As humans, we naturally like to move and use our hands! Do you ever notice yourself moving a part of your body (shaking your leg, biting your lip, playing with your fingers, touching your hair) or touching something in your environment (a soft couch, the tv remote, a cup, a fidget toy, a blanket, your phone). We also like to …
Tips to Help a Child Not Be Alone at Recess or in the Cafeteria
If you are an educator and you see that a child is constantly alone at recess or lunch, call a meeting, come up with a plan, do something to help that child. Research supports the notion that there are strategies we can use to help a child not be alone at recess, such as more structured play time, incorporating more …
Online Discount Store Offers Hundreds of Hands-on Activities to Keep Learning Fun & Engaging
Research demonstrates the benefits of teaching children through a variety of senses (multi-sensory/hands-on learning), which allows children to absorb information through sight, sounds, movement, and touch! In multi-sensory learning, children are active and doing something rather than just sitting passively trying to remember what their teacher is teaching them. “If I can do it, I can understand it.” Related Article: …
Research-Based Program “Reading with TLC” Helps At-Risk Students Make Reading Gains
Reading with TLC offers research-based, clinically proven methods and materials. The program also provides professional development opportunities for those who teach phonemic awareness, phonics, speech production, and sight word acquisition. Reading with TLC can be used as an intervention program for students of all ages, including teenagers and adults. It can also be used as the core reading curriculum or …
Self-Monitoring Apps Help Students Improve Behavior and Time On-Task
Teachers often report that keeping students focused on the task at hand is a challenge. While there are many strategies to improve time on-task and behavior in the classroom, research studies support the use of self-monitoring apps as one method for making a positive difference for students. For more on this research see: Implementation of a self-monitoring application to improve …
Does Increasing Physical Activity in School Lead to Improvements in Academic Achievement and Behavior?
Recently, one of our readers asked about the effects of physical activity on academic performance. Here is what the research says… The American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) analyzed 26 individual studies in December 2017, which all examined the impact of physical activity on academic performance and/or classroom behavior. Results indicated that if schools increase students’ physical activity, they can significantly …
Engaging Social Studies Curriculum Shows Promise for Improving Social Skills in Students with Emotional and Behavioral Needs
Storypath offers a structure for organizing the social studies curriculum and an instructional strategy for teaching it. The strategy is based on the belief that children learn best when they are active participants in their own learning. When students have to create, role-play, come up with ideas, problem-solve, etc., they learn the material from the inside out. The structure and …
Hands-on Curriculum Brings Science and Social Studies to Life for K-12 Students
Disclaimer: educationandbehavior.com has no affiliation with the TCI K-12 Publishing Company. As the author of this article, I am passionate about hands-on learning and multi-sensory approaches, two major components of TCI curriculums. Therefore, I wanted to share TCI with educators who may be interested in incorporating a hands-on/active learning approach to their social studies and science classes. Teachers’ Curriculum Institute …
How Does Minecraft: Education Edition Work? Is It Good for Students?
We are all aware of the negative consequences associated with too much screen time; and it is imperative that screen time is monitored, and utilized in moderation. However, I also believe in using children’s interests to pull them into learning, a practice supported by research. When students are interested in what they are doing, the learning doesn’t feel forced, and …
What is Sensory Processing Disorder & Sensory Integration Therapy?
People with typically functioning sensory systems learn to tolerate stimulation through their senses in many different ways. They also learn how to use the information they receive through their senses to control themselves and their movements and interact with the world around them. For example, just as our eyes detect visual information and relay that information to the brain for …
How to Inspire More Girls to Take Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
According to the study, “Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation,” women are vastly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs in the US. The report further states that women hold less than 25 % of STEM jobs. They also hold a disproportionately low share of STEM undergraduate degrees, particularly in Engineering. Lastly, women with a STEM …
How School Counselors and Teachers Can Work Together to Promote Social-Emotional Learning
School is about more than learning academics. It is also a prime environment for promoting social and emotional learning (SEL). In recent years, the Every Student Succeeds Act has called attention to this need. This act requires that states measure school success with at least one non-academic indicator, such as communication, empathy, or conflict management. In order to effectively teach children important …
What Will Classrooms of the Future Look Like & How Will They Engage Our Students?
Do you wonder what classrooms will be like in the future? Technology is rapidly changing and it becomes challenging to keep up with it. It has invaded the field of education, as some classrooms now have interactive boards instead of blackboards. When we were kids, we may have dreamed about having computers in our classrooms for learning. In today’s digitized …
Effective Program Helps Young Children Learn to Read
Recently I came across a step-by-step program that helps parents easily teach their young children to read. The authors, Jim (a reading teacher) and his wife Elena, developed the Children Learning Reading program, and used it to teach their own children to read before turning 3 years old. Who Is the Program Designed For? The Children Learning Reading program is designed for parents of …
American Academy of Pediatrics Explains Why Recess is Crucial for Children and Shouldn’t be Withheld
Introduction Policy makers, educators, and parents often talk about the role of schools in promoting the development of the whole child (e.g., physical, social, and academic development). A growing trend toward putting more emphasis on academic subjects and less on recess time, has put this important part of a child’s school day at risk. When recess is provided, children get …
How 3D Printers Can Benefit Students and Teachers
Sponsored by Quill.com For most everyone’s life, when you talked about printers you talked about the kind of printers we all know: They print (in color or black and white) on paper, and sometimes have multiple, helpful functions such as faxing and scanning. And for a long time, that was it—the cream of the crop, and a diverse cream at …
Does Research Show That Exercise Helps Kids with Autism & ADHD?
Experts at Michigan State University have demonstrated that kids with ADHD have better focus and are less distracted after a 20 minute exercise session. Matthew Pontifex, assistant professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University, and lead researcher for the study said: “This provides some very early evidence that exercise might be a tool in our nonpharmaceutical treatment of ADHD. Maybe our first …
What is an IEP and How Do You Know if Your Child Needs One for School?
Intro Are you wondering if your child needs special education services or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or how children obtain an IEP? In order to qualify for an IEP, your child needs to receive an evaluation in school (or at home if your child has not started school yet or attends homeschool or cyber school). Depending on your child’s …
How to Teach Six Basic Math Concepts with Transformers
Teaching kids concepts using something they love is a great way to get them motivated. You can take any favorite kids’ toy or food that you have multiples of (e.g., Transformers, Doc McStuffins Characters, Legos, Hot Wheels, Matchbox Cars, Cheerios, Gummy Bears) and use them to create a math lesson (let your child choose what he/she wants to use). To …