Shaped

A community-driven blog supporting educators, building lifelong learners,
and shaping the future of education.* 

Featured Posts

Wayne Westland SD teachers in a classroom

A Fresh Approach to Intervention Is Boosting Achievement in a Michigan School District

Hear from educators about a new approach to intervention that’s raising student achievement in the Wayne-Westland Community School District, outside Detroit.

Melissa Hawkins Teachers in America podcast

Podcast: Partnering with Families to Build Early Literacy Skills with Melissa Hawkins

Kindergarten teacher Melissa Hawkins joins us from Hawai'i to discuss student engagement, literacy instruction, and connecting with families.

Latest Posts

WF1721296 Hero

Missouri reading interventionist Angela White shares how she structures her class to meet the academic and social and emotional needs of her students.

Angela White

WF1465051 Shaped 2021 Blog Post Classroom Reward Ideas

Explore 11 ideas for cheap or free classroom rewards and incentives. No matter what your budget looks like, get your students motivated to participate!

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Two boys with their backs to the camera embracing side by side

Read more for tips on how to help students cope with tragic or disturbing news—particularly news that involves something so personal to them, safety at school.

HMH Staff

Wf1071386 Goal Setting Hero Image Opt3

Ring in the new year by teaching practical goal-setting and self-management with your students.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Wf926908 World Kindness Hero Image

Use these SEL World Kindness Day activities and ideas for the International Day for Tolerance to ensure that every day includes a little (or a lot of!) kindness in your school.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

SEL for Teachers hero

Social emotional learning for teachers in a time of burnout. Explore ways teachers can empower themselves to create better conditions in the classroom.

Venola Mason
Associate Partner, ICLE and Author, Instructional Excellence, Social and Emotional Learning

Social Emotional IEP Goals Hero

Dr. Suzanne Jimenez
Director of Academic Planning and Data Analytics at HMH

Anti-Bullying Resources for Teachers: Removing the Risk of an Emotional Stampede

Help students avoid mistreatment in your classroom and school with these anti-bullying resources for teachers and information from bullying prevention organizations.

Noelle Morris
Senior Director Community Engagement, HMH; Host of HMH Learning Moments: Teachers in America Podcast

Classroom jobs for elementary students hero

Discover why classroom jobs for elementary students are a win-win for teachers and students.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Celebrate you self care tips for the teachers we love HERO

A teacher’s self-care is created by reflection, refraction, and dispersion.

Noelle Morris
Senior Director Community Engagement, HMH; Host of HMH Learning Moments: Teachers in America Podcast

Social emotional learning using collaboration in science hero

Productive discourse lends itself well to building a community where social and emotional learning in science is supported.

Dr. Cary Sneider
NGSS Writing Team Leader, Associate Research Professor at Portland State University

SEL Writing Prompts and Journal Prompts

Introduce your students to the five competencies of SEL with these writing and journal prompts for elementary, middle, and high school.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Talking to kids about scary news

Read key tips for teachers and parents on talking to children about troubling events in the news.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

CASEL SEL competencies

The 5 social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) are crucial to students’ learning and growth. Explore the competencies and strategies for helping students achieve them.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Misty Richmond Teacher CPS Hero Banner

We're kicking off season 4 with Chicago Public Schools teacher Misty Richmond, who discusses how she gets her students invested in STEM careers.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Valentines day activities for middle school high school students hero

Get your whole class feeling the love this February 14. Try these Valentine’s Day activities for middle school and high school students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Education Trends 2022 Hero

We asked ed leaders from across the country to weigh in on education trends for 2022. Here's what they had to say.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Teaching Empathy Activitiesfor Middle Schoolers

Check out a few suggestions for empathy activities for middle schoolers and find new ways for teaching empathy in the classroom.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.