Author: TeachThought Staff
contributed by Ryan Schaaf & Jack Quinn Everyone loves games. Albert Einstein himself indicated they are the most elevated form of investigation. He knew games are avenues for something deeper and more meaningful than a childish waste of time. Games promote situated learning, or in other words, learning that occurs in groups of practice during immersive experiences. Oftentimes, playing games are the first method children use to explore higher-order thinking skills associated with creating, evaluating, analyzing, and applying new knowledge. See also 50 Questions To Help Students Think About What They Think This article is written in two parts. The first, written…
Step‑by‑step instructions for first‑line and hanging indents, with tips for using the ruler — mobile‑friendly and easy to follow. Microsoft Word (Windows/Mac) Fastest way Place the cursor at the start of the line. Press Tab once to indent about 0.5″. Press Backspace at the start to remove the indent. Button method Go to Home > Increase Indent. Use Decrease Indent to move it back. Set a first‑line or hanging indent Select your paragraph(s). Open the Paragraph dialog (Home > small launcher). Under Indentation > Special, choose First line or Hanging and set the amount (e.g., 0.5″). Click OK. Precise control…
Definition: Student autonomy is students having more meaningful control over what, how, when, or with whom they learn. Student Autonomy Definition Student autonomy is students having meaningful control over parts of their learning within clear goals — what to work on, how to show learning, when to complete tasks, or whom to work with. Edward L. Deci & Richard M. Ryan, Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior (1985). Student Autonomy Meaning Picture a lesson. Most decisions fall to the teacher: which text to read, which problem to start with, how long the work should take, whether to allow partners.…
Step‑by‑step instructions for first‑line and hanging indents, with tips for using the ruler — mobile‑friendly and easy to follow. Microsoft Word (Windows/Mac) Fastest way Place the cursor at the start of the line. Press Tab once to indent about 0.5″. Press Backspace at the start to remove the indent. Button method Go to Home > Increase Indent. Use Decrease Indent to move it back. Set a first‑line or hanging indent Select your paragraph(s). Open the Paragraph dialog (Home > small launcher). Under Indentation > Special, choose First line or Hanging and set the amount (e.g., 0.5″). Click OK. Precise control…
As many Literature/ELA teachers know, T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a worth teaching for any number of reasons, from mood and narrative form to voice, tone, and the internal monologue. The poem’s images and language (diction) make it useful to even explore relatable ideas like rejection, overthinking, and social anxiety. This animated version visualizes and emphasizes how the imagery establish and emphasize the mood, and, of course, vice-versa. The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock Text Text and Audio Read By The Author Eliot’s references to Dante, Shakespeare, and the Bible make teaching about allusions and…
12 Teacher Productivity Tools That Actually Save Time Time is the scarcest resource in a teacher’s day. Good tools protect that time. Great tools give it back. The goal is not more apps. The goal is fewer clicks, clearer plans, faster feedback, and smoother teamwork. This list focuses on tools that consistently reduce busywork and make room for better teaching. Plan, Track, and Organize Trello Boards, lists, and cards make unit planning and task tracking simple. Use one board for each course. Add checklists for lessons. Drag cards across columns to show progress. Trello scales from a solo teacher to…
“We are what we have done, which includes our promises, includes our hopes, but promises first.” — Wendell Berry Source TeachThought Staff 2025-09-11 05:22:20 Source link
by Terry Heick What did John Dewey believe? While known by teachers for his work in education (he was a professor of philosophy at Columbia University from 1904 until 1930), he was also a psychologist and philosopher who interested in governing and social improvement and saw public education as a critical component of a functional democracy. Philosophically, he was a pragmatist and instrumentalist who believed that the ‘truth’ of a ‘thing’ mattered less than the usefulness and effect of the thing. (I write about this a lot–in What Is The Relationship Between Quality And Effect?, for example.) John Dewey’s Work…
by TeachThought Staff Critical thinking isn’t a skill, nor is it content knowledge or even evidence of understanding. While it involves and requires these ideas, critical thinking is also very much a state of mind — a willingness and tendency to sit with an idea and ‘struggle wonderfully’ with it. In critical thinking, there is no conclusion; it is constant interaction with changing circumstances and new knowledge that allows for broader vision which allows for new evidence which starts the process over again. Critical thinking has at its core raw emotion and tone. Intent. The purpose of these stems is…
See also The Real You Is All Of Us In the last ten years, too many teachers have left the teaching profession altogether because they feel burned out, unsupported, or unsafe. Any reassurance provided by empty platitudes like, “We’re all in this together” and trivial ‘rewards’ such as denim pants privileges on Friday now feels insulting. Each new email may feel like a trigger as many teachers have come to anticipate new forms of stress with each school day. With no end in sight, what used to feel like teaching can often feel like a never-ending performance in the theatre…