachers. Professional development (PD) opportunities include: 1) improving teachers’ content knowledge; 2) updating teaching practices; 3) learning how to work with new […]

How to Plan Well-Designed, Innovative Lessons that Boost Student Engagement

The past school year has taught us all a lot of valuable lessons. In spite of the challenges that came with a year of “non-traditional” school and experiencing a “new normal,” we also saw tremendous gains in our professional skills and in our […]

Changing the Culture of Professional Learning Through Micro-Credentialing

A deputy superintendent at a large district in Texas explains how her district is transforming professional learning through micro-credentialing.

With 54 school campuses and nearly 40,000 students, Richardson ISD has been recognized in Texas and […]

Springtime Activities that Encourage STEM Curiosity

At the end of the year, it is great to find something fun and relevant to use to engage your students in STEM learning. May 16^th is National Love a Tree Day and you can celebrate this day by taking your students outside to count trees, measure […]

Meeting SEL Through PBL

When it comes to preparing our students for the future, there are many learning activities and digital tools for us to choose from. However, it can be overwhelming to sort through all of the options to decide which method or digital tool might have […]

Engineering All Around: Design Challenges For Every Classroom

Have you ever traveled down the highway and noticed a giant water tower? These elevated, cylinder-shaped structures support a huge water tank that can hold over 30,000 gallons of water--that’s more than 50 backyard swimming pools! These towers are […]

Research Shows Project Based Learning Accelerates Student Achievement

Project-Based Learning (PBL), an inquiry-based learning model that frames learning as challenges and focuses on student voice and choice, was the subject of four new studies released last month. From advanced placement high schoolers in Seattle and […]

Engaging Students in PBL During Remote Learning

Imagine the following scenario: your favorite college basketball team is playing in the NCAA finals. They’re even hosting the tourney in your hometown. You’re driving into work one morning, jamming to the radio, when all of sudden the DJ announces […]