Shaped

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

Latest Posts

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All about the HMH Advocacy Program

We invite teachers who use an HMH program to discover more about our Advocacy Program—especially if you like sharing your expertise and knowledge of instructional best practices to help other teachers nationwide.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

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Teacher's Corner and What It Means to Be a Teacher Advocate

Hear from Noelle Morris, HMH Senior Director of Community Engagement, on the Teacher's Corner community and the next steps in our advocacy program.

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

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Podcast: Cultivating a Collaborative Teacher Community with Teresa Meredith in Indiana on Teachers in America

Thirty-year seasoned teacher Teresa Meredith shares best practices to build positive relationships with fellow educators on and offline.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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6 Elementary Grade Ideas for Science Centers in the Classroom

Introduce your students to the excitement of science with a physical space in the classroom dedicated to hands-on learning.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

Earth Day Classroom Activities

7 Fun Earth Day Activities for Middle & High School Students

Honor the planet in your classroom with these fun Earth Day activities for middle school and high school students.

Danni Green
Writer, Girls Write Now

Alexa Dowlen
Learning Experience Design, K–12 Science

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9 Earth Day Activities and Games for Elementary Students

Honor our home planet with these 9 Earth Day activities and games for elementary students.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

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How to Talk to Kids about School Tragedies

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

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Differentiated Instruction for Special Education Students

Dr. Suzanne Jimenez, HMH's director of academic planning and data analytics, shares insights on differentiated instruction for special education students.

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

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Celebrate Educators With These Teacher Appreciation Week Poster and Card Ideas

To mark Teacher Appreciation Week, we've got some new poster designs for your classroom, plus a few bonus cards for anyone that wants to thank a special teacher in their life.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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What Is Conceptual Understanding in Math?

Many teachers ask, what is conceptual understanding in math? This article explains the difference between conceptual understanding and procedural fluency and how to improve math understanding.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Podcast: Dyslexia, Intervention, and the Read 180 User with Rachael Cunningham and Sarah Fox in CA on Teachers in America

Education leaders Rachael Cunningham and Sarah Fox dispel common misconceptions about dyslexia and share best practices and programs to support dyslexic learners.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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Women’s History Month: Belonging at the Table

To honor Women’s History Month, HMH's Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer shares a personal story that highlights how far women have come and how much work there is yet to do.

Benita Flucker
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, SVP Enterprise Development Strategy, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The Lighthouse Effect: How Teachers Can Have an Extraordinary Impact on the World

The Lighthouse Effect: How Teachers Can Have an Extraordinary Impact on the World

Steve Pemberton, the author of The Lighthouse Effect, and Carmen Ortiz-McGhee, Chief Operating Officer at NAIC and one of the lighthouses featured in Steve’s book, explain the Lighthouse Effect principle and how their teacher lighthouses positively impacted their lives.

Steve Pemberton
Author of The Lighthouse Effect; Speaker

Carmen Ortiz-McGhee
Chief Operating Officer, National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC)

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Graphic Organizers for ELL Students

Find a collection of graphic organizer to help ELL students build vocabulary, compare and contrast, and activate prior knowledge.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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The 5E Model of Science Instruction

Learn how to implement the 5E model of science instruction and download a 5E science lesson to use in your classroom.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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Podcast: How Advice from My Gen Z Class Made Me Up My Tech Game with Leah Carper in NC on Teachers in America

2023 North Carolina State Teacher of the Year Leah Carper shares how she's learned to leverage technology in her classroom.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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What Is an Instructional Coach in Education?

What is an instructional coach in education? Learn more about how coaches support teachers in their pursuit of student learning.

Kyra Donovan
Associate Partner, The Center for Model Schools

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Honoring Black History and the Prime Need of Our Time

Join HMH's Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer as she explores the “why” of Black History Month and how it intersects with her work, her passion, and the mission of HMH.

Benita Flucker
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, SVP Enterprise Development Strategy, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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