Thanks for following our series about using the new Mentoring Minds Resource Library to gain quick access to strategies and…

This is the final blog post in our series about using the new Mentoring Minds Resource Library for convenient access…

Welcome back to our series about using the new Mentoring Minds Resource Library to gain quick and easy access to…

This is the second blog post in our series covering the six modules available in the new Mentoring Minds Resource…

This is the third blog post in our series introducing the six modules available in the new Mentoring Minds Resource…

The COVID-19 pandemic is still significantly impacting the lives of our students. We, as educators, must not forget to infuse…

Imagine an environment where parents, students, and educators have strong working relationships, with everyone actively participating in the education of…

Memes make me laugh, and I recently found one that produced a deep chuckle as well as some deep thoughts…

Why Critical Thinking? In today’s rapidly changing world and workplace, critical thinking is more important than ever. The most successful…

Let’s continue our exploration of Project-Based Learning by looking at the who, where, when, and how of PBL. (Take a…

In the age of high-stakes testing and increasing academic expectations, the pressure placed on students, teachers, and school leaders to…

Often students are pushed to develop questions on the spot, with little to no framework. Unsurprisingly, this often leads to…

Of course, no one wants to get an answer wrong. However, when a student comes up with a response that…

A fifth-grade class is hard at work. Posted on the board is the question the students plan to answer: How…

No one likes a bully—or so it’s been said. Over the years, bullying has been a major concern for everyone….

Fidget spinners are popping up in classrooms around the country, the latest gadget craze in the endless fascination with objects…

Critical thinking frameworks can be a huge help for teachers as they lesson plan, but knowing which one to use…

“Does anyone have any questions?” Silence fills the room. The teacher waits the customary three seconds and then moves on…

Bullying and cyber bullying usually involve 3 distinct personas—bullies, victims, and bystanders. The bully and victim roles are usually obvious…

Technology has advanced at a dizzying speed—this is the digital age, after all. It was universally embraced and commonplace long…

Cognitive rigor encompasses the complexity of content, the cognitive engagement with that content, and the scope of the planned learning…

Thinking frameworks help teachers analyze the various levels of student thinking that are present in lessons, tasks, and assessments. Knowing…

There was a time when teacher-centered learning, or “sit and get,” was the classroom norm: the teacher would stand in…

The primary measurement for student growth has long been the standardized test: students’ performance reflects what they’ve learned, determines their…

Whether you’re a veteran teacher or are just beginning your career, taking a look at these tips for staying in touch with parents throughout the academic year can be a great boon to the success of you and your students.

Take a look at these suggestions for managing disruptive students and consider putting them into practice in your own classroom.

If you want to spice up your curriculum with something new, take a look at these tips for incorporating music into the classroom.

When teachers decide to become students again, a whole new set of questions is raised. Talking to a career coach and your own administration can be key in finding the best path forward.

Digital tools are increasingly being used in schools to support and enhance learning, and in many states, technology fluency isn’t…

As educators, we have a common goal: get our students to think outside of the box. We know that, as…

You know how important formative assessments are to gauging each student’s understanding of the topic and differentiating instruction accordingly. Here…

Update: The contest has been extended through October 31, 2015! Critical thinking is a learning goal in nearly every classroom….

While many classes focus on teaching a broad range of skills, it can often be more beneficial to help students master subject matter by delving more deeply into just a few concepts.

Take a look at these tips for developing innovative thinkers.

Take a look at these tips for social studies instruction.

Teachers need to consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to strive for deeper learning – a process by which students are not only engaging with curriculum but also retaining it.

In order to develop a more streamlined and effective classroom environment, try these tips for curating student responsibility for learning.

While these skills will differ slightly from teacher to teacher to account for individual styles of instruction, there are certain guiding principles you can follow to bolster the odds of reaching all your pupils.

Take a look at these tips for assessing creativity in students and try implementing a few of them in your classroom.

If you’re weighing your options between making your own classroom rules near the end of summer or waiting for the school year, check out these suggestions for involving your students in the process.

It’s important that your students are able to critique and evaluate their own progress and academic milestones .

Further, this may help them find motivation to do well in your class because they’ll see you as having invested in them as a person. Here are a few tips for helping your students set meaningful goals.

Almost all teachers would agree that providing meaningful and well structured feedback to their students is one of the best instructional strategies that an educator can have.

If you’re planning a field trip with your students this semester or academic year, you’ll want to do everything in your power before the actual event to ensure that it goes smoothly.

Take a look at some suggestions for finding new ways to use music in your instruction.

Before you begin the process of bringing an animal into your classroom, you may want to consider these tips

If you’re looking for some overarching tips to ensure that behavior in your classroom stays as well managed as possible, take a look at these suggestions.

Whether or not you’re crazy about the idea, technology is becoming more and more integrated into educational strategies and the way that we deliver instruction to our students.

Developments in modern technology have inarguably proven to be a beneficial thing to instructors and students alike.

Every teacher has their own preferred set of methods when it comes to designing creative curriculum.

The recent surge in affordable and simple to use technologies has led to a drastic rise in the ability to integrate technology into your creative curriculum.

While good grades and success in school is its own virtue, instituting a few different types of short and long term rewards in your classroom can increase student motivation in the moment while also building capacity to work towards delayed goals.

Having class outside not only provides a rare opportunity to bolster the ingenuity of your creative curriculum, but also can be used as a reward to drive student engagement further on a day-to-day basis.

If you establish a classroom culture in which your students feel not only welcome but also wanted, then you will have an environment far more conducive to facilitating learning.

If you’re an educator or spend a fair amount of your time interacting with middle and high schoolers through a coaching or mentoring position, then the thought of using cellphones in the classroom is probably not particularly dear to your heart.

Here’s a few suggestions for how to handle any outbursts you experience in your classroom this semester.

If you’re hoping to enhance your parent teacher communication practices, take a look at these three tips.

Tolerance is a prime example of something that can make or break a classroom.

If you’re looking for some brief advice on how to help your students apply to college, take a look at these few tips

One of the more interesting trends to emerge as of late has been the arrival and implementation of exercise balls into student seating arrangements.

Starting a book club for your students effectively. 

If you or a teacher in your school are currently considering using Twitter as a means of interaction between you, your students and their families, take a look at these tips and suggestions.

Regardless of what your personal beliefs are, there are many people out there who are striving to prove that the pros of using social media in instruction outweigh the cons.

Take a look at a few of the ways that e-books and e-readers can help better your instruction and the learning experience of your students.

Whether you’re preparing for a new class of students to enter your room this academic year or simply trying to revamp your current arrangement, take a look at these tips for bettering classroom engagement through tactical design

Just as the phrase “location, location, location” is considered to be central to opening a business, “practice, practice, practice,” is crucial for students inside and outside the classroom.

Autumn continues to be an excellent time for teachers, because with Connected Educators Month behind us, National Novel Writing Month is in full swing.

In order to maximize student outcomes, effective teaching strategies must include the promotion of a fertile learning environment at home as well as in the classroom.

Flipped classroom models reverse the way in which students have traditionally been taught.

When discussing the literacy strategies of K-12 students, one is likely to encounter two oft-used terms: content area literacy and disciplinary literacy.

No matter what amount of space you’ve been given, make the absolute most of it and optimize your students’ focus by trying these few tips from Mentoring Minds.

Ask any teacher and they’ll tell you that they’ve struggled with classroom management at some point in their career.

For teachers working to incorporate an integrated curriculum into their classrooms, understanding the pedagogical philosophy of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) may help reinforce the need for differentiation.

Though the maker movement has deep roots, this learning strategy has recently been attracting lots of attention in the world of education. 

One of the most important reasons educators across the country are moving toward an integrated curriculum is to prepare students to be part of a STEM workforce.

Implementing a bring-your-own-device policy in your classroom is a great way to work toward an integrated curriculum.

If you’re looking for ways to develop a more creative curriculum for the coming school year, consider challenging students to design infographics.

The best way for educators to learn to use new technology-based pedagogical methods, Ed Tech apps, and device troubleshooting is by experiencing those skills firsthand during professional development.

When implementing an integrated curriculum, it’s imperative that teachers be able to manage their classrooms while students are using Internet-equipped devices.

For some educators, it might be challenging to explain all the benefits of an integrated curriculum to parents.

For the past two years, October has been Connected Educators Month (CEM), an opportunity for teachers across the country to network, share learning strategies, and discuss curriculum integration.

For new teachers, one of the main challenges might simply be finding a firm structure of management and discipline that works.

A recent study conducted by Fiberlink, a subsidiary of IBM, found that workers in the education industry adopted more public and custom applications than any other professional sector.

Utilizing an integrated curriculum in the classroom is as much an opportunity to learn as it is to teach.

Google is among several tech firms such as Microsoft and Apple that are courting educational systems to invest in devices and applications.

Digital storytelling can be an important asset in creating an integrated classroom.

Self-regulated learning, often abbreviated to SRL, is a pedagogical technique in which students utilize metacognitive strategies to evaluate their individual progress and consider their educational motivation.

Many public school teachers are encountering students whose native languages are not English.

Enhance student engagement by making social media an integral part of an integrated curriculum.

Social and emotional education teaches students to become healthy members of society.

The use of online and video role-playing games to produce strong learning strategies has significantly altered the educational world.

Scaffolding is a key instructional strategy designed to encourage student success.

There are ways to ensure not only that project-based learning is appropriately rigorous for today’s standards, but also that it engages each individual student.

Asking the right critical thinking questions is one of the best ways of accessing the deeper learning processes in students.

It can often be difficult to find an engaging study techniques in mathematics.

Scaffolding is a process by which you can make sure students are receiving the instructional support they need in their education without being overbearing.

Vocabulary instruction is an important part of a child’s education.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have found that heavily decorated elementary school classrooms can be disruptive to student learning.

The Internet revolution is connecting people from across the world in new and meaningful ways, and even young elementary school students can benefit from exposure to social media platforms.

A journal, diary, or learning log can be a great way to prompt students to think about the ways they learn.

One of the most frustrating things for a teacher is a student who is unwilling to engage in a lesson or unit.

Though flashcards are a traditional method for learning new vocabulary, an integrated curriculum is beneficial in that it can help students learn vocabulary for the long term.

Monitoring student progress is critical to the educational process.

Research has shown that one of the best ways to develop student engagement is through positive teacher/student relationships.

One of the biggest challenges students face today is the notable juxtaposition between how they are taught language skills and how a grammar is utilized in day-to-day existence.

One of the most discussed educational strategies for teaching language arts is the idea of text complexity.

Students are heavily influenced by their learning environments.

In the quest to develop well-rounded students, educators strive to engage their pupils in a wide range of thinking strategies.

Educational strategies that focus on small groups of students are great for developing students’ critical thinking skills.

Teachers can use team learning as a way of engaging students in the classroom.

In today’s modern society, computer skills are becoming as universal as literacy skills. 

Often the greatest challenges a teacher faces come not from their students, but rather, from their students’ parents.

Designing lesson plans that encourage self-expression and out-of-the-box problem-solving skills can be challenging for teachers. However, the rewards that come from successfully overcoming such a challenge are certainly worth it.

Brain-based learning, also known as educational neuroscience, is actually much less complicated than the name might lead you to believe.

As students begin to make the transition from the structured learning environment of K-12 education to the looser collegiate model, proper study techniques become more and more important.

RTI strategies are useful in their ability to address a wide range of educational concerns.

Motivating students to become active participants in their own education is often a difficult task.

One of the major occupational hazards of teaching is emotional burnout.

At-risk students present a unique set of challenges for educators and administrators.

Teaching concepts in the classroom doesn’t accomplish anything unless students understand how those ideas apply to the real world.

Research suggests that the precepts of content area literacy need to be updated to reflect the specialized demands of literacy in disciplines such as history, math, and science (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008).

Content area literacy, the application of reading and writing skills across disciplines, may seem to lend itself to certain subjects more than others.

The increased focus on literacy has challenged teachers to explore strategies for including more reading and writing in their daily instruction.

Instructional strategies for improving content area literacy may seem difficult to implement in subjects whose medium is not primarily the written word.

Modern science has allowed researchers greater insight into the functional processes of the brain than ever before.

For many years, reading and writing were thought of as being solely under the purview of English teachers.

As the second half of the school year draws near, it’s the perfect time to assess how far your students…

In both the academic and professional worlds, greater emphasis has been placed on critical thinking skills in the United States in recent years.

For many educators, the need to teach critical thinking skills is apparent, but the steps they must take to do so aren’t as obvious.

Helping students develop critical thinking skills can sometimes be hindered by their reluctance to delve deeply into traditional subjects.

“I wish every week were the week before winter break!” said no teacher ever. You’re done! It was probably a…

One of the best ways to get students to think more deeply about the topics they are being taught is to ask critical thinking questions.

When it comes to developing critical thinking skills, as with many things in life, it’s all about the basics.

Thinking skills are viewed as a crucial issue in education. The ability to engage in careful, reflective thought is viewed…

One of the greatest aspects of teaching students critical thinking skills is that, especially when compared to traditional classroom activities, critical thinking exercises can be a lot of fun.

Learning mathematics without a foundation in the language of mathematics is akin to navigating the Amazon without a guide –…

Teaching students critical thinking skills has become one of the most important goals of teachers and administrators in recent years, replacing the kinds of rote memorization techniques that long dominated the American education landscape.

Schools are continually asked to integrate the development of skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration into teaching…

Earlier this month, we asked you why you teach and we loved all of your feedback. We also asked the…

One of Mentoring Minds’ Facebook friends submitted the following question for our educators to answer.   Q: My son gets…

While I hope you’re relaxing this summer, the break from school provides many teachers with the time and space they…

High-stakes testing. When you read that phrase does your blood pressure start to rise? Studies show that many teachers experience…

You’re an ace at engaging students with critical thinking strategies. You know how active learning helps motivate students. But what if…

Classroom management. Whether you love it or loathe it, the impact of classroom management on student achievement and teacher satisfaction…

When students speak up in class and conversations develop, you can feel the energy in the classroom. Concepts get discussed…

I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand. ~ Confucius As Confucius noted,…