Early career educators and those further along in the classroom are always looking for new ways of connecting with and meeting the needs of their students, as well as tackling the many responsibilities that come with their roles. Here, we share some tips and tricks from teachers, for teachers on a number of different topics that can make the job of teaching just a little easier.
Teaching
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Teachers, Try This: Teach Kindness Through Words and Actions
This 4th grade teacher creates lessons and projects around showing kindness.
Social Studies
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Teachers, Try This: A Method for Navigating Political Debates in Social Studies
Through the use of primary sources, and students' own critical thinking skills, this Texas teacher navigates the current political climate.
Teaching
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Teachers, Try This: A Pen Pal Exchange to Improve Student Writing and Build Empathy
This class experiences so many benefits through the monthly letters they exchange with their pen pals at the local retirement home.
Assessment
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Teachers, Try This: A 5-Minute Exercise to Reduce Student Test Anxiety
Inspired by a college professor, this teacher instituted “test talks” and helped reduce her students’ test anxiety.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: A Lesson on Journalism, Misinformation, and Different Points of View
This elementary teacher taught his students a valuable lesson on how we can each experience the same situation a little differently.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: Address Student Behavior Issues With Somatic Check-Ins
Through somatic check-ins, educators and students can learn better emotional regulation, and in turn improve classroom management.
Mathematics
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Teachers, Try This: Gamify Instruction to Reduce Math Anxiety and Improve Test Scores
After this teacher "gamified" her classroom, students responded positively.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: Beyoncé's 'Mute Challenge' to Get Students' Attention
This teacher incorporates Beyoncé's "mute challenge" and other elements of pop culture to increase student engagement.
Reading & Literacy
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Teachers, Try This: A Writing Exercise for Amazon’s Strangest Products
Students search for the strangest product they can find on Amazon, and practice writing reviews in this pre-winter break exercise.
Reading & Literacy
Video
Teachers, Try This: Teach Reading Through Hopscotch
For students at all reading levels, these hopscotch mats create a fun and supportive daily reading practice.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: A Two-Minute Exercise to Foster Student Creativity
Through a two-minute weekly exercise, this Pennsylvania teacher fosters a sense of creativity in her students that extends across subjects.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: Use Restorative Justice to Solve Student Conflicts
In this kindergarten classroom, students learn conflict resolution skills through a short restorative justice practice.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: Use a 'Classroom Economy' to Teach Financial Literacy
Rent, inflation, and savings are all elements of this 3rd grade teacher’s plan to expand her students’ financial literacy.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: Improve Student Engagement Through Design
Small differences in font choice and size within classroom materials can make a huge difference for students.