Shaped

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

Latest Posts

Most read shaped blogs of 2021 hero

Our Top 10 Ed Blogs of 2021: The Best of Shaped

Before we say goodbye to 2021, let’s highlight our most-read and favorite Shaped blogs.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

Social emotional learning

For Teachers, Social and Emotional Learning Is a Top Concern

Melissa Schlinger, vice president of programs and practice at CASEL, talks prioritizing students’ well-being and effectively integrating SEL in schools.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Plcs reimagined a fresh approach to teacher collaboration hero

PLCs in Education Reimagined: A Fresh Approach to Teacher Collaboration

What is PLC in education, and what makes professional learning communities effective? Discover best practices for ensuring success with PLCs.

Dr. Lisa Corbin
Instruction & Leadership Coach

Albert Morton
Professional Learning Consultant, HMH

SEL Remote Learning Activities

5 Virtual SEL Activities for Remote Learning

Share these SEL remote activities with your students at home to help them develop SEL skills, like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and responsible decision-making.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

Infusing Multiple Narratives in History Classrooms: Native American Studies

Infusing Multiple Narratives in History Classrooms: Native American Studies

How do we reframe our pedagogy to incorporate multiple narratives within our classrooms? We can start with three building blocks: reading, content integration, and scaffolding of information.

David J. O’Connor
American Indian Studies Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Paul ST Rykken
Lecturer, First Nations Studies Department, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Importance of classroom community hero

The Importance of Classroom Community

Students need to believe that they belong in their learning environment. Learn about the importance of classroom community—and ways to foster positivity.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

The new era of education is high tech and high touch jack lynch hero 2

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

SEL

What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in Education? Insights for K–12 Educators

Get answers to common questions like "What is social-emotional learning in education?" and "Why is SEL important?"

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

One to one Teaching

One-on-One Teaching Strategies to Reach All Learners

Make time in your packed schedule for one-on-one teaching strategies that deliver big benefits for students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Community Building Shout Outs

Classroom Community-Building Activities for Elementary Students

Ready to help your kiddos develop meaningful relationships and connect with their classmates? Try these classroom community-building activities for elementary students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1429300 S Dyslexia Awareness Month HERO

National Dyslexia Awareness Month 2024

Honor 2024 National Dyslexia Awareness Month this October by better understanding how learning differences can affect your students' social and emotional learning.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Middle School Classroom Management

10 Middle School Classroom Management Strategies That Work

Create a healthy and happy learning environment with middle school classroom management strategies that are rooted in brain science.

Dr. Adriana Chavarín-López
Strategy and Instructional Support Officer, San Diego Unified School District

Dr. Michael Vea
Strategy and Instructional Support Officer, San Diego Unified School District

Classroom routines and procedures hero

Classroom Rituals and Routines Examples

These classroom rituals and routines will ensure your school year is successful.

Amanda Patterson, EdD
National Director, Academic Planning and Analytics, 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

6 strategies for building community in the classroom

6 Strategies for Building Community in the Classroom

How do you foster a sense of safety and belonging so students can focus their energy on learning? These strategies for building community in the classroom will help.

Perry Hollins
Fourth-Grade Teacher, Evanston/Skokie School District, Illinois

Accelerated learning techniques for the classroom

Accelerated Learning Techniques for the Classroom

Need to catch kids up or move them forward? Try these research-backed accelerated learning techniques.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

teacher in classroom with students

Social and Emotional Learning Activities and Lesson Plans

Teach students the skills needed for success in and out of the classroom with these social and emotional activities and SEL lesson plans.

Shaped Staff

WF1370250 Anti bias Resources HERO

Anti-Bias Resources for the Classroom

Confronting bias in ourselves and in our classrooms is an important ongoing process. Help combat discrimination in all its forms with this collection of resources.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive 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.