Shaped

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

 

OVER 10 MILLION READS

Latest Posts

Hero Banner

Podcast: Creativity, Community, and Pride with Owen Bondono

Meet Owen Bondono, a high school ELA teacher and the first known transgender Michigan Teacher of the Year. He uses his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ student spaces and anti-racist teaching practices.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Educational programs

Choosing Educational Programs for Your District: Lessons from COVID

Discover three lessons that school districts can learn from the pandemic and apply now when planning for academic recovery.

Dr. Bonnie Cochran
Director of Academic Planning and Analytics, HMH

Professional growth hero1

Prioritizing Personal and Professional Growth as an Educator During COVID

Jumpstart your own growth journey for the next school year by identifying your self-talk when you make mistakes and building out a concrete plan.

Anthony Colannino
Senior Fellow, the Center for Model Schools; Leading & Teaching for Growth, LLC; Author of Leading with Head and Heart

WF1368151 Hero Banner 2

Podcast: School Cyber Attacks and the Rise of Misinformation with Former Sec. of Defense Ash Carter

Join former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter for an episode on media literacy and cyber security in schools.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Stop Anti Asian Hate

How to Address Anti-Asian Racism in Schools

Here’s how schools can address the rise in hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders to ensure students’ safety and well-being.

Shaped Staff

WF1370250 Anti bias Resources HERO

Anti-Bias Resources for the Classroom

Confronting bias in ourselves and in our classrooms is an important ongoing process. Help combat discrimination in all its forms with this collection of resources.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

IFE QC Quote Cards 3

Quick Conversations: Equity in Education, Interrupted Learning, and More

Watch interviews with education leaders and business owners about culturally responsive education, recovery in schools, and developing an entrepreneurial mindset.

Shaped Staff

Covid lessons hero2

Lessons Learned from COVID: Leaders Share Challenges and Bright Spots

Learn how COVID has influenced education leaders' work since spring 2020, the bright spots they see coming out of the pandemic, and the challenges they now face.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Emdin hero

Thinking of Pedagogy as Protest with Dr. Chris Emdin

Dr. Chris Emdin says pedagogy, or the science of teaching and learning, should be about protesting the wrongs that have been done to young people in society.

Shaped Staff

Hero Banner Yellow

Podcast: Lessons in Language and Loss with Angelica Moreno

Meet Angelica Moreno, a Spanish kindergarten teacher at the Dual Language Academy at Dr. Sue Shook Elementary in El Paso, Texas. This week's discussion includes dual language learnering, the El Paso Walmart shooting, and the school's reaction to losing one of their own to COVID-19.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Virtual End of Year Activities

6 Virtual End-of-School Year Celebration Ideas

School will soon be out. Give your students a special send-off with these virtual end-of-school-year celebration ideas.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

My experience as a teacher during the pandemic hero

How COVID Transformed My Teaching Experience—and Life

David Jamison, also known as “The Dope Educator,” believes love and human interaction are the foundation of any lesson plan. He reflects on the valuable lessons he learned while teaching during the pandemic.

David Jamison II
Fifth-Grade ELA Teacher, Shelby County School District, Tennessee

Jones county hero

Jones County Public Schools: A Success Story in Hybrid Learning

Learn how Jones County Public Schools adopted digital solutions to prioritize personalized learning and narrow COVID-19 learning gaps.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Hero Learning Loss Recovery

5 Actions to Achieve Learning Recovery and Lasting Success

Here are five steps educators can take to achieve COVID learning recovery and improve students’ chances for long-term success.

Dr. Bonnie Cochran
Director of Academic Planning and Analytics, HMH

Learning Loss Opt3 1

The Connected Learning Model: Mitigating COVID-19 Unfinished Learning

Students typically experience a "summer slide" when returning to school in the fall, but this year, the interrupted learning could be much deeper.

John "Jack" Lynch
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, HMH

Emdin hero2

Leverage Knowledge of Self to Engage Your Students with Dr. Chris Emdin

Dr. Chris Emdin, an associate professor at Columbia University, writes that before you can connect with your students, it is critical to lean into who you are.

Shaped Staff

WF1350300 Venola Student Teacher Relationships HERO

Rebuilding Relationships With Your Students Now and Post-COVID

To rebuild relationships during and after the pandemic, consider reaching out to students' families and consider students' new needs after a challenging year.

Venola Mason
Associate Partner, ICLE and Author, Instructional Excellence, Social and Emotional Learning

Peak charter 5

How Differentiated Instruction Transformed a Charter School

Learn how Peak Charter Academy in North Carolina prioritized differentiation in the classroom, even when the pandemic hit the U.S.

Steve Pond
Principal, Peak Charter Academy, North Carolina