A mid-year check-in on EDU's top stories from the last 12 months.

Disrupting Thinking is proving that it's not just students who are changed—the book is inspiring fervor among educators.

As school leaders approach improvement planning for the upcoming year, what strategies can be employed to address the pervasive barriers that many students face?

Can an effective approach to engaging families in the learning lives of their children improve outcomes, specifically those important literacy outcomes?  Absolutely.

Summer often lacks structure, and if there is no routine around reading, it may get overlooked for other activities.

By writing often and with purpose, students grow as thinkers and as human beings. 

Below is but a sampling of the conversations I picked up on #EWA17.

Teaching writing is like making a fire. You can add all the firewood you want, but unless you leave space for air the fire will sputter and go out. 

"People refer to education as the great equalizer. But the reality is that the great equalizer is inequitably distributed."

I focused on the concept of modeling: I thought that if students saw adults reading, they would be more inclined to do it themselves.

Our reporters recognize the power that their own words have. They are telling the stories of their generation.

To be honest, I was not sure what the building had to do with family engagement. 

The report explores the views of teachers and principals on the importance of reading, independent reading in school, the home-to-school connection, & summer reading...

Students maintained or increased their reading levels over the summer and the program had an overall positive impact on students’ reading habits and attitudes. 

With a diverse collection of books that support SEL and social justice, we can create empathetic and empowered educational advocates in the next generation.

If we recast conventions as craft elements—tools that allow writers to add clarity and interest to their work—children can make writing sizzle

The month of April is Autism Awareness Month and School Library Month. It's also time to pre-register for the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

These questions should become the yardstick by which we measure what we display around the school, send home to families, or post on the school website and on social media...

The really great, meaty questions will not only lead you to a better understanding of a student’s ability, they will inspire critical thinking and creativity. 

The purpose of We Read Big is to begin a discussion around literacy and to inculcate a love of literature.

It is not enough simply to have books—the collection must be diverse in genre, subject, and reading level, meeting the individual needs of all students.

Third grade is a critical year for students wherein reaching certain benchmarks of literacy achievement is a must.

Many qualified children are overlooked for gifted programming.

Create strong partnerships by using multiple methods that are two-way and reach every family in your school.

Be focused about your teaching objective and work to build confidence in developing young writers by building skills one-smart-step at a time.