Professional Development

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 ...

Every January, the temptation beckons: New Year’s Resolutions. Will this be the year that we actually lose a few pounds, spend more time with your family, learn healthy recipes,  or increase your activity levels? We could. We might. We want to. The promise is there, the fresh start is ...

Imagine your boss telling you that for a certain period of time each day or week, you get to work on a project that feeds one of your passions, even if that project doesn’t directly have an impact on your current work. Sounds like a dream, right? That’s ...

Think about the elementary school library of your childhood: shelves, books, table, and a librarian who focused a lot of her time keeping kids quiet! Now, imagine if a corner of that library had been set up for the best of exploration, tinkering and discovery by you and your classmates. ...

(Photo credit: Monkey Business Images, via iStock)

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  Articles aimed at new teachers can sometimes seem ominous: Those are all real titles of articles aimed at teachers who will be walking into their own classroom for the first time this fall. Daunting, aren’t they? “Overwhelming is the ...

Photo credit: Siaath via iStockphoto Five years ago, researchers for the National Education Association (NEA) surveyed 1,500 teachers from pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 about standardized testing. The results were alarming: Nearly half (45 percent) of teachers said that they had considered quitting their jobs at one point because of standardized testing. The biggest ...

(Photo Credit © Highwaystarz via iStock) Teaching with video can be controversial. Decisions about whether a video is appropriate for the classroom can be subjective. And arguments for and against the practice are common; does a student learn more from a video or from a lecture? Despite the issues, the ...

It’s understandable if the last thing you want to do on your summer break is focus on teaching – it’s been a long school year, after all. After packing up your classroom, the first thing you need to do is take a break: Go on vacation, go swimming with ...

We cover developing a teacher's book club as well as professional reading in our continuing education courses for teachers. 

Have you read “The Book Whisperer?” The full title is actually The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every ...