Shaped

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

 

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Latest Posts

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Media Literacy Op-Ed: I'm Worried but Hopeful

Dock, host of Shaping the Future, reflects on the recent podcast episode on media literacy.

Dr. David Dockterman
Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

How Does Art Help Students Academically?

How does art help students academically? Incorporating art into lessons can ensure students gain a well-rounded education.

Marie Swan
Shaped Contributor

What is a community school

What Is 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

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An Hour of Code Activity: Celebrate Computer Science Education Week

What is the Hour of Code? Why is coding important for students to learn? Answer these questions and more with this 2020 Hour of Code Week activity.

Reynaldo Vargas

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Teaching World Languages: The Co-Constructed Feedback Process (Pt. 2)

A Spanish teacher explores the benefits of implementing co-constructed feedback to promote positive classroom relationships.

Jori Greenhill
Spanish Teacher

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Teaching Mindfulness in the Classroom With Early Learners

Begin teaching mindfulness in the classroom with your early learners using this handy primer from a veteran teacher for practicing mindfulness in schools with your students.

Kim Block
Retired Teacher

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How to Create a Safe Classroom Environment for Students

Learn how to create a safe classroom environment for students. Explore 7 tips for creating a safe learning environment where students are free to be themselves.

Timothy Mugabi
Shaped Contributor

Best holiday books for kids

The Best Holiday Books for Kids to Celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah

This list of the best holiday books for kids can help you celebrate winter festivities in the classroom. These Hanukkah and Christmas books will also teach your students about religious traditions.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

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Teaching the Renaissance: World History Lesson Plan and Activities

Use this Renaissance lesson plan and activities for middle school and high school to teach your students about this era of cultural "rebirth" in the 14th to 17th centuries.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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New Wings: Writing Praise Poems in the Classroom

Poet Glenis Redmond says teaching students how to write a praise poem is a great way to dive into metaphors and similes and have them flex their creative muscles.

Glenis Redmond
Poet and Teaching Artist

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6 Beginning of the School Year Activities for Day One

Explore 6 beginning of the school year activities for any classroom. Create positive first impressions for your students

Amanda Clark
Shaped Contributor

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Interview: Author Paul Tough on the Complex World of College Admissions

Paul Tough dives into fascinating (and frustrating) discoveries and stories from his research into the complex system of college admissions and higher education.

Caitlin Henault
Senior Communications Associate, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Black Friday Classroom Activity and Lesson Plan: Teaching Math and Money

This Black Friday classroom activity can teach students about spending and budgeting as well as decimals and percentages. The Black Friday lesson plan is appropriate for elementary students.

Shaped Staff

6 Tips for Building Positive Relationships with Parents and Caregivers

Discover 6 tips for building positive relationships with parents and guardians that will strengthen connections and boost student success!

Mary Dean
Shaped Contributor

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Teaching Supreme Court Cases: Engel v. Vitale and Religion in Schools

Teach your students about a controversial Supreme Court decision in 1952 regarding the role that religion should play in public school classrooms.

Shaped Staff

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Teaching World Languages: The Co-Constructed Feedback Process (Pt. 1)

A veteran Spanish teacher shares how to build on a typical interpersonal speaking performance assessment in order to make it easy for others to implement co-constructed feedback in their own classrooms.

Jori Greenhill
Spanish Teacher

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Podcast: Future Skills for Fact-Checking Online Fakes

Listen to a podcast on teaching media literacy in the classroom and developing effective media literacy programs in schools, featuring Katy Byron (MediaWise at Poynter) and Erik Palmer (author and former teacher).

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

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How to Use Short Films as a Resource for Teaching World Languages

A Spanish language teacher provides tips for incorporating using short films as authentic, relevant resources in World Languages classes.

Karly Enright
Spanish Teacher

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