Like our favorite teacher always said, sharing is caring. We love our PLS Classes Blog, but we also enjoy learning from other educators! We scoured the web and found the following teacher-focused blogs which provide valuable perspective to teachers who are looking for creative and innovative ways to improve student outcomes. Check out our findings… Continue Reading >
Category Archives: Hot Topics in Teaching
Integrate Math and Literacy to Improve Student Comprehension
You may find your students tend to have innate abilities that align with analytical and fact based skills such as math and science. You may have other students that seem to have a predisposition to more creative skills such as art or writing. For example, you may have a student who writes gorgeous prose but… Continue Reading >
Are Smartphones Making Our Students Smarter?
Three Reasons Why Teens Should Take a Break From Their Digital Devices When parents say they fear their teen is addicted to their smartphone, they may be right. According to Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of nine hours a day online. Considering the average teen needs eight to ten hours of sleep per… Continue Reading >
April is Autism Awareness Month: How can teachers best support students on the spectrum?
April marks Autism Awareness Month, a time to promote autism awareness, education, and acceptance, and to show support for the tens of thousands of young people and adults diagnosed with a spectrum disorder each year. Created nearly 25 years ago by the Autism Society, Autism Awareness Month is a growing initiative that has become a… Continue Reading >
Get Girls Excited About a Career in STEM!
Annie Easley, Grace Hopper, Mary Allen Wilkes… If you’ve never heard of these women, you’ve surely heard of their accomplishments. Annie Easley “developed and implemented code” that led to the development of the battery used in the first hybrid cars.1 Grace Hopper, also known as “the mother of computing” helped to develop code called COBOL,… Continue Reading >
To Help Respond to Disrespectful Behavior in the Classroom Get to the Root of the Behavior
According to Public School Review, many public school teachers cite student attitudes, such as apathy and disrespect for teachers, as a significant problem facing schools today.1 What appears to be disrespect from students comes in many forms. As a teacher, you may see what you or others interpret as disrespectful behavior in your classroom. These… Continue Reading >
Girls and Bullying: How can teachers help identify and stop bullying?
Pop culture movies, music, and television shows often depict girls—as early as during elementary school—as being viciously cruel and judgmental to their classmates. The “mean girl” archetype has evolved for a reason. According to National Voices for Equality, Education, and Enlightenment (NVEEE), more girls (59 percent) are cyberbullies than boys. The National Education Association (NEA)… Continue Reading >
The Case for Flexible Seating: Is it a Good Fit for Your Elementary or Middle School Students?
As a teacher, you appreciate (read: crave) order and consistency. A place for everything and everything in its place may even be your classroom motto. Many teachers appreciate orderly rows of desks and knowing exactly where each student is seated may allow teachers to ensure every child is present and engaged so you they focus… Continue Reading >
The Power of Mindfulness in the Classroom
Mindfulness represents a particular way of being present in the moment and noticing your surroundings. Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”1 What began as part of meditation and yoga instruction has grown in popularity and has been implemented by many K -12… Continue Reading >
Give Your Students the Tools to Bridge the Summer
With summer just around the corner and final exams wrapping up, students and teachers are undoubtedly looking forward to break. While students dream of free time, the great outdoors, hanging with friends, and family vacations, many teachers also plan to enjoy the warm weather, setting aside time for individual hobbies and interests. While everyone is… Continue Reading >