Good question for this time of year: what is your best strategy or mindset for in-person family conferences as a teacher? via @teacher2teacher.bsky.social #EduSky www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...

Can you suggest best practices for a middle school parent-teacher conference?

Can you suggest best practices for a middle school parent-teacher conference?

edutopia.org

A detail that didn't end up in the article: @nashelsky.bsky.social staring at a cabinet of unused curriculum materials and wondering, Why are these here? Her "operational scope and sequence" template is invaluable in preserving institutional memory even when teachers and other staff leave.

@nashelsky.bsky.social · last wk.

There’s nothing I reach for more often at work than this operational scope and sequence. I’m excited to explain and share it as a downloadable through @edutopia.org and the @principalproject.bsky.social.

One mistake I made early on in teaching: relying 100% on the showing and not nearly enough on the telling, especially when it came to my own perspective. So a boring answer but important, I've found: I tell them. I'm intentional in sharing w/ them how much I love teaching, the purpose I see, etc.

Andrew Boryga@borywrites.bsky.social · 3w ago

For my teachers: How do you show your students you genuinely love what you teach? Maybe it’s a tangent you can’t resist, a question that excites you, or a favorite text or problem you keep coming back to. What do you do, and how do your students respond? Let me know! I’m genuinely curious to hear.

Also posted this question at @teacher2teacher.bsky.social — mainly because I'm always selfishly on the look out for new ideas for analogies to bring into the classroom! www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...

What's an analogy you love to use in your classroom/teaching?

I’ll be the first to admit: I love a good analogy in the classroom—and we lean into them constantly in our room. The blindfolded men and the elephant (value: perspective), Aesop’s The Crow and the Pit...

edutopia.org

Marcus Luther@marcusluther.bsky.social · 3w ago

I'm admittedly a big analogy guy in the classroom: octopus = curiosity, blindfolded men and the elephant = perspective, etc. So I was wondering—what is an analogy you love for your classroom? An analogy or story you continually circle back to? #EduSky

This is some big news! Shout-out to my co-editor, @tatertutt.bsky.social, and especially to all the @edutopia.org writers who generously share what works for them so educators everywhere can benefit. If you aren't one of these 70K, don't delay—sign up now! We share great ideas every month.

Today is so special! @edutopia.org's free monthly tech newsletter, The Wired Classroom, just hit 70K subscribers 🤯 Huge win for my co-editor @tfberger.bsky.social and I, that we owe in LARGE part to the many educators who generously share what works in their classrooms each issue. 🧡 Thank you!!! 💫

A growing body of studies reveal the big impact that small, proactive moves have on classroom focus and behavior. What other ways do you have to start class on the right foot?

Support struggling readers with these strategies: https://edut.to/4xIjtId

Building Background Knowledge to Improve High School Students’ Literacy Skills

Teachers across content areas can use these ideas to activate the knowledge that students already have and build on it.

edut.to

First round of peer nominations today about how their classmates are making our classroom better—and reading through how students uplift each other on anonymous surveys? An absolute, absolute joy.

Looking for a great conversation and ideas to try? 💡 Come join us in the Jam! 🎶 @edutopia.org @teacher2teacher.bsky.social #EduSky

September 2026 Jam Session: How to Build Student Agency in the Classroom

Student agency and self-reliance don’t just happen—they’re built over time through intentional practice. One powerful shift is moving from “my classroom” to “our classroom,” creating more opportunitie...

edutopia.org

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if students are actually following along with a lesson, or if ideas are sticking. What’s your favorite way to check for understanding without giving a quiz?

It's here! The biggest thing I've *ever* worked on for @edutopia.org (or ever). Gratitude to my co-author @youkiterada.bsky.social who did IMMENSE heavy-lifting, and our incisive editor @stephenmerrill.bsky.social. Big thanks to @albertocairo.com and @misssarahleo.bsky.social for their wisdom!

Will These 6 Sneaky Charts, Maps, and Graphs Deceive Your Students?

In a media landscape overrun with slick data visualizations, students must develop the skills to scrutinize what’s presented to them as fact—or risk being led astray.

edutopia.org

Read how educator Bianca Starck applies a UDL framework to meet students where they're at:

7 Ways to Put UDL Into Action in the Elementary Grades

Teachers can design learning experiences with an approach that supports all students where they are and helps them develop transferable skills.

edut.to

How to Give Novice Teachers Mindful, Learning-Focused Feedback https://www.edutopia.org/article/delivering-mindful-feedback-to-novice-teachers via @Edutopia

How to Give Novice Teachers Mindful, Learning-Focused Feedback

Mentoring should ideally set new teachers up with reflective habits that will serve them over the course of their career.

edutopia.org

Psst: Have you checked out our new community forum on @edutopia.org? This is your space to get more than quick answers to your teaching questions - it's a place to get advice, how-tos, and resources rooted in real experience. www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...

The next edition of our Principal Project newsletter (brought to you by @edutopia.org) drops next week. Make sure you're subscribed: www.edutopia.org/principal-pr...

Other teachers just get it. @mirplo.bsky.social explains how having a thought partner—and someone to cover your room for bathroom breaks—is a huge benefit for new teachers. 🤝

Having a Teacher Friend Is the Most Useful Resource in Year One

All teachers need thought partners—and someone to cover their room for bathroom breaks—and for new teachers the benefits can be huge.

edut.to

Have questions about how to approach this? Join educator Brian Cunningham in the comments on this article:

Guiding Middle School Students to Commit to Their Own Growth

This mentoring framework can help students with discipline referrals see that they have the ability and responsibility to shape their future.

edut.to

And we're officially (finally!) back! One good thing each day before walking out: new calendar for September 2026. Cannot wait to see it fill out!

"...go sit in a classroom with a teacher who's teaching a book that they love." Seriously: go do it! It's amazing. And. We. Are. Taking. Those. Books. Out. Of. Classrooms. Right. Now. Because. I. Really. Don't. Understand?

Forgot to recycle the old sentences from last year’s wall and then realized that they would make for a great greeting for this year’s students! (So excited to see what they write!!)

How are student voices being centered in this conversation. I’d love to know. Thank you, @amirtaron.bsky.social , for starting this conversation. ✨

Teacher2Teacher@teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Amir T asks: "Educators have strong opinions for and against AI use in schools, but how do students feel?" Share your thoughts here: www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...

How are we centering student voices in AI policy creation and adoption? What an interesting question asked by @amirtaron.bsky.social . Join us in conversation on the @teacher2teacher.bsky.social community forum. ✨ www.edutopia.org/teacher2teac...

Educators have strong opinions for and against AI use in schools, but how do students feel?

There’s been some great (and sometimes polarizing) dialogue around AI use in education this summer—both here at Teacher2Teacher and on the T2T Facebook page. 👉 Stacy K’s question led a discussion abou...

edutopia.org

“Is this for a grade?” “It’s for learning.” My latest response to the age-old question. And the play goes on, my friends. The play goes on.

I've heard many educators raising student work avoidance and refusal as a pressing issue—prompting me to write a story gathering resources for the new school year. Teachers: How do you approach this in your classroom? Can you share your most productive strategies for getting things back on track?

I’m writing a story for @edutopia.org about managing top teacher challenges: 1. Work overload + zero time 2. Inconsistent leadership 3. Student behavior (phones, disruption) 4. Communication with families and caregivers Have strategies? DM or comment. I’d love to include what works for you!

Are attention spans really shrinking? The research is really interesting. I’d be curious to hear what you think. Join our conversation! 🧡 #EduSky @edutopia.org

Are Student Attention Spans Really Shrinking?

It’s not a mirage—students are struggling to focus like never before. But shorter attention spans may not be the culprit, experts explain.

edutopia.org

Try out teacher @cathleenbeachbd.bsky.social's One Word Wall! "I asked each student to choose one word they hope people will use to describe them someday... Throughout the semester, I’ll collect evidence whenever I see them becoming that person." Read more about her idea: https://edut.to/46uZ2mY

Wall space may be limited, but I could not do without our classroom community one-word wall. It made sense to use our Whitman closet as the backdrop to this great community building project. We are large; we contain multitudes. #TeacherSky www.cultofpedagogy.com/classroom-de...