Shaped

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

Featured Posts

Wayne Westland SD teachers in a classroom

A Fresh Approach to Intervention Is Boosting Achievement in a Michigan School District

Hear from educators about a new approach to intervention that’s raising student achievement in the Wayne-Westland Community School District, outside Detroit.

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Latonia GrantTeachers in America podcast

Podcast: Embracing Data and Planning with It Feat. Latonia Grant

Third grade teacher and HMH Teacher Ambassador Latonia Grant discusses how data has been a valuable tool in her planning and instruction. Plus she shares data-driven planning tips, like how to lead data talks with students and how to collaboratively plan with peers.

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Differentiated Instruction Examples Hero

Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples for Teacher and Student Success

Here we provide differentiated instruction strategies and examples that teachers can use to ensure students have choices for the way that they learn new information, practice skills, and demonstrate understanding.

Amber Silverman

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A Collaborative Learning Routine: What Is the Think-Pair-Share Strategy in Teaching?

Learn about what is think-pair-share in teaching and how to use this collaborative learning strategy in your classroom.

Dana Leon

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8 Spring Activities for Elementary Students

Happy spring! Need some engaging in-person and remote classroom activities to celebrate the season? Try these 8 spring activities for elementary students.

Alicia Ivory

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Latest Posts

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9 Back-to-School Icebreakers for Elementary Students

Teachers can use these fun back-to-school icebreaker activities for elementary students in the classroom or remotely.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Podcast cover with Samuel Gonzalez

Podcast: Serving Students, Country & Self with Samuel Gonzalez

Pennsylvania educator Samuel Gonzalez has been teaching for just two years, and all while studying for his doctorate and serving in the National Guard.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Maximizing Instructional Time in the Classroom

Get strategies for maximizing instructional time in the classroom to meet your teaching goals and each student’s needs.

Jennifer Prescott
Shaped Contributor

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Research Insights: Online and Blended Coaching

Research suggests that online coaching has several strengths, including lowering costs while increasing scalability, which makes it overall effective.

Dr. Grant Atkins
Education Research Director, Professional Services

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The New Era of Education Is High-Tech and High-Touch

We can recover and transition into a new post-pandemic instructional model that fuses the power of technology with the tried-and-true social gathering of the classroom.

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

Covid challenges

5 Challenges Teachers Will Face This Fall—and How to Address Them

In the new school year, teachers will face challenges surrounding social and emotional learning and potentially continued remote learning for some students.

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

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Lessons Learned from COVID: Leaders Share Challenges and Bright Spots

Learn how COVID has influenced education leaders' work since spring 2020, the bright spots they see coming out of the pandemic, and the challenges they now face.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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How COVID Transformed My Teaching Experience—and Life

David Jamison, also known as “The Dope Educator,” believes love and human interaction are the foundation of any lesson plan. He reflects on the valuable lessons he learned while teaching during the pandemic.

David Jamison II
Fifth-Grade ELA Teacher, Shelby County School District, Tennessee

Jones county hero

Jones County Public Schools: A Success Story in Hybrid Learning

Learn how Jones County Public Schools adopted digital solutions to prioritize personalized learning and narrow COVID-19 learning gaps.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

TAW 2024

Virtual Teacher Appreciation Week 2024: How to Celebrate Remotely

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week! We've created 2024 virtual Teacher Appreciation Week ideas during COVID-19 just for you. Explore ways administrators, parents, caregivers, and students can show their appreciation for teachers—this week and all year long.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1350300 Venola Student Teacher Relationships HERO

Rebuilding Relationships With Your Students Now and Post-COVID

To rebuild relationships during and after the pandemic, consider reaching out to students' families and consider students' new needs after a challenging year.

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

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How Differentiated Instruction Transformed a Charter School

Learn how Peak Charter Academy in North Carolina prioritized differentiation in the classroom, even when the pandemic hit the U.S.

Steve Pond
Principal, Peak Charter Academy, North Carolina

WF1336960 Intervention Post COVID HERO

Why and How to Prioritize Intervention to Bridge the COVID Learning Gap

What can be done to help those students who have felt the impacts of unfinished learning? Note that there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.

Brittany Mamphey, M.Ed.
Dean of Students, Mt. Healthy South Elementary School, Ohio

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How to Teach Reading Virtually in the Online Classroom: 5 Tips

Teaching reading online during the pandemic can be challenging. Learn how to teach reading virtually with these tips from a first-grade teacher.

Katie Risolo Radovich
First-Grade Teacher, Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York

Social and Emotional Learning Strategies

10 Social and Emotional Learning Strategies for Responding to COVID-19

Nurturing students social emotional learning during COVID-19 is essential. Explore key SEL principles that schools and educators can use during the pandemic.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Virtual Academy

Creating a Virtual Academy in Your District? Here Are 6 Things to Consider

Some kids are benefitting from our experiment with online learning during the pandemic, and districts across the country are building virtual academies to meet their needs.

Dr. Robert Dillon
School Designer, Author, Educator

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Planning for 504 and IEP Success in a Post-Pandemic World

Incorporate lessons from distance learning into your IEP and 504 planning. Suzanne Jimenez, a former director of special education in Virginia, shares strategies.

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

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Prioritizing Self-Care for Teachers During COVID-19: Educators Weigh In

Given the challenges educators have encountered during the pandemic since March 2020, self-care for teachers during COVID-19 is now essential.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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