Workplace stress can be hard on employees in all industries, but dealing with increasing class sizes, budget cuts, and the lengthy hours spent planning and grading coursework can leave educators feeling like they’re spread too thin. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays and end of year demands added on top of all that, we need some tips and techniques to bring back our spirit!

The “growth mindset,” popularized by Carol Dweck, has become a hot topic in the education world—and rightfully so. The concepts outlined in Dweck’s book resonate with much of what teachers already know, and challenge some of the current practices of the educational system. 

Teachers know that through encouragement, goal setting, and hard work, students can develop grit, determination, and self-efficacy. Some kids walk into the classroom with their mind already “set” to be unsuccessful, but teachers have watched students who persevere become much more successful adults than other students who don’t have this trait.

The holiday season is in full swing, so we’re sharing some of our favorite lesson ideas for this time of year. Whether you want to incorporate winter weather or global celebrations into your classroom, we’ve got you covered.

This title may be a little misleading—perhaps it should be “student social media tools I have never heard of.” Some of these sites are more prominent, more familiar, and have more subscribers than others. All of them fit into a category of networking or social sites that students in your school are probably using. Beyond Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, here are a few that you need to know about:

During the past year or so, flexible classroom seating has become a popular topic for educators.  This term can be interpreted a few different ways, but at the heart of it is the concept that students are able to choose different seating options that fit best with their learning style.