Shaped

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

 

OVER 10 MILLION READS

Latest Posts

WF1072984 Getting Reading Right From the Start Hero Image Final

5 Reading Resolutions for Educators: #1—Start Right, Finish Strong

HMH's Chief Research Officer examines how recent research can lead the way to improving literacy outcomes for our learners and unlocking their potential as readers.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Literacy Work Howto Writea Poem 1

Hook Students Through the Heartstrings With Poetry

Use this downloadable lesson plan by Poet Glenis Redmond in your classroom, and you can discover a lot of surprising and touching information about your students and their lives.

Charmion Mohning
Secondary Reading Coordinator, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District

Dionna Smith
ELA and READ 180 Teacher, Thornton Middle School, Texas

Sandra Windham
READ 180 Teacher, Cypress Creek High School, Texas

WF926908 Shaped 2019 Blog Posts November TITLE Mindshift in How We Teach English Learners Blog Hero Image 104b71eb860de3cd4fcc287f64c7c979

Mindshift in How We Teach English Learners

Reimagine how you teach ELs by reconfiguring the way you view second-language acquisition and adapting your practices, policies, and resources to reflect it.

Joanna Miral
Shaped Staff

Jago 2020 Literacy Predictions

A 2020 Literacy Strategy: From Reading Worriers to Reading Warriors

A literacy expert weighs in on the latest research and trends to help inform teaching strategies in the new year.

Carol Jago
HMH Author and Associate Director, California Reading & Literature Project at UCLA

Hero Image 2 4c284b73b1b0834026b992b9ac93d6bd

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

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

Wordless picture books hero

Wordless Picture Books in the Classroom: Telling Stories Through Illustrations

Wordless picture books can teach kids to gather information from visual clues. These books with no words allow them to move from merely describing what is happening to narrating a story.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

6 Tips from Literacy Experts

6 Literacy and Leadership Tips Every Educator Should Know

Implement these tips from our literacy experts and leaders in education to better support all students in the classroom.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Reading intervention in a digital world

Reading Intervention in a Digital World: Q&A With Elmira City School District

Find teacher insights into how reading intervention has evolved in the past two decades as well as advice to maximize student outcomes, ensure a growth mindset, and more.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Social media fakes

Spotting a Fake Post: Teaching About Media Literacy on Social Platforms

As teachers, we have a responsibility to help students become media literate, including teaching them how to avoid being duped by fake social media posts.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

Halloween Books2

The Best Halloween Books for Kids: Celebrate in the Classroom

Use this list of the best Halloween books for kids to celebrate the holiday in your classroom. Some of these Halloween children's books feature classic characters such as Curious George!

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

Curious Hero2

Celebrating Curiosity Day: The History of Curious George

Saturday, September 14 celebrates 78 years of learning through reading about George and The Man With the Yellow Hat.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

WF926905 Shaped 2019 Blog Posts August Back to School Checklist Image 2 4c284b73b1b0834026b992b9ac93d6bd 190827 131531

Back to School, Back to Shaping Students' Lives

With this back-to-school checklist for teachers, a former educator explains why it’s essential to provide a space for student voice and choice.

Noelle Morris
Senior Director Community Engagement, HMH; Host of HMH Learning Moments: Teachers in America Podcast

August Engaging Whole Class 1

Engaging Reticent Contributors in Whole-Class Discussions

Author, teacher educator, and literacy expert Dr. Kate Kinsella provides strategies on engaging every student in whole-class discussions and improving current methods of eliciting student responses.

Dr. Kate Kinsella
Author, English 3D; Co-Author, Read 180®; Teacher Educator, Researcher; CEO, Dr. Kate Kinsella & Associates

Hero monica d2

Podcast: Becoming a Better Learner with Monica Fitzgerald on Teachers in America

On Teachers in America, Monica Fitzgerald, a reading teacher and literacy coordinator, talks about growing up in a military family and as the child of an immigrant—and how she connects her experiences to her teaching practice.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

July System44

Why Our Blended Foundational Reading Program Is Called System 44

Learn the thinking behind the name System 44, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Summer reading teacher list hero

Summer Reads for Teachers and K-12 Administrators

Summer reading isn't just for students! These books will help educators enrich their teaching practice, while keeping readers entertained.

Joanna Miral
Shaped Staff

Diverse books hero whiterose

Helping Children Read the World: Stories From History

Author and teacher Carol Jago suggests books for your classroom library that situate social-emotional issues within real-world settings, both past and present.

Carol Jago
HMH Author and Associate Director, California Reading & Literature Project at UCLA