Author: sanjay

Tennessee teacher Hilary Statum has a classroom tradition that takes less than 10 minutes but creates the sweetest keepsake. A few years ago, she shared a photo of her students’ hands arranged in the shape of a perfect heart, and teachers loved it! Everyone wanted to know how she did it and how she got the heart shape so perfect. The trick, it turns out, is wonderfully simple: a piece of chalk, a classroom rug, and kids excited to be part of something cute and meaningful. We asked Hilary to walk us through how she does it and why this…

Regardless of how restful your winter break was, one thing is for sure: most teachers have little time to spare once the spring semester is in full swing. Whether your evening hours are spent on planning, grading, or the intermittent admin tasks that seem never ending, the important thing is that sound sleep follows—which is why you might want to check out GhostBed and its teacher discount. Educators get 15% off GhostBed purchases GhostBed has been on the sleep scene for over 20 years, providing everything from RV mattresses to bed frames, bedding sets, pillows, and more. This way, no…

Whenever I tell my students we’re heading to the lab, their faces light up. For them, the lab means curiosity, excitement, and hands-on learning. One of our favorites is the flame test—dropping metal salt solutions into a flame to see bursts of color. It’s like making fireworks indoors! Of course, every teacher knows that lab days can be stressful. Introducing middle and high school students to materials that can be harmful if misused is intimidating, especially for new teachers. That’s why before any lab, I review safety basics like tying back hair and no food or drinks, and teach when…

After 23 years in the classroom, Nicholas Ferroni decided to change course, and millions of people took notice. In an Instagram video that’s been watched more than 3 million times, the New Jersey high school teacher—who once worked as an actor—shared why he’s intentionally using less technology this year and returning to the teaching practices that worked before Google, laptops, and constant clicking.  In the video, Ferroni explains his shift toward more paper, more eye contact, more conversation, and more hands‑on learning—arguing that faster and more efficient doesn’t always mean better for developing students’ critical thinking, creativity, and connection. We…

Bring game day energy into your classroom with this free set of football worksheets that blend ELA, critical thinking, and SEL. Whether you’re teaching during football season, planning a spirit week, or just want high-interest content that still hits real skills, this bundle gives you print-and-go football worksheets students will actually want to do. Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers FREE PRINTABLE Ready for fun, low-prep football-themed activities? Just fill out the form on this page to get your free football worksheets. Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers This football worksheet bundle includes a variety of activities you can use…

Enrolling in an international university is a step that would influence every aspect of learning as well as careers for years to come. A right pick should rely on how well the institution is aligned with one’s professional objectives. Industry connection, academic structure, and global exposure significantly dictate post-graduation output.  Critical thinking will help reduce costly mistakes and ensure a real return on one’s investment through the opportunity of the real world. Here are the critical points to consider when choosing an international university that is right for your career goals. Align Academic Programs with Industry Demand Don’t just look…

Student engagement is often discussed in terms of lesson design, classroom management, or curriculum standards. What gets far less attention is how deeply engagement is shaped by teacher workload. Learning experiences can only be as good as the teacher delivering them.  When teachers are overwhelmed, stretched thin, or constantly multitasking, it quietly affects how students experience learning. This connection is not about effort or dedication. Most teachers are already giving more than what is sustainable, but there are always other factors at play as well. This article explores how cognitive load, time pressure, and system design influence what happens in…

Richard Feynman On Knowing Versus Understanding by TeachThought Staff Who is Richard Feynman? Richard Feynman, born in 1918, was a theoretical physicist whose work in quantum mechanics earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965. According to nobelprize.org, Feynman obtained his B.Sc. in 1939 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and studied “at Princeton University, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1942. “He was Research Assistant at Princeton (1940-1941), Professor of Theoretical Physics at Cornell University (1945-1950), Visiting Professor and thereafter appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology (1950-1959).” Feynman’s legendary intelligence–often mentioned alongside Isaac…

AI tools are here, students are using them, and most classroom guidance amounts to ‘be careful’ and ‘don’t cheat.’ That’s not a pedagogy—it’s a hope. The real challenge isn’t teaching students to use AI safely. It’s teaching them to think rigorously in a world where cognitive shortcuts are free and instant. That requires understanding what AI actually disrupts about learning, then designing instruction that responds to it. What AI Changes About Learning The generation effect—one of the most robust findings in cognitive science—tells us that actively producing information creates stronger memory traces than passively receiving it. Struggling to retrieve an…

by Terry Heick When students struggle in school, it can be for a variety of reasons. From their grasp of content and literacy skills to their engagement level to behavior and organizational issues, to teacher actions, to the proverbial ‘stuff going on at home,’ the possibilities are maddeningly endless. The following 8-step process is a valuable tool for me as a teacher, so I thought I’d share a version of it here in hopes that it might help you. It was useful not only for me to see what strategic responses I had available to me as a teacher, but…