Shaped

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

Latest Posts

Virtual back to school night

These 2021 virtual Back-to-School Night ideas during COVID-19, including activities for parents and students, will help you start off the year on the right foot.

Rachel Swartz
Sixth Grade Teacher, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (MS/HS 141), Bronx, New York

WF1138053 5 Reading Resolutions Hero Image Opt1 85cab6aa25ee358f8b9ee45ba7a4bd78

Educators, families, and communities working together can achieve HMH Chief Research Officer Francie Alexander's goal of Literacy for All!

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

New Pri Pod hero

Priyank Bhatt, a lead math teacher at West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, joins us for a follow-up episode to discuss his experiences with virtual learning as an urban educator, and the social-emotional learning required in the age of COVID-19.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Listen to our Ready, Set, School! podcast, developed especially for kids, to get tips and advice for starting this school year wherever you do your learning.

Ready Set School Podcast Artwork 1600px 0001 1 2

Listen to our Ready, Set, School! podcast, developed especially for kids, to get tips and advice for starting this school year wherever you do your learning.

Ready Set School Podcast Artwork 1600px 0002 3 5

Listen to our Ready, Set, School! podcast, developed especially for kids, to get tips and advice for starting this school year wherever you do your learning.

Ready Set School Podcast Artwork 1600px 0003 6 12

Listen to our Ready, Set, School! podcast, developed especially for kids, to get tips and advice for starting this school year wherever you do your learning.

Carol Jago Blogs 1

Though the characters in these stories face challenges and obstacles, they never stop trying to do the right thing.

Shaped Staff

Carol Jago Blogs2 1

Though the characters in these stories face challenges and obstacles, they never stop trying to do the right thing.

Shaped Staff

Virtual writers room duane capizzi hero

Writing for television is certainly one of the more collaborative forms of writing. But collaboration is only the first step of the process, since the goal of The Writers Room is for writers to come away with an episodic assignment to complete.

Duane Capizzi
TV Writer and Producer

WF1195500 Duane hero image

Have your students explore the exciting world of TV writing with a free lesson plan and insights from producer, writer, and Carmen Sandiego showrunner Duane Capizzi.

Shaped Staff

Ballgame Blog

These sports books for kids will provide your children with some all-star fun while we wait until it’s safe to get back on the field and in the stands.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

Virtual Muesum Tour Opt2

Museums everywhere are offering free virtual tours and hands-on activities for students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Priyank Minisode Hero

Priyank Bhatt, a lead math teacher at West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, discusses his personal and professional journey, which began in India. From learning English with the help of a dedicated ELA teacher—and American cartoons—to excelling in math class and eventually tutoring his friends, Priyank forged a path rooted in education.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Starting the year remotely op ed hero image

Districts that are responsive to their stakeholders are offering remote learning as a choice for the entire school year. Schools that provide remote learning resources could easily become exemplars of best practices to be shared across the district.

Anthony Colannino
Senior Fellow, the Center for Model Schools; Leading & Teaching for Growth, LLC; Author of Leading with Head and Heart

Strategies for a good school year esther wojcicki

Have students interview each other. In the next class, whether it's online or not, let students share their interests, experiences, and feelings. There are many back-to-school activities that teachers can use as icebreakers, but this one is my favorite because the kids get to know each other, which makes them excited about your class.

Esther Wojcicki
Journalist and Teacher; Founder, Palo Alto High Media Arts Program

Carol Jago Blogs3

These stories will probably stick with you the rest of your life—the characters and what they experience are just that unforgettable! 

Shaped Staff

Carol Jago Blogs4

These stories will probably stick with you the rest of your life—the characters and what they experience are just that unforgettable!

Shaped Staff

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