What is a learning community, and how might teachers and students create one when they’re not in a shared space together?

That was the question Dr. Catlin Tucker posed to the audience during her session titled “Creating Clarity for Online Teaching & Learning,” which took place as part of McGraw Hill’s Celebrating Early Literacy series on February 17.

In her session, Dr. Tucker delved into the notion of a learning community, and the aspects that frame them. A learning community is a collaboration between teacher and student — a place where goals are shared, the purpose of learning is articulated…

By Meena Srinivasan, Executive Director of Transformative Educational Leadership

Explore Part 1 of our series, “Voices in Social Studies” where educators and thought leaders share the latest in social studies teaching and learning.

Belonging is often characterized as an emotional need we all have to feel seen and connected. While this is true, as educators it’s important to expand and contextualize our understanding of what belonging truly means, especially as our nation faces a deep sense of polarization. True belonging calls upon us to cultivate an expansive, compassionate quality where we enlarge our circles of concern and interrogate all the…

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.

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

— Dalai Lama

Why does kindness matter?

When you act kindly toward others, the benefits go both ways. Small, thoughtful acts — like helping, sharing, listening, or teaching — can change both…

It has been seven long months since the 2020 Mars Rover, Perseverance, and his pal, Ingenuity, began their journey from Earth to the Jezero Crater on Mars. But this week, they will finally make their long-awaited arrival on the Red Planet.

Learn more about their journey and mission with fun classroom and remote learning resources below!

Who is Perseverance?

Perseverance is a high-tech rover built to explore the surface of Mars, our next-door neighbor in the solar system. Equipped with special tools, like a drone named Igenguinty, Perseverance can survey and test the soil on Mars to determine if there is, or ever…

By Kerrie LaRosa, Licensed Clincial Social Worker and Parent Coach

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller.

This week, we celebrate Take Your Family to School Week. This year, as the pandemic rages on and remote or hybrid learning remains the norm across the country, this observance is a time to recognize the importance of family and school collaboration.

Educating children without family involvement is like trying to solve a puzzle when you are missing pieces. Learning is not limited to school. Whether reading, playing, arguing with a sibling, or fixing themselves…

“Welcome Home.”

These words were whispered to me by a distinguished alum as he carefully placed a gold-trimmed Class of 2002 lapel pin on my collar at the Howard University Freshman Pinning Ceremony. My heart was full as I listened to the melodious sounds of the Showtime Marching Band. I was beaming with pride as I surveyed the faces of my classmates — hundreds of budding intellectuals, creatives, engineers, and physicians, all sitting with tiptoe anticipation of what was to come. …

While standardized test prep should happen consistently throughout the year, early spring is a time to kick it into high gear.

While different in their own right, ACT, SAT, and AP exams are all high-stake assessments that can shape a student’s success in college. Preparing for them can be a daunting task for high schoolers, but with your support, a high score may not be so difficult to achieve.

There are a multitude of successful approaches to exam prep, and every group of students will respond differently to every approach. To help drive your efforts, we’ve listed steps that you…

By Christina Quarelli, K-8 Curriculum Specialist at McGraw Hill

Final installment of our series, “Make Every Remote Learning Moment Count,” where we explore no-plan strategies to boost student engagement quickly.

As with writing, sometimes students just need a little nudge to dive into those whole class, small group or peer-to-peer exchanges. Students, regardless of age, often struggle with focused and productive conversations. The good news is if you are already incorporating #1 and #2 from this blog series, this goal will be much more attainable. …