How Single-Point Rubrics Can Help Deeper Learning

How Single-Point Rubrics Can Help Deeper Learning

How Single-Point Rubrics Can Help Deeper Learning by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education Developing and using rubrics with students has long been a challenge for educators. Sometimes it's an afterthought for teachers once they've planned their lesson...

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6 Ways To Reduce Student Stress In the Classroom

6 Ways To Reduce Student Stress In the Classroom

6 Ways To Reduce Student Stress Students can face a variety of stressors leading to anxiety in the classroom. The pressure to excel academically, coupled with the challenges of personal and social life, can take a toll on their mental well-being. It can be helpful for...

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The Power of “Habits of Mind” in Project Based Learning

The Power of “Habits of Mind” in Project Based Learning

The Power of "Habits of Mind" in Project Based Learning Project Based Learning (PBL) is an educational methodology that empowers students to engage in real-world problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. However, to truly maximize the benefits of PBL,...

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Student Engagement: Both Cognitive And Behavioral

Student Engagement: Both Cognitive And Behavioral

  Student Engagement: Both Cognitive And Behavioral   by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education Engagement is a buzzword in education. While behavioral engagement and capturing student imagination, which involves visible actions and participation,...

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8 Traits of a Great Teacher

8 Traits of a Great Teacher

8 Traits of a Great Teacher Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future of individuals and society. Beyond the subject matter they teach, great teachers possess certain characteristics that make them stand out and leave a lasting impact on their students.  1....

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9 Rules To Be An Exceptional School Principal

9 Rules To Be An Exceptional School Principal

9 Rules To Be An Exceptional School Principal School principals navigate a myriad of challenges as leaders of learning. While it may seem like they have lots of autonomy to make changes and 'get things done' this isn't generally the case as their school board, upper...

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4 Keys To Sustainable School-Wide PBL

4 Keys To Sustainable School-Wide PBL

4 Keys To Sustainable School-Wide PBL by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education How can we create a sustainable PBL implementation plan? That's the question we use to help school leaders lay the foundation for introducing and growing project based...

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12 Questions Students Should Ask About ‘The News’

12 Questions Students Should Ask About ‘The News’

12 Questions Students Should Ask About 'The News' When students are reading news, it's important for them to approach the information critically and thoughtfully. Here are some questions that students can ask to evaluate and analyze the news: 1. Who is the source?-...

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5 Examples Of Project Based Learning Protocols

5 Examples Of Project Based Learning Protocols

5 Examples Of Project Based Learning Protocols by Michele Mattoon, Director of the National School Reform Faculty Have you worked with project based learning protocols? Schools design Project Based Learning (PBL) because the process helps engage students in learning...

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How To “Pull” Deeper Learning Through PBL

How To “Pull” Deeper Learning Through PBL

How To “Pull” Deeper Learning Through PBL by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education One criticism of constructivist, some might say progressive, education (and in particular PBL) is that it lacks 'real content' learning by students. This might be true...

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How Effective Instruction Increases Long Term Memory

How Effective Instruction Increases Long Term Memory

How Effective Instruction Increases Long-Term Memory The phrase "memory is the residue of thought," often attributed to Daniel T. Willingham, encapsulates the idea that our memories are intricately linked to our thoughts. The process of long term memory formation...

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5 Tips For Teaching With Art In Any Subject Area

5 Tips For Teaching With Art In Any Subject Area

5 Tips For Teaching With Art In Any Subject Area by Nicola Giardina Art inquiry is a powerful way to engage students with diverse learning needs, improve critical thinking and social-emotional skills and make learning relevant to students’ lives. Yet many teachers shy...

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PBL Exemplar – The Straw Project 

PBL Exemplar – The Straw Project 

ThoughtStretchers Education PBL Exemplar - The Straw Project  by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education In our Foundations of PBL Workshops, we help educators grow their project based learning understanding by designing a project for implementation in...

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6 Tips For PBL Planning Across Content Areas

6 Tips For PBL Planning Across Content Areas

6 Tips For Powerfully Integrated Projects  by Mike Kaechele, One of the weaknesses of our modern education system is that content has become so siloed that students rarely see the connections between subjects or connections with their world. Integrated projects can...

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5 Levels Of Student Engagement

5 Levels Of Student Engagement

5 Levels of Student Engagement Student engagement stands as a pivotal factor that determines the depth of learning, academic success, and overall personal development. As educators strive to create vibrant learning environments, understanding the various levels of...

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The Importance Of Knowledge In Progressive Education

The Importance Of Knowledge In Progressive Education

The Importance Of Knowledge In Progressive Education by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education I recently recorded a podcast that explored differing approaches to the role and importance of knowledge in teaching and learning. In the podcast, the claim...

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Assessment of Learning vs. Assessment for Learning

Assessment of Learning vs. Assessment for Learning

Assessment of Learning vs. Assessment for Learning Assessment plays a crucial role in the education system, providing valuable insights into students' progress and understanding. Two key approaches to assessment, often distinguished in educational circles, are...

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5 Ideal Traits Of A Project Based Learning Teacher

5 Ideal Traits Of A Project Based Learning Teacher

5 Ideal Traits Of A PBL Teacher by Mike Kaechele, ThoughtStretchers Education In the past few years, I have worked with many teachers introducing the components of Project Based Learning (PBL) and helping them design their own projects. Sometimes it has been a...

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4 Key Takeaways From “What School Could Be”

4 Key Takeaways From “What School Could Be”

4 Key Takeaways From "What School Could Be" by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education I first met Ted Dintersmith a few years ago in a meeting in downtown Louisville, KY (ThoughtStretchers Education is located in Louisville) to which I was invited to...

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5 Reasons Why PBL May Not Be Working At Your School

5 Reasons Why PBL May Not Be Working At Your School

5 Reasons Why PBL May Not Be Working At Your School by Drew Perkins, Director of ThoughtStretchers Education Is the project based learning at your school happening, but not working? You’ve read the books, liked and retweeted the tweets, listened to the podcasts, drank...

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10 Reasons To Use Inquiry Based Learning

10 Reasons To Use Inquiry Based Learning

10 Reasons To Use Inquiry Based Learning Inquiry based learning is a term used broadly that can take different forms in the classroom and is often conflated with discovery learning by those who advocate against it and for more direct and explicit instruction. While...

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