Shaped

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

 

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

WF1336960 Intervention Post COVID HERO

Why and How to Prioritize Intervention to Bridge the COVID Learning Gap

What can be done to help those students who have felt the impacts of unfinished learning? Note that there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.

Brittany Mamphey, M.Ed.
Dean of Students, Mt. Healthy South Elementary School, Ohio

Tips and Tricks for Into Math HERO

10 Tips and Tricks for Into Math

Here are inside tips from Into Math writers, coaches, and experts, on how to make the most of our core K–8 math program.

Shaped Staff

Alexandria middle magnet school case study hero

Against All Odds: Alexandria Middle Magnet School’s Success Story

Nobody believed Alexandria Middle Magnet School had a promising future. With Principal Dennis Stewart and his leadership team's guidance and the support of turnaround specialists and the ICLE, the school transformed in three years against all odds.

Shaped Staff

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How to Boost Students’ SEL Skills Using Current Events

Fourth-grade teacher Perry Hollins shares tips for teaching current events through an SEL lens.

Perry Hollins
Fourth-Grade Teacher, Evanston/Skokie School District, Illinois

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Poetry Books for Kids and Teenagers: A Look at HMH Poets and Their Works

Celebrate poetry in April and year-round with these HMH poetry books for kids and teenagers. These children's poetry books span science and nature, history, and the arts.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

Math at the met numbers hero

Video: Teaching Math with Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Use this video to teach numbers and expressions in math class by investigating how different numbers look around the world and throughout history at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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10 Social and Emotional Learning Strategies for Responding to COVID-19

Nurturing students social emotional learning during COVID-19 is essential. Explore key SEL principles that schools and educators can use during the pandemic.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

WF1334381 Shaped 2021 Blog Post Howto Combat Learning Loss reduced

6 Research-Backed Ways to Close the COVID Learning Gap

These strategies for closing the COVID Learning Gap can support efforts to improve student outcomes and help address the issue of interrupted schooling.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Virtual Academy

Creating a Virtual Academy in Your District? Here Are 6 Things to Consider

Some kids are benefitting from our experiment with online learning during the pandemic, and districts across the country are building virtual academies to meet their needs.

Dr. Robert Dillon
School Designer, Author, Educator

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Podcast: From Foster Care to State Teacher of the Year with Anthony Swann

Meet Anthony Swann, a fifth grade teacher in Rocky Mount, Virginia. An advocate for hope and empathy when it comes to students contending with trauma, Anthony was named the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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The 3 Most Critical Aspects of Teaching Mathematics Going into Next Year

Looking forward to the next school year, set down things that aren’t essential. Focus on aspects of math teaching known to be high-quality instruction: creating moments of disequilibrium, facilitating physical interactions, and facilitating social interactions.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor