Shaped

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

Latest Posts

July Differentiated Instruction 1

Conferring Is Differentiated Instruction: How to Hold Student Writing Conferences

Writing conferences are one-to-one conversations and give teachers a crucial opportunity to meet each student’s individual needs.

Carl Anderson
Author and Literacy Consultant

Students pledging allegiance to American flag

Flag Day Activities for Elementary Students

Explore flag day activities for elementary students to teach your class about the symbolism behind flags and the various themes they may represent.

Shaped Staff

Blythe1

Don't Stop Believin' in Literacy: A School's Path to Reading Proficiency

Learn how a lifelong high school educator pulled a struggling Title I elementary school to the heights of glory.

Blythe Carpenter
Principal, Jinks Middle School

May Memorial Day 7

9 Memorial Day Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students

Use these Memorial Day classroom activities for elementary and middle school students to honor those who sacrificed for their country.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Teamwork Sugarland

A School's Transformation Through Transparency, Teamwork, and Tenacity

Two education leaders from Sugarland Elementary discuss their school's journey from "focus school" to "model school."

Dr. Gail Brady
Principal, Sugarland Elementary School, Virginia

Dr. Gregory Mihalik
Assistant Principal, Sugarland Elementary School, Virginia

April Repurpose Excelln Ed Content 2

Does Your District Have a Comprehensive K–3 Reading Policy?

A checklist to help determine if your district has a comprehensive K–3 policy and what else you can be doing to help struggling readers.

K. A. Jagai
Writer, Girls Write Now

Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral

3 Cinco de Mayo Classroom Activities

Here are some Cinco de Mayo classroom activities to help you celebrate with your students and teach them the true history of this important holiday.

K. A. Jagai
Writer, Girls Write Now

Title Impact Studies Troup County Asbury Park

Breaking Down Literacy Myths With Facts

Educators know there are misconceptions around K-3 literacy. Here are some facts to help shed light on the truths around student literacy.

Ireen Hossain
Writer, Girls Write Now

Title Impact Studies Troup County Asbury Park2

Tips to Develop an Impactful K–3 Literacy Solution in Your District

HMH conducted impact studies on increasing K–3 literacy and the efficacy of varying teaching practices and pulled together three tips to help your district.

K. A. Jagai
Writer, Girls Write Now

March Braille 1

Math by Touch: A Braille Puzzle for Your Students (Part 1)

With this two-part blog series, teachers can incorporate learning Braille with math through creative scenarios, historical details, and fun puzzles.

Ally Zmijeski
Associate Learning Architect, Math

March Pi Day Hero 2

Pi Day Pie Problems: Practice Geometry and Problem Solving!

Celebrate March 14 and the greatness of 3.14159 with these Pi Day pie problems, where students can practice problem-solving thinking about geometry.

Katrina George
Shaped Staff

Two children reading

Breaking the Cycle: Have Intervention Students Practice Reading Aloud

Having intervention students practice reading aloud to younger children can improve literacy for both kids.

Donna Pappas
Regional Consultant, HMH

Coding K12

Coding in Classrooms: Why Computer Science Education Matters

Given the importance of computing knowledge today, every student deserves the opportunity to learn computer science, including coding.

Stevin Smith
Senior Vice President of Technical Services, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

History Books Steinway

Explore the Past: Historical Nonfiction Books for K-12 Students

HMH has published a lot of compelling nonfiction books for children of all ages. Here are a few to consider.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

Read Alouds1

Interactive Read-Aloud Strategies: Build Strong Relationships With Students

What is an interactive read-aloud? Learn interactive read-aloud strategies to build strong student-teacher relationships in the classroom.

Monica Fitzgerald
Reading AIS Teacher, Gillette Road Middle School

Fblive Msc2

Facebook Live Recap: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships

A Nevada school principal expands on the importance of relationships to address the needs of the whole child.

Powerof Shush2

Fostering Participation in the Math Classroom: The Power of 'Shush'

A math teaching expert explains what "shushing" entails and how it encourages students to participate in class.

Dr. Juli K. Dixon
Professor of Mathematics Education; Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Mathematics Education

Coaching3

What Is Student-Centered Coaching? Consider These Examples

What is student-centered coaching? To meet students’ individual needs, teachers may consider coaching that analyzes data and formulates student-centered goals.

Michelle Smith
Professional Services Consultant, HMH

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