If you’re getting this newsletter, then you’re likely a passtionate educator always looking for inspiring stories. We’re passionate about education, too, and about elevating voices that inspire us. Here are the stories from our colleagues, partners, and networks that we loved this month and hope will inspire you:

How to Foster Collaboration in the Classroom

Tim Needles, Art Teacher

We recently accelerated our effort to champion equity with the introduction of the new K-12 Equity Advisory Board. Comprised of accomplished experts who excel in areas related to equity and social justice, these board members are engaging in discussion and planning of new ideas and business innovations in relation to educational equity in our products and projects. To see what that looks like in action, we’re highlighting our board members in their daily work life.

Today’s Highlight: Courtney Koestler

Director of the OHIO Center for Equity in Mathematics and Science

The greatest learning experiences I’ve been part of in the classroom have been a result of collaboration. Working together with other educators and students, from the local level to the global level, continues to offer a range of different perspectives as we work on engaging projects together.

The advantage of collaborating is that it can teach students elements of our curriculum and how to collaborate with others along with a blend of added social, interpersonal, and cultural learning.

It has enhanced learning experiences for students as well as educators as we have worked on a range of programs on the…

By Dr. Lanette Trowery, Sr. Director of Learning at McGraw Hill School and Margaret Bowman, Academic Designer at McGraw Hill School

Discourse encompasses interactions between members of the community and their attempts to develop shared meanings using a variety of tools, language, and norms (Bennett, 2014; Hicks, 1995; Lampert, Rittenhouse, and Crumbaugh, 1996; Moschkovich, 2012; Sherin, 2002; Yackel and Cobb, 1996). Discourse is a valuable learning tool, but widely underused in mathematics education.

What Does Mathematical Discourse Look Like?

Before exploring the connections between mathematical discourse and equity, it’s important to understand the interactions that define classroom discourse, and what discourse looks like in a math…

Published as a part of a collaboration between McGraw-Hill and Character Lab, where this piece first appeared. Character Lab advances scientific insights that help kids thrive (you can watch a short video here). By connecting researchers with educators, Character Lab seeks to create greater knowledge about the conditions that lead to social, emotional, academic, and physical well-being for young people throughout the country.

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”

— Louisa May Alcott

Why does growth mindset matter?

Having a growth mindset helps you focus on developing your abilities rather than proving how smart or talented you are…

There’s certainly no shortage of information available to educators about the best way to educate. In our collective, never-ending quest to make the most of every precious moment in the classroom and empower every learner, educational researchers are constantly examining existing and new practices in search of the ultimate evidence-based instruction.

Dr. Timothy Shanahan urges educators to be brave about asking important questions and approaching research with a critical eye. Asking questions about the research builds understanding of how it works, for whom it works, and if you’ll be able to repeat those results with your students, in your classroom.

…

Most summers, I am fried by July — and not from the summer heat. I’m just “done.” I play the lottery. I draft the first chapter of a best-selling novel. I dream of my escape from the stresses of teaching.

This summer feels different, however.

I’m sure the new attitude I developed during virtual teaching eased the pain a bit. In my efforts to cope with changes and be more empathetic to the students, I decided to “dial it down.” I lightened up.

I focused on making sure students learned something new each day. I worried less about whether I…

Metacognition refers to individuals’ knowledge concerning cognitive processes and regulation of these processes in relation to cognitive objectives (Desoete & De Craene, 2019; Flavell, 1976; Jin & Kim, 2018).

In other words, metacognition is the process of thinking about thinking.

Metacognitive strategies, as you can imagine, are teaching and learning practices that encourage students to engage in metacognition, or think about their thinking as they learn new things, explore concepts, and apply knowledge.

How do metacognitive strategies help students learn?

Strategic metacognitive engagement has been shown to aid in performance in the classroom and overall academic…