Jennifer Gonzalez

Five Ways to Teach Critical Thinking in Challenging Times Even when certain words or topics are prohibited by the state, educators can still cultivate students’ motivation and skills to recognize, analyze, and challenge injustice.

"As teachers, we retain meaningful agency and power in our classrooms."
Aaliyah El-Amin and Scott Seider via @greatergoodedu.bsky.social
greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Balancing Play-Based Learning With Literacy Mandates in Preschool These strategies help teachers set up engaging and enriching opportunities for literacy exploration throughout the day.

"Play and academics need not compete for time or priority. When planned with intention, they strengthen one another."
Amber Unger via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/bala...

Lessons in Genre—and in Failure We have been studying genres in 3rd grade. Something so simple, and yet such a powerful key to unlocking yourself as a reader. For some students, these classifications are crystal clear; they alrea…

"How do we turn a messy classroom library into something students can actually navigate?"
via @pernille.bsky.social
pernillesripp.com/2026/01/26/l...

Tiny Pauses that Unlocks Deeper Learning Learn how integrating brief pauses and reflection strategies can transform student learning and build self-awareness, turning mistakes into powerful growth opportunities.

"Students start to see their performance as a direct result of their choices, not just their intelligence."
Dayna Coleman via @novakeducation.bsky.social
www.novakeducation.com/blog/tiny-pa...

Rethinking Grades to Reduce Teen Stress Student-friendly approaches to grading and assessment can ease anxiety and help adolescents feel more competent as learners.

"We can neutralize much of the stressful effect of traditional grading by putting in place the following student-friendly practices."
Dr. Cathy Vatterott via @ascdofficial.bsky.social
www.ascd.org/blogs/rethin...

This week on the podcast: Writing teacher Nashwa Elkoshairi shares how adding freewriting to her ELA units made a BIG difference in the quality of her students' writing.
www.cultofpedagogy.com/inquiry-base...

If You Want Students to Learn, Don’t Tell Them 'Pay Attention!' Try This Instead | KQED The attention economy makes focusing a struggle for students. Here’s what we can do to help.

“Attention is a behavior that students do when three other mental processes are happening correctly.”
@marlenajr.bsky.social via @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social
www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

Seeing Student Behavior Through a New LENS Examining biases, group dynamics, and behavior can allow teachers to foster a culturally responsive classroom.

"By looking for biases, examining verbal and nonverbal communication, noticing group dynamics, and shifting your perspective, you can gain a deeper understanding of your students’ cultural needs."
Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins via @ascdofficial.bsky.social
ascd.org/blogs/seeing...

How to Integrate Creative Writing Across Subjects From science to history to math, try these creative writing activities to help students process content and think deeply.

"If you’re not a writing teacher but see the value of creative writing activities in your subject, don’t grade for creativity or polish."
@borywrites.bsky.social via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/how-...

How Paraeducators Build Independence Through Universal Design for Learning Learn how paraeducators can use Universal Design for Learning to build student independence through strategic prompting, micro-choices, and support that fades over time, leading to greater confidence ...

"You help learners see that they can do hard things, and that the goal isn’t perfection, it’s progress."
via @novakeducation.bsky.social
www.novakeducation.com/blog/ep29-ho...

We're kicking off the year like we always do, with a round-up of six educational tech tools we think are worth a look. My lead tech specialist, @getteachingtech.bsky.social, joins me to talk about them.
www.cultofpedagogy.com/6-ed-tech-to...

Mistakes Are Welcome Here When we respond to students’ mistakes with curiosity and care, we create the conditions for deeper learning to take root.

"In a classroom with a healthy mistake culture, students take risks without fear of being wrong."
Emma Chiappetta via @ascdofficial.bsky.social
www.ascd.org/blogs/mistak...

Bringing the Benefits of Intergenerational Learning to School Collaborating with a local senior center in areas across the curriculum can enrich lessons and boost students’ social and emotional skills.

"Educational partnerships between K–12 schools and senior centers or homes can offer a host of benefits for students, teachers, and the elders."
Sarah Elia via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/conn...

What to Do on Lame Duck School Days | Cult of Pedagogy When you're still technically in school, but the conditions just aren't great for teaching, what do you do to make the most of the time? Here are 30 ideas.

"Days when technically we’re still in school, but because it’s right before vacation... don’t have the same instructional potential as your average school day. On these Lame Duck days, we can still provide valuable learning experiences for our students."
www.cultofpedagogy.com/sponge-activ...

Growth Discourse: A Framework for Discussing Hard Topics with Students | Cult of Pedagogy If you've been avoiding certain topics in your classroom, this approach may give you a way to dig back in.

If you tend to steer away from certain topics in your classroom, the growth discourse framework used by the School of Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL) may offer a way to re-engage in challenging conversations. www.cultofpedagogy.com/growth-disco...

Motivation Effects and Efficiency of Retrieval Practice over Lecture — The Learning Scientists Retrieval practice is one of the most robust strategies that we have for durable learning. Today I’m reviewing a study that pushed retrieval practice to it’s limits. If retrieval practice is THIS effe...

"Across all studies, the conditions that included retrieval practice far outperformed lecture only conditions."
@drcindynebel.bsky.social via @learningscientists.bsky.social www.learningscientists.org/blog/2025/10...

Elevating Tier 1 Instruction With Differentiated Small Groups Instead of starting with whole group instruction and then using small groups to intervene, teachers can use a targeted approach from the outset.

"Instead of starting with whole group instruction and using small groups to intervene afterward, teachers can be more strategic in their approach to Tier 1."

@catlintucker.com via @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/elev...

Supporting Neurodivergent Teachers: How Schools Can Help the Helpers | Cult of Pedagogy Neurodivergent educators bring unique gifts to their work, but they also face unique challenges.

On the podcast this week, @emilykm-lpc.bsky.social shares a brilliant, comprehensive exploration of the strengths neurodivergent educators bring to the work, the unique challenges they face, and strategies for helping these teachers thrive.
www.cultofpedagogy.com/neurodiverge...

3 Ways to Foster Parent Communication in Middle School Having students take the lead on communication creates connections between school and home while teaching self-advocacy skills.

"Communication is a vital life skill, and during middle school, kids still crave connection with the adults in their lives, even if it doesn’t always seem that way."
Sarah Wysocki via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/fami...

Play-Based Learning in Kindergarten Is Making a Comeback. Here's What It Means Amid rigorous academic expectations in the early grades, some advocates push for a return to play.

Play-Based Learning in Kindergarten Is Making a Comeback. Here’s What It Means
@eheubeck.bsky.social via @edweek.org
www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power with Learn-to-Learn Skills | Cult of Pedagogy We can teach our hearts out, but in the end, only the learner learns. So, how do we get students to own their learning?

How do we get students to really own their learning? This week, Zaretta Hammond offers five "learn-to-learn" strategies that help students build their learning power.
www.cultofpedagogy.com/learn-to-lea...

Thinking Classroom Design Replaces Compliance with Curiosity When teachers build classrooms around how students think, they unlock a learning environment where curiosity replaces compliance, and excitement replaces dread.

"When we build classrooms around how students think and engage – not just what they’re expected to know – we unlock a learning environment where curiosity replaces compliance, and excitement replaces dread."
@kathleenpalmieri.bsky.social via @middleweb.bsky.social
www.middleweb.com/52628/how-to...

The Benefits of Teaching Young Kids How Their Brains Work | KQED A Dallas school says brain learning is key to helping students thrive.

"What if improving children’s mental health — and life outcomes — could be done by teaching kids how their brains work?"
@jackiemader.bsky.social via @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

Ensuring That Your Math Learning Stations Are a High-Leverage Routine By focusing on a few core station types and committing to routines, teachers can boost engagement and student understanding.

"By focusing on core station types, teachers can simplify this process while deepening student engagement and keeping them on task."
Dani Fry Jackson via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/ensu...

Four Strategies for a Successful Second Semester  | KQED Teachers have summer to rest and prepare for the first day of school. The second half of the school year doesn't get as much preparation time and the year can be a slog.

"The second semester brings a lot of potential challenges to teachers’ regularly scheduled programming because of standardized testing, graduation events and student burnout."
@marlenajr.bsky.social via @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social
www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

Concept maps: simple but powerful learning tools. On the podcast this week, Dr. Kripa Sundar shares practices for making the most of them. Also joining us is Dr. Pooja Agarwal (@retrievelearn.bsky.social), editor of the book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning. www.cultofpedagogy.com/concept-maps/

Integrating Technology Into PBL Weaving technological skill-building through project-based learning units gives students agency in how to express their knowledge.

"Thoughtful integration of digital tools allows students to build high-quality final products while engaging in deep, student-centered learning."
Ann Gilcrease via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/inte...

Crafting Data-Driven Narratives About Students Telling stories with and about data helps students better see themselves as learners and helps teachers center them in the classroom.

"Data stories can help students see themselves not as test scores, but as thinkers and collaborators."

Carl Slater via @edutopia.org
www.edutopia.org/article/data...

7 Teaching Practices that Nurture Student Voice | Cult of Pedagogy What does it look like when teachers center student voice and student agency in their classrooms?

At a time when test-driven reform has quieted student voices and marginalized perspectives are being pushed aside, we need student voice and agency more than ever. On the podcast this week, learn seven ways to prioritize student voice in your classroom.
www.cultofpedagogy.com/pedagogies-o...