This author draws some unique similarities between the skillsets that both standup comics and teachers must have if they are to successfully engage their audience. His powerful advice explores strategies such as being a "heckler therapist," avoiding public shaming, and adding more levity to our teaching styles. 

These thought-provoking "razors" could be helpful in your personal life, but some of them may have classroom application as well. 

It's a somewhat sensitive subject, but this article presents an interesting exploration of the shift towards standards-based grading as an alternative to traditional letter grades. This method, exemplified by Warrensville Heights School District, focuses on evaluating students' mastery of subjects and areas for improvement, fostering a more intentional approach to lesson planning and collaboration among teachers.

Holding students accountable is a core responsiblity of teachers; however, this brief article does a wonderful job of helping us step back and re-prioritize... especially at a time when fears over AI are taking center stage in the educational arena.

Edutopia presents this compelling compilation which focuses on studies of AI, quizzing methods, the relationship between tone of voice and classroom culture, and much more. 

Did you know that children who are injured from a fall before the age of nine are less likely to be scared of heights when they get older? Or that only 11 adults were responsible for 60% of all book ban requests from school libraries during the 2021-2022 school year? Click the picture to peruse more compelling facts/information with articles and links provided for each.

This list is a compilation of concise insights and concepts that aim to explain how the world works. Authored by Morgan Housel, these ideas cover a broad range of fields and touch on various aspects of human behavior, decision-making, biases, and societal dynamics. It could provide some fodder for thought-provoking discussion.

In his reflection on the challenges of maintaining student engagement in the classroom, teacher Marcus Luther emphasizes the importance of a responsive teaching approach. Drawing insights from George Saunders' perspective on storytelling, Luther advocates for humility, student feedback, pedagogical tools, content mastery, and an understanding of the contextual constraints as essential ingredients for creating a more-responsive classroom in 2024, acknowledging that achieving an entirely responsive classroom is an aspirational goal rather than a fixed destination.

Most classroom discussions revolve around exploring our individual thoughts, perspectives, opinions, and our own version of "the truth." This brief article details 3 major causes of "delusion" that may help us understand others (and ourselves) better as we share our opinions and beliefs and listen to those expressed by others. 

This article presents a list of questions that may help readers throughtfully reflect upon the year that has passed and begin the new one with a great sense of purpose; however, many of these questions could be useful in a wide variety of scenarios. Maybe some of them might be good fodder for classroom discussion related to any number of learning experiences.

In this talk, Dr. Peter Gray compellingly brings attention to the reality that over the past 60 years in the United States there has been a gradual but, overall dramatic decline in children's freedom to play with other children, without adult direction. Over this same period, there has been a gradual but overall dramatic increase in anxiety, depression, feelings of helplessness, suicide, and narcissism in children and adolescents. Based on his own and others' research, Dr. Gray documents why free play is essential for children's healthy social and emotional development and outlines steps through which we can bring free play back to children's lives.

Touting itself as "A data visualization portfolio of the world," this website truly offers some unique and powerful representations of some very moving data. Check it out!

These simple strategies can help motivate middle and high school students to have engaging and productive classroom discussions.

Please, please, please watch this 7-minute video. In this clip, Dave Stuart Jr. discusses the importance of being "weird" in the context of teaching and offers three reasons why educators should embrace this quality, along with three tips to become "weird" in a positive way.

Just a little something to make you smile... But if you're not a Pride and Prejudice fan, save yourself the click!

Mrs. Cross recently shared this great resource with our MS teachers, and it's too good not to crosspost here. This powerful routine helps students to reflect on their thinking about a topic or issue and explore how and why their thinking has changed. It helps consolidate new learning. This and other routines can be found here.

While we may not have the expendable funds to simply purchase loads of calm strips for our teachers and students, the concept is pretty interesting and inspiring. What ways can you encourage students to breathe deeply, relax, and reset in your classroom?

"Is Bill Waterson's The Complete Calvin and Hobbes the best book ever for educators? It just may be."

This mindbending article provides and inside look at the "Facebook and WhatsApp groups where moms arrange playdates for the college kids."

The list includes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Enjoy!

The author of this article reflects on the profound impact a high school teacher had on him over a decade ago. In doing so, he highlights the enduring influence of teachers on their students and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and appreciating the positive impact educators make on the lives of young individuals. Never forget: You are making a difference!

Austin Kleon shares a collection of letters from artists and writers in which they decline requests and invitations. It's both funny and inspiring and encourages us to explore the art of the refusal. What could we learn from this to reclaim control of our lives? Could this be inspiration for a fun student writing project?

Get on board with this powerful podcast! Episodes range in length from 20 to 50 minutes and address a wide variety of topics: from the equitability of homework to questioning whether or not grades are truly motivating to students. 

In a recent study, only 12% of teachers express "very satisfied" with their jobs, marking a significant 27-point drop in the past decade. But is there hope for professional happiness? The authors of this article outline proactive steps and helpful strategies for achieving satisfaction, such as maintaining a personal teaching approach in the digital age, emphasizing learning over grades, and addressing the battle for student attention with realistic strategies.

This 60-second read could be the inspiration for an interesting student assignment in a number of disciplines. All you have to do is ask, "How did it get that way?"

Let's be honest, teachers rarely relish curriculum mapping; however, the benefits are numerous and range from improving student learning outcomes by setting clear learning goals to promoting collaboration and providing long-term insights into teaching and student progress. If you need more convincing, click the picture to read on.

This super-short TED Talk is definitely worth a watch. Harvard-educated surgeon Atul Gawande speaks about how a simple check list reduced complication rates in surgery by 35%, death rates by 47% and saved the health industry hundreds of millions of dollars. If checklists can be this helpful for some of the world's most highly trained professionals, just imagine how impactful they could be with your studnets in your classroom.

This article explores the Japanese concept of "ikigai" and reveals important lessons for all ofus in finding balance and happiness in our lives. It emphasizes the importance of not neglecting any aspect of life, aiming for intersections where passions meet skills and opportunities, and leveraging strengths to craft a fulfilling and multifaceted career that aligns with the world's needs, all while emphasizing the value of social relationships and self-care as essential components of a joyful life. It's. great "must read" for teachers.

Are there are a couple of individual students whose behavior needs a positive boost? This cool and easy method is genius!

Even if all of your relationships with students are deep, meaningful, and personal, this 7-minute video by educator and author Dave Stuart offers some great advice. 

Some might consider this post a bit of "fluff"; however, the writer offers some practical and inspirational advice on how to combat the darkness and gloom of the winter months by embracing and working with the changing natural light. Readers can benefit from this article by learning strategies to notice and appreciate the shifting daylight, and find joy in the unique qualities of winter light, ultimately improving their overall well-being during the darker season.

This somewhat lengthy article offers a deeper understanding of the creative process and the role of silence and emptiness in fostering creativity. It also offers advice on how to appreciate the value of enduring such conditions to unleash one's creative power. It makes one wonder: How could silence be utilized in our classrooms?

This short article could be a centering read for teachers. It explores the value and nature of work, emphasizing that while we put effort into our tasks, the most meaningful and uplifting aspects of life often come as free gifts. Teachers (and students alike) may benefit from this perspective as it encourages a deeper understanding of the purpose of work, highlighting the importance of contemplation, acceptance of reality, and the ability to celebrate life's greater truths beyond the daily grind... ultimately fostering a more profound appreciation for meaningful activities and creativity.

A Common Sense Media report finds about half of 11- to 17-year-olds get at least 237 notifications a day. Some get nearly 5,000 in 24 hours. What does that do to their brains? Click the picture to read more. 

Peter Gray has an interesting theory about this that may surprise you and which may cause you to rethink certain elements of childhood and technology...

Three girls, one year. This is what it’s like to be 13 today, in a world that can’t stop talking about the dire state of your future.

This is a sad and scary read, but a necessary one for nearly every teacher and parent of a teenager. 

Discover the fascinating history of the jungle gym's creation in the early 1920s, initiated by innovative educators who recognized its benefits for children's physical and intellectual development. This article sheds light on how the concept of the jungle gym was born and how it evolved into an enduring piece of school playground equipment, making it an engaging read for educators interested in the history of educational innovations.

This article is definitely on the more lengthy side, but it does a great job of exploring this intriguing concept... and it makes some bold claims. For example: "Teachers need to learn to detect and reject neuromyths. Widespread belief in a neuromyth does not make a theory legitimate. Theories must be based on sound empirical evidence. It is now time for MI theory to be rejected, once and for all, and for educators to turn to evidence-based teaching strategies." Consider this: If multiple intelligences really is a neuromyth, how does buying into this concept do a disservice to our students?

This article invites readers to xxplore Hexagonal Thinking, an innovative method for stimulating creative and critical discussions in the classroom by fostering diverse perspectives and unique connections between ideas.

This insanely cool website features free calculators in categories that range from Food and Finance to Sports and Statistics.

Have you ever wanted to print the contents of webpage for your students, but the formatting was all wonky? Printfriendly.com is an incredibly easy-to-use website that is designed to convert webpages into a print-friendly format. Just copy and paste the url and then click on the features of the webpage that you want to delete before printing.

Whether you're a novice or an old pro, this insightful article by Carl Hendrick will 'wow' you with its wisdom. For instance, how many of us could use a reminder of the fact that "feedback should be more work for the recipient than the donor"?

...and it's an especially important skill for teachers to practice. Read about Dave Stuart's intentional approach to this by clicking on the picture to the left. 

For some of us, the concept of a "memory palace" may sound strange at best; however, the author of this article expertly explains not only how to engage in this unique method of memorizing and recalling information but delves a bit into its historical roots as well. Question: how could creating a memory palace for certain concepts or information serve your students?

Ever heard of the "AIR" Method? It's a straightforward, grace-oriented process of helping us spend less time on the devices that seem to govern our every move. Get started with the 5 steps of phase 1 by clicking on the picture to the left. 

Ok... so we don't want students emailing random people and meeting up with them spontaneously. That's obvious. But this short, inspiring read could possibly stimulate a class project or result in a really cool connection between students and their heroes if undertaken the right way. Maybe you want to try this yourself and see where it leads? Who will you "cold email"?

While this article is geared towards adult, much of the advice that it offers would be of great benefit to our students, as well. Let's band together and make readers out of these kids by promoting some of these ideas and exploring these suggestions with students.

American jazz critic and music historian Ted Gioia shares his unique approach to note-taking. Is there something of value here that you could pass along to your students to help transform their note-taking into something more powerful and robust?

This short read will remind you of the power of your voice in shaping classroom culture. Research shows that mastering your tone of voice as a teacher can cultivate trust, diminish conflict, and foster a richer learning environment, while also examining its impact on student engagement and behavior.

This article discusses strategies for engaging students who complete their work early, emphasizing the importance of lesson design to promote extended learning and intrinsic motivation. It suggests various approaches, such as deepening understanding, creating challenging levels, self-assessment, project-based learning, mastering skills, team activities, using KWL charts, partnering, planning, and game creation. 

Don't get turned off by the focus on elementary school students/teachers at the beginning of the list. The middle and high school focus starts at number 11. Have fun connecting!

What is provisional writing (as opposed to readable writing or polished writing)? Click the picture to find out!

Does utilizing assigned seating ever make you feel like an old curmudgeon or a killjoy? Fear not! This post emphasizes the importance of assigned seats in building a thriving classroom community while allowing for student choice and voice. The author discusses how intentionally-designed assigned seating can create a structured foundation for collaboration, help students get to know their peers, and provide individualized support, while still being responsive to student feedback.

This article by Dave Stuart Jr.  article outlines three strategies for establishing teacher credibility: tracking moments of genuine connection, focusing on one aspect of teaching competence at a time, and finding reasons to appreciate and be passionate about teaching even in challenging subjects or situations. It's a somewhat lengthy read, but the wisdom it shares is well worth a thorough perusal. 

Middle school teacher and extrovert Brett Vogelsinger has developed strategies to engage introverted students in his classroom. He uses techniques like a "white snow/yellow snow" discussion format where students raise colored index cards to share new ideas or build on others', and online message boards to encourage quieter students to participate. Vogelsinger emphasizes the importance of providing different avenues for engagement, recognizing that introverted students contribute valuable insights in quieter, reflective ways.

"Truth for Teachers" is an expansive website run by Angela Watson, focusing on providing resources and support for educators to enhance their teaching practices, manage classroom challenges, and cultivate a positive and impactful teaching experience. The website offers articles, podcasts, and materials designed to empower teachers and promote effective teaching strategies.

This short spoken-word poem will help remind your students (and you!) that words are important and have power. Hopefully, it will inspire us to remember that we are powerful, too, when we wield them with thoughtfulness and determination.

Many teachers feel there may be value in asking students to memorize material but we sometimes struggle to justify it. Daniel Buck does a phenomenal job of exploring the value of learning material "by heart" in this short article.

Check out this article on how to transform your teaching and promote active learning by asking thoughtful questions instead of lecturing. This approach can lead to deeper understanding and more engaged students while also resulting in more meaningful conversations in your classroom.

This document has loads of unique ice-breakers and fun discussion questions that are waaaaay better than the tired old, "Tell your name and one interesting fact about you."

Try this one on for size: "If you were a vending machine, what is one thing you would sell?"

This fun, team-building activity is incredibly easy to facilitate and is super-engaging for kids. Groups of students work together to rank items from the most important to least important as they consider how they would survive if they were lost at sea.

What?! How can you even suggest that freedom of all things could be bad for creativity? Annie Murphy Paul makes a compelling argument in this short article that imposing constraints can lead to fresher, more original ideas.

Looking to have your students create their own visual narratives? This website provides absolutely free printable comics templates. Enjoy!

Ted Gioia offers some unique tips to help breathe new life into the arena of public speaking (for both teachers and students). These aren't your traditional public speaking hints and suggestions! Check out #7: "Tap into Your Own Craziness." 

This website allows students to quickly and easily write a letter to themselves that will arrive in their email inbox at a specified time in the future. One of the nice things about the site is that once the letter is completed, students no longer have access to it, so they truly have to wait until the future date to receive their own words back again.

Jon Ronson offers a chilling TED Talk about how an ill-worded and thoughtless joke destroyed an ordinary woman's life... while the whole world watched in real time. Some of the language is a bit strong, but the message is a powerful one.

This little piece by Wendy MacNaughton is great. It's a short read that offers an uplifting message, combined with a unique form of communication. Is it a short essay? A micro-memoir? A comic? Share it with your students and see where the discussion goes...

The purpose of the JSTOR.org is to provide a digital library and research platform that grants access to academic journals, books, and primary sources. It aims to facilitate scholarly research and promote the dissemination of knowledge across various disciplines. Not only can you access journal articles, but you can search for images as well. Creating an account is incredibly simple, and users can access 100 articles for free per month!

This video is peaceful, interesting, fascinating, and downright cool. But is it educational? The answer to this question lies in how you perceive the video. When examined as a "visual essay," this piece might provide opportunities to discuss mood, tone, pacing, perspective, transitions, evidence, argument, conclusion, etc. 

We know that stories have a special place in the hearts and minds of learners and have the power to evoke fascination, curiosity, wonderment, and action. Educators often tell stories to enliven instructional content and hook and hold student attention. But what if storytelling could be leveraged to frame an entire course?

Our smartboards already feature a lot of neat tools, but classroomscreen is also super easy to use and has some very unique features like a noise level monitor, dice, traffic light, group generator, and random name generator. Just click "Launch Now."

Taken from Amazon: Murder Most Puzzling is a gorgeous and witty book that invites readers to solve 20 puzzling murder mysteries. Cast as the faithful sidekick to amateur sleuth Medea Thorne, you will meet a cast of colorful characters, from ghost hunter extraordinaire Augustin Artaud to Leonard Fanshawe, a competitor in the Annual Perfect Pickled Foods Festival. Using deductive tactics and eye-spy searching skills, you will sleuth your way to unveiling whodunit in this witty riff on the classic murder mystery book. 

I (Jordan Bischell) have a copy of this unique book. It could be an interesting supplement to art or literature classes or even others depending upon the unit of study. Let me know if you're interested in checking it out.

Teacher and Author Penny Kittle shows off some unique student notebooks in response to one of her book club assignments. Could this inspire a similar assignment in your own classroom?

I'm sure that Alicia Henderson is doling out this type of information to our students regularly; however, this short read provides some good information that all of our faculty could benefit from as well as we prepare students for the college admissions process.

There may not be too much of an academic application for this weird website, but it's simply too unique to not share. I suggest starting with some pretty generic phrases like, "Get outta here," "Not on my watch," or "Who do you think you are?"

Character Lab provides "actionable advice for parents and teachers- based on science." The resources here could come in handy in courses that range from Bible and English to any number of sciences. Most of the articles are short and punchy and contain plenty of opportunities for thoughtful discussion.

This information probably doesn't come as a shocker to most of us; after all, we work with high school students every single day. Howedver, this short summary of developmental milestones for high school students is a good reminder of what our students are experiencing at this unique stage of life. 

Visual frameworks are patterns to help you think creatively, reframe challenging situations, and imagine possible strategies and solutions. Think of a situation or challenge that’s on your mind right now (or on your students' minds), click the picture, and find and image that represents your situation.

Teachers in a number of disciplines might find an interesting application for this series of quickly accessible optical illusions. If you've never seen "The Disappearing Bicyclist" before, give it a click!

While this article is a few years old, it offers some powerful suggestions that may help students to gain independence and take ownership over their learning. For example, have you considered asking current students to write a letter to incoming students, detailing what they have learned and offering advice for success? It's an interesting concept; give it a try!

This easy-to-read post about the shortcomings of choosing summaries over full-text experiences may provide a launchpad for a class about the potential benefits and/or dangers of relying on TLDR synopses. Question: Do more summaries lead to more understanding?

An age-old lament of teachers is that students just don't know how to write a proper email. Post this infographic in your classroom or share it with students to help them learn some real-world communication skills.