Author: TeachThought Staff
Information and Communication Overloading (ICO) and “Mindful Media” contributed by Dr. Domenico Meschino In today’s digital age, children are immersed in many online activities that shape their daily lives. Social media has become integral to their social landscape, with platforms like YouTube capturing their attention. These platforms serve as virtual gathering places where children connect with friends, share photos and videos, and express themselves through posts and stories. It’s not uncommon for children to follow and interact with influencers, celebrities, and content creators, seeking inspiration and attempting to emulate their lifestyles and trends. Another realm of children’s digital engagement lies…
15 Alternatives To Report Cards In The K-12 Classroom by TeachThought Staff Like lunchboxes (or brown paper sacks), field trips, and textbooks, report cards are iconic–symbols of traditional classrooms and traditional approaches to education. In its name, the purpose of a ‘report card’ is plain enough: to report on progress. But it’s not that simple. Letter grades (and alternatives to letter grades) can ‘stick’ with a student forever. When combined over time, letter grades result in a grade point average, an innocent-sounding term that can be the difference between, among other effects, a student being accepted into their choice of college…
contributed by Dr. Kymm Ballard, Executive Director for SPARK Think about any time you’ve seen “army boot camp” portrayed in pop culture — are you picturing the traditional drill sergeant, ordering his troops to do endless laps and push-ups, as punishment for their errors that day? Now, with that scenario in your mind, imagine it being played out by children and teenagers at school — and instead of drill sergeants, their teachers are at the helm. Believe it or not, it’s actually quite common in certain areas of the country for teachers to have students do physical activities as punishment for misbehaving.…
Labeling a book “great” is a matter of opinion, but when you pile together the opinion of 13 other book-loving folks, you start to get somewhere close to credibility. Alistofbooks.com compiles 13 lists of the greatest books ever published, using contributions from individuals and organizations ranging from The Harvard Book Store to the BBC. Below, then, is one take on the 623 greatest books ever published–100 included below, and below that a link to the other 523. This just might be the only reading list you ever need in terms of classic and modern literature. 100 Of The Best English-Published…
How To Filter Your Email using Search Operators by TeachThought Staff It’s almost 2025, and I’m on what seems to be a never-ending question make email better. As much as I ‘don’t like email,’ I don’t like phone calls either, but guess what? Sometimes, they’re necessary. It’s impressive that though email is older than the Internet itself, it remains the de facto form of modern communication in many industries. (The fact that my children pretend not to know how to use their email addresses leads me to believe that its days may be numbered.) When computer engineer Ray Tomlinson sent…
What Are Google Search Operators? by TeachThought Staff Google search operators are special characters and commands you can use to refine your search queries on Google. They help narrow down results by specifying more precisely what you’re looking for. For example, using quotation marks (“”) around a phrase will return results with that exact phrase. The minus sign (-) excludes certain words or phrases from the search results. The site: operator limits results to a specific website or domain, and the filetype: operator searches for specific file types like PDFs or DOCs. These operators are useful for advanced searches, making…
Using Goal Setting and Data Tracking to Enhance Student Agency and Achievement contributed by Samantha Lopez As educators, we are often referred to as ‘data-driven decision-makers.’ Even in an upper elementary classroom, students can access their grades and keep track of their assignments. Instead of only using data, how can educators show students how to use their own data to make their own decisions about their learning? The Need for Student Agency Student agency is students taking ownership of their learning. Often, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are held to low expectations as an attempt to show compassion from their…
What Is Life About? The Best Quotes We Could Find by TeachThought Staff What Is Life About? The Best Quotes We Could Find “People use drugs, legal and illegal, because their lives are intolerably painful or dull. They hate their work and find no rest in their leisure. They are estranged from their families and their neighbors. It should tell us something that in healthy societies drug use is celebrative, convivial, and occasional, whereas among us it is lonely, shameful, and addictive. We need drugs, apparently, because we have lost each other.” — Wendell Berry 40 Quotes About Living “The…
contributed by Samantha Saumell, I Have, Not I Am All teachers want to help students become successful readers and writers. Whether students like reading or writing, they are readers and writers, whether they know it or not. Students sometimes think that they only ‘write’ in school. But the truth is they write every time they text a friend, write a list, write a card, or even message a friend on a video game. Students don’t just ‘read’ at school; they constantly read everything around them. As teachers, it is our job to help students become successful at spelling. Word Walls Everybody…
Education has gone beyond acquiring knowledge to acquiring skills using EdTech tools; students learn digital literacy, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. Using technology in learning also enhances the student’s ability to appreciate and ponder on issues in a previously deemed impossible manner. Thus, tech serves as an additional tool for navigation, similar to how tutors and experts at a professional coursework writing service assist with developing writing skills. Here are some strategies teachers may apply to enhance the interactivity of their lessons through technology. Set Clear Objectives Before introducing any digital tools to students, it is best first to establish…