Shaped

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

Latest Posts

The Importance Of Sel In Schools

Why is Social-Emotional Learning Important in Schools?

Why is SEL important? In an HMH survey, K-12 educators noted the high importance of social emotional learning in schools today.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

World Language Classroom

Building Up Students and Reducing Fear in the World Language Classroom

A Spanish teacher shares three ways to empower your students in your world language classroom and to help reduce their anxiety.

Karly Enright
Spanish Teacher

Using Social Media For Teacher Professional Development

Using Social Media for Teacher Professional Development

Start using social media for teacher professional development to network with other educators, follow trends, and share resources. The value of social media for professional growth should not be understated.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Instructional Coaching Listening Tour

Why a Listening Tour Is the First Step in Instructional Coaching

A good instructional coach understands that unlimited individual growth must be supported by school-wide change.

Sherry St. Clair
HMH Contributor

Self Care For Teachers

Self-Care for Teachers: Why and How to Make It a Priority

Self-care for teachers matters because unhealthy educators can’t help students. Use these tips from ICLE's Adam Drummond to improve your teacher wellness.

Adam Drummond, EdD
Associate Partner, The Center for Model Schools and Author, Instructional Leadership

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Video: 3 Tips for Designing a Rigorous K–12 Curriculum

According to ICLE Senior Fellow Larry Ainsworth, a rigorous curriculum should have clear learning outcomes, engaging learning experiences, differentiated instruction, and sequenced units of study.

Larry Ainsworth
HMH Contributor

Fact or Fiction? The Myth That We Have Specific Learning Styles, Debunked

Fact or Fiction? The Myth That We Have Specific Learning Styles, Debunked

The myth that we all have specific learning styles, debunked—research shows that 90% of teachers believe the learning styles myth.

Rachel L. Schechter, PhD
VP Learning Sciences, Learning Sciences and Research Advisory Board Chair

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Quad D Instruction in the Classroom: Where Rigor Meets Relevance

Quad D instruction occurs when students engage in tasks that have rigor and relevance, giving them the opportunity to solve real-world problems.

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

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Mindshift in How We Teach English Learners

Reimagine how you teach ELs by reconfiguring the way you view second-language acquisition and adapting your practices, policies, and resources to reflect it.

Joanna Miral
Shaped Staff

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Putting Theory Into Practice: Building Collective Teacher Efficacy

Developing self-efficacy and making a curriculum rigorous and relevant are key to optimizing the best opportunity for the growth of our students.

Monica Fitzgerald
Reading AIS Teacher, Gillette Road Middle School

March Teacher Protests 1 Edit

Why Are Teachers Striking? It's Time to Listen to Their Greatest Concerns

Why are teachers going on strike in cities across the U.S.? ICLE Senior Fellow Tyrone Howard assesses recent teacher strikes and the primary challenges educators face in the classroom.

Dr. Tyrone C. Howard
Professor, UCLA; Senior Fellow, The Center for Model Schools; HMH Learning Sciences & Research Advisory Board

Best Of Shaped

A Year in Review: Most-Read Shaped Blogs of 2019

In this selection of the most-read blog posts of 2019, we hear from middle school teachers, literacy and math experts, and a parent.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

What Is A Community School

Building a Community School: How Local Partnerships Bring Success

What is a community school? The community school model allows schools to establish partnerships with local organizations and businesses for resources to benefit students.

MaryEllen Elia

Teaching Metacognition In The Classroom

Teaching Metacognition in the Classroom: Just Think About It!

By focusing on metacognition in the classroom, students can continually monitor their learning. Teaching metacognition also allows students to apply their most effective learning strategy to the task at hand.

Michael DiSpezio
Author, ScienceFusion and HMH Science Dimensions Programs

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How This Superintendent Saved a School Through University Partnership

Dr. Shaun Nelms, superintendent of Rochester East Upper and Lower Schools, answers questions about how partnering with the University of Rochester saved his school from closure.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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Developing a Student Exit Slips Strategy for Formative Assessment

By developing an exit slip strategy in the classroom, you can more easily complete a formative assessment of your students' understanding of a given lesson.

Amanda Bratten
Senior Assessment Specialist, Learning Sciences, HMH

6 Tips From Literacy Experts

6 Literacy and Leadership Tips Every Educator Should Know

Implement these tips from our literacy experts and leaders in education to better support all students in the classroom.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Introducing The 5Th Annual Ecr Report

Exploring the State of Teaching in the 5th Annual Educator Confidence Report

With the 2019 ECR, you can understand the realities facing the teaching profession today, including both the triumphs and challenges.

John "Jack" Lynch
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, HMH

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