4 Ways to Help Students Develop SEL Skills

Throughout the past couple of years, it has become increasingly important to focus on the mental health and wellness of our students and ourselves. As educators, it can be a challenge to find balance in our days and it is important that we do so […]

Where Performance Tasks Fit in the PBL Spectrum

Teachers often joke about the jargon in education—I’ve heard it called “edu-speak.” It can be mysterious to non-educators, and confusing and off-putting even to those of us on the inside. Have you run across, for example… authentic assessment? […]

How to Connect with Students at the Start of the School Year

The start of the school year is an exciting and important time for educators and students. Read these tips for planning and creating a welcoming classroom environment focused on student success to set the stage for a supportive learning atmosphere […]

STEM for All Through Meaningful Project Based Learning

On March 9, 2021, Defined Learning hosted a virtual PBL & STEM Summit. With over 2000 participants from across the nation, the summit featured a session by Tabitha Branum, Deputy Superintendent of Schools and Kyndra Johnson, Executive Director of […]

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 […]