Professional Development

You’ve been on Twitter: It can seem like an ungodly mess, a random flood of celebrity gossip, political arguments, sports trivia, and millennials and Gen Z posting about everything from their relationships to their curfew to why they love Drake or Taylor Swift. So you may still be doubtful ...

Everything seems political in our world today, whether the issue is the pandemic (masks and vaccinations), voting rights, immigration, or even which television network a person watches. At the same time, because of the Internet, there is more information – both correct and incorrect – accessible than ever before. How do you ...

The 2020-2021 school year has been a challenge in more ways than teachers can count, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the adjustments of masking and social-distancing, the opening and closing of schools, the need to teach remotely as well as in classrooms, and the worries about teacher, staff, and student ...

Self-paced courses are valuable; they fit into the nooks and crannies of our lives, waiting for us when we’re busy and being there for us when we have time. But there’s a loss, too, sometimes, when you really yearn for the interaction of a live teacher and other ...

Over the summer, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and all the changes it mandated, another major societal upheaval began: the Black Lives Matter protests across the nation. They began after the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis, Minn., after a police officer knelt ...

It’s August now – the month when teachers traditionally decorate their bulletin boards, prepare their lesson plans, and get ready to welcome a new group of students to their classroom. At least that’s what happens in a normal year. This year, of course, belongs to COVID-19. It has changed ...

If you are a teacher who has struggled with teaching your students to write, you’re not alone. The research studies and reports have become relentless over the past couple of decades: Students are having more and more trouble learning to write well. It’s not one particular age – elementary, ...

Is stale the best word, or is stagnant better? Is there rain outside, or a deluge? Do you hear noise, or a commotion? And are the differences important? They are, especially in a world where teens text phrases like what u doin? or ...

The statistics tell the story: More students of all ages – from elementary through college – are living with anxiety and depression than ever before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The statistics are worrisome: Think about the changing world we live in. There have always been parents who ...

“Oh, no, I can’t even draw a straight line.” That’s the response many people give when the topic of art comes up. The thing is, art is not about drawing straight lines. And if you need one, you can always find a ruler. Teaching art can be intimidating ...