Shaped

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

Latest Posts

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Icons & Inspiration: The Four Bestselling Female Authors You’ve Never Heard Of

March is Women’s History Month and the perfect time to honor the hundreds of wonderful female authors published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

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5 Ways Digital Tools Are Transforming the Education Space

ICLE Senior Fellow and K–12 thought leader Eric Sheninger offers guidance on how to manage an arsenal of digital tools in the classroom.

Eric Sheninger
Senior Fellow, the Center for Model Schools; Aspire Change EDU; Keynote Speaker; Author

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Icons & Inspiration: What Do “Field of Dreams” and “Deliverance” Have in Common?

Just in time for the Oscars, HMH archivist Susan Steinway takes a look back at HMH’s impact on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

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The Science Behind Speaking Up – Five Ways to Encourage Participation in the Classroom and Beyond

Classrooms need to be safe places for students to grow, where the potential benefit of learning something far outweighs the risk of appearing dumb. Here are five ideas for how to make that happen.

Dr. David Dockterman
Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Predictions vs Trends: The Science of NOT Knowing What’s Coming Next

One way to approach digital choices in school and classroom is to stop listening to (and making) predictions and focusing instead on trends.

Greg Dhuyvetter
Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Diocese of Orange, California

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Introducing #SparkAMind

With #SparkAMind, we are inviting teachers and students of all backgrounds and ages to join us in celebrating the power of learning by sharing inspiring stories about their own defining life lessons.

HMHCo

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Reading Is a Universal Right

With two-thirds of students reading below proficient, they are the majority, not the challenged few. We need a comprehensive plan for intervention.

Margery Mayer
Former Executive Vice President, Intervention Solutions

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Achieving the Right Mindset for Blended Learning

The New Year is an ideal time to re-examine our strategies and techniques for turning mindset beliefs into the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that support lifelong learning.

Dr. David Dockterman
Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Performance is Good, but We Need Learners (What the World Series Can Teach Us About the Classroom)

To flourish in today's dynamic landscape, we need to be adaptable, curious, willing to take risks, and open to innovation. We need to be learners.

Dr. David Dockterman
Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Disrupting Classroom Discourse: Preparing Diverse Learners for Today’s Language Demands

It has become clear to me that we need to enlist teachers as language mentors who approach lesson design and delivery with efforts to expose, enrich, and equip students linguistically.

Dr. Kate Kinsella
Author, English 3D; Co-Author, Read 180®; Teacher Educator, Researcher; CEO, Dr. Kate Kinsella & Associates

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Thanksgiving Activities for Young Learners

A festive event like Thanksgiving offers many opportunities to engage young children in playful learning activities, from designing creative table settings to measuring the ingredients for your favorite desserts.

HMHCo

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Sparking Curiosity with STEAM Activities for Young Learners

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math---all essential skill areas for our children in their future. Introducing STEAM skills and activities early encourages young minds and taps into their natural curiosity.

Susan Magsamen
Former Senior Vice President of Early Learning

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On Writing About Tragedy for Young Readers

I have written two-dozen non-fiction history books for kids over as many years. My latest books recount an environmental disaster and a killer hurricane, neither of which is an easy topic for readers regardless of age. The question I often face is how to present difficult material to kids?

Don Brown
Author and Illustrator

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Halloween Facts and Fun for Young Learners

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for parents, educators and caregivers to encourage imagination with some spooky, costumed fun that stretches beyond Trick-or-Treating!

HMHCo

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HMH Volunteer Week 2015

It’s a wrap on HMH’s fourth annual company-wide Volunteer Week! Here’s a snapshot of HMH Volunteer Week by the numbers.

HMHCo

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Fostering a Culture of Learning and Play: Inspiration from Conversations on Early Learning

The third installment of HMH’s Conversations on Early Learning series, hosted in partnership with Boston Children’s Museum on September 25, explored the vital connections between play and learning.

Mary Cullinane
Former Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President of Product Planning, Development and Marketing

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The Power of Play: Tips for Parents

This week, we’ve got playful learning on our minds as we approach HMH’s next Conversations on Early Learning event at Boston Children’s Museum. We hope you enjoy these tips for encouraging developmentally appropriate play with your early learner!

HMHCo

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Back to School 2015: Building a Digital Community

When it comes to implementing technology and creating digital learning environments, the impact that new technology has on school culture and student learning is often given too little attention. What changes can teachers expect and prepare for in the classroom? What new challenges does technology create?

Brent Hartsell
Education Services Design Director, HMH

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