Edutopia's Best Reads

We're huge fans of the Edutopia blog here. Check out some of the highlights from that blog from the past 2 months.  

Benefits of Service-Learning for High School Students Service-learning and volunteering help high school students give back to their community and grow as individuals. 9-12 High School

3 Steps to Better Peer Feedback High school teachers can use this method to guide students to give each other specific, actionable comments on their writing. 9-12 High School

A Fun Activity to Promote a Sense of Belonging in High School Math Creating memes and cartoons around mathematical concepts and themes helps students realize how much they’ve learned. 9-12 High School

5 Simple Virtual Programs to Keep in Your High School Flexibility when meeting student needs is a key component of high school counselors’ work. Maintaining virtual programs aids in that process. 9-12 High School

5 Image-Based Activities for World Language Learners Discussing images of people, places, and foods from the target culture helps world language students develop a variety of skills. 9-12 High School

The Case Against Zeros in Grading

Teachers can rethink their grading practices to make them more mathematically fair for students and allow for redemption for a missed assignment.

9-12 High School

A Protocol to Encourage Robust Classroom Discussions This framework helps students find common ground when it comes to academics and social and emotional learning topics. 9-12 High School

Independent Study Allows High School Students to Follow Their Passions In a new book, veteran teacher Geraldine Woods shares insights from a quarter-century of directing an independent study program. 9-12 High School

Supporting Students With Hidden Disabilities Differentiated modes of instruction can provide much-needed resources for students who need additional support. 9-12 High School

Strategies for Managing Challenging Student Behaviors Student misbehavior has been particularly agonizing for teachers this year, but there are proactive steps educators can take to remedy it. 9-12 High School

Using Wordle in the Math Classroom While its connection to spelling is clear, the popular online game can also teach students lessons about math concepts such as probability.  9-12 High School

What Does the Research Say About Testing?

There’s too much testing in schools, most teachers agree, but well-designed classroom tests and quizzes can improve student recall and retention.

9-12 High School

Guiding Students to Develop a Clear Understanding of Their Cell Phone Use Banning cell phones from classrooms can backfire, but teachers can help students think critically about this addictive technology. 9-12 High School

Tech Tools That Help Teachers and Students Exchange Feedback Teachers can use these tools to give students feedback—and seek feedback in return—to support deeper understanding and growth. 9-12 High School

No Points Off for Late Work A look at how one teacher adjusted her policies to encourage learners to turn in quality assignments, even if they were late. 9-12 High School

Addressing the Emotional Roots of Procrastination Research finds that procrastination often stems from emotional dysregulation—and teachers can help students overcome it. 9-12 High School