By Angela Duckworth and Giacomo Bono

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.

“Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!”

— Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton: An American Musical

Why does gratitude matter?

When you feel gratitude, you feel a sense of abundance. When you express gratitude — especially when it’s heartfelt — you strengthen your relationships with others. Grateful people are happier and more fulfilled. And gratitude leads you to be nicer to other people: more cooperative, patient, and trusting. …

By Enrique Puig, Director of the UCF Morgridge International Reading Center

As we curate resources to create a dynamic learning environment for students, we need to consider the function of texts and how they ensure learning over time. …

By Danielle Powell, K-8 Educator in Tennessee

Once upon a time, in third grade, my mother attended a conference at my school where she asked my teacher about this elaborate story she heard from me.

Apparently, there was a thunderstorm at school and all the electricity went out for the rest of the day. The students and teachers had to learn by candlelight and go to the restroom with flashlights!

Now, this may not sound too elaborate, but to my third-grade mind, this was the PEAK of adventure. …

And other lessons learned from teaching math online during a pandemic, featuring a Q&A with John SanGiovanni, K-5 Reveal Math Author

What exactly does effective math instruction look like during a pandemic? What about social and emotional learning? And how about professional learning for educators?

The past six or so months have been a learning experience for teachers, students, and parents, as they have adapted to sudden shifts in their learning environment, grappled with new schedules and routines, picked up on new technology, and worked tirelessly to nurture academic achievement despite all the changes. …

Celebrating World Kindness Day 2020 in Your Remote, Hybrid, or In-Person Classroom

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is the power of kindness. It prevails in challenging times. As we have navigated this difficult year, empathy has allowed us to stay connected through social distancing. Generosity and giving have supported those in need. And acts of kindness have given our mental health and emotional well-being a much-needed boost, more commonly known as the “helper’s high.”

The best thing about kindness is that it can be done anywhere, at any time. …

By Melody Johnson, Curriculum Developer and Writer from Georgia

November, December, April, and May….those are the months that have the highest amount of burnouts for teachers.

Only another fellow teacher will truly understand what teachers experience on a daily basis.

There are assessments due, report cards to fill out, and more things to grade, in addition to staff meetings, EIP meetings, IEP meetings, professional development training, and the expectation to also volunteer at school. Don’t forget about the field trips you have to plan, lesson plans, getting your materials together, and even your own classroom.

When I was an educator in a public school, I remember one of the hardest things I struggled with was the balance for myself and my family… especially in the months mentioned above. …

Sixty Seconds of Actionable Advice, Based on Science, Brought to you by Character Lab

By Angela Duckworth, Character Lab Founder and CEO

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.

…

This is the problem: You can’t listen and talk at the same time.

This is my problem: I talk too much.

For instance, each week when I prepare to teach my undergraduate class, my slides and the notes that go with them grow longer and longer as I think of more and more ideas it feels urgent to share. …

Why Little Minds and STEM Go Hand in Hand

By Daphne McMenemy, STEM Educator from Oakville, Ontario

As I do every day, I took my first-grade students outside for our daily outdoor play break. As they do every day, they wait for me to open the door and they run and scream like it’s the first breath of air they’ve gotten in their entire lives.

Like every day, they scatter in one hundred different directions and I take my first of many headcounts. …