Barry Gilmore, a principal at Hutchinson School in Memphis, Tennessee, has set out to create a culture of literacy at his school. In this article, he outlines 10 steps for fostering such an environment. Among other recommendations: publicly celebrate reading, create channels for booksharing, read and write across content areas, value disciplinary…

The author, an outspoken advocate for using technology in the classroom, knows how important it is to establish expectations for responsible use of mobile devices. She's found that five strategies help ensure that mobile devices enhance, rather than distract from, learning. Teachers need to establish new norms that clarify responsible use,…

Students need opportunities throughout the curriculum to follow their passions and publish quality work for global audiences to interact with. Social media afford the opportunity for students to contribute to the world in meaningful ways, do real work for real audiences for real purposes, find great teachers and collaborators from around the…

Most educators are lifelong learners, but too few seize opportunities to share their passions, interests, and knowledge with their students. To honor lifelong learners, schools can carve out a staff retreat with well-stocked bookshelves, create a database of experts on all topics, celebrate unusual holidays and little-known world events, and hold…

Describes a sixth-grade language arts classroom's experience with the "Write for Your Life" project, which led to a partnership between University of Texas faculty and Austin classroom teachers. Students construct life narratives, generate questions from these narratives, and conduct investigations to learn about their experiences.…