If you’ve been following our series on brain breaks in the classroom, you know we are passionate advocates for their power to reset student focus and enhance academic performance. In our fast-paced world, these short breaks are absolutely vital, giving students time to collect themselves so they can return to learning with renewed energy. But … Read more
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, fostering a classroom environment that encourages student success is a top priority for educators. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by incorporating open-ended prompts for student behavior into your teaching strategies. These prompts not only promote critical thinking and creative thinking but also help address challenging behaviors and build strong connections with students. To put … Read more
Every school year, teachers take pride in creating an inspiring learning space for their students. The right classroom supplies can transform your room into a dynamic, student-centered environment. From bulletin board sets to flexible seating, research shows that thoughtful classroom decorations and layouts significantly impact student engagement and success. Instead of searching for “teacher stores … Read more
Many educators wonder, “What are brain breaks in the classroom?” Brain breaks are short breaks that give students (and teachers!) a chance to reset, recharge, and refocus. Research shows that students who take movement breaks perform better academically, manage stress more effectively, and stay more mindful. Brain breaks are short, intentional pauses during tasks that offer significant … Read more
From our earliest years, we’ve been taught the importance of being thankful, yet as educators, we often overlook integrating this powerful practice systematically into our teaching practices. The field of education increasingly recognizes gratitude not as a seasonal sentiment but as a foundational element for creating strong relationships, fostering positive attitudes, and enhancing academic success on a daily basis. Teaching gratitude in the classroom is … Read more
If you’ve ever been in the middle school classroom you will know that being a middle school teacher is not work for the faint of heart. There is a wide range of students who sit before you, hormones are flying, and you may or may not have a weird smell issue. But in this time … Read more
We are in a weird time in education. Not only are the pressures on the profession at an all-time high, but teachers by nature put their heart and soul into their work 24/7 while the school year is in session (and a lot of it often carries over when the year is not in session as … Read more
It’s no secret that gaming is becoming a huge piece of the lives of so many, especially our children. For many parents, this has created a unique challenge: watching their child thrive in the gaming world while struggling to connect outside of it. This is especially true for neurodivergent children or those struggling to connect … Read more
Many people, especially educators and school administrators dealing with behavior challenges in the classroom, are working hard to understand where the disconnect between adult expectations and student conduct is occurring. With the rising levels of disengagement, impulsivity, and what some term a “student apathy crisis,” there’s a natural urge to seek a clear-cut explanation. Gentle … Read more
Incorporating movement in the classroom through movement activities and flexible seating helps students of all ages explore the environments in which they can do their best work. While we often focus on helping students discover their learning styles, we should also think about how they work best. Allowing for self-referential movement, with clear guidelines, is … Read more
Click above to listen to this podcast episode: “Creating a Classroom Management Plan to Increase Student Engagement” Creating a well-designed and effective classroom management plan is essential to fostering a productive learning environment. For new teachers, particularly those unfamiliar with student-centered models, developing a solid classroom management plan might seem daunting. However, by focusing on … Read more
Most educators don’t realize that you can control the noise level of your class by adding more “noise”…and by that, I mean classroom music. This accomplishes a number of things (and many are counter-intuitive to what you think). First, it adds more “white noise” to the room…which automatically makes the class quieter. Second, studies have … Read more