Metacognition Skills - It is crucial to teach students the importance of understanding their minds and to think about HOW they think. This link has strategies for teachers to help stimulate thinking and to create self-regulated learners.  Learning-to-learn skills are outlined and discussed. These skills will help students benefit from instruction. If you have students who are capable but not applying themselves this website may be useful to help get their minds working on the right track. If you want to challenge students to do more than just regurgitate facts for a test, this site will provide you with the information you need to better develop your students thinking skills. 

 

Social Studies - This is a great article outlining the importance of a rich social studies curriculum for young learners. I believe it is important for students to learn skills that will make them a productive citizen of our country and the world. Educators have been turning a blind eye to the necessity of social studies in a well-rounded curriculum, and this article discusses ways to easily integrate it into other subject areas. 

 

Differentiated Learning- As one of the most important and difficult aspects of the teaching professions, I felt that a link for this subject was necessary. This article talks about approaches to differentiated instruction and resources to help you apply them to your own classroom. The Maryland Learning Links website has an abundance of resources for different topics such as formative assessment, working with ELL students, and professional practice. 

 

Learning Disabilities Association of America- This is a great resources for all teachers as it is rare to find a classroom without a student that has special learning needs. This website has nearly everything you need to know about students with learning disabilites, aside from the experience of working with them youself - which is the most important. There are links to articles specifically designed for teachers, information about the rights of students, recent research, and links to other resources. 

 

Common Core State Standards- No teacher in the country should go without access to this website. It discusses the standards in depth and provides resources for teachers to help them achieve these goals in their classrooms. 

 

Marzano Strategies- Marzano has developed nine strategies for effective teaching which include recognizing effort, cooperative learning, and using advance organizers. This site includes resources linked to teacher evaluation, leadership, instructional strategies, and professional practice. 

 

Bloom's Taxonomy- These questioning skills are crucial for developing higher level thinking in students which help them to grasp the curriculum with a deeper understanding. This article has resources to help implement strategies and effectively use questioning while teaching.   

 

Teach Like a Champion- Doug Lemov has developed 49 instructional strategies that, when effectively incorporate into classrooms, can really make a difference to the learning environment and success of students. I have tried using many of these strategies during my student teaching, and none have let me down yet. I plan on using these strategies during my career as a teacher.  

 

Read, Write, Think- This is a great website for finding resources for literacy. There are many interactive templates that students can work with to create storylines, writing poetry, publishing work and much more. Using these resources is a great way to get students working with technology. Professional development resources are also provided on this site, with strategy guides for teaching literacy, working with technology, and differentiating instruction.