Our Blog

Niantic's hot new app Pokemon Go continues to astound the nation since its midsummer release, leaving teachers to wonder how their classes will be affected by the fervor. Since the game is played on cellphones, many schools plan to keep...

Our nation is dotted with a few schools that have turned to an ancient tool to improve students' well-being and overall school climate: meditation. Studies continue to support its physical and mental benefits. Research indicates meditation can help lower high...

Today's classrooms rely heavily on technology, but devices are not the only useful tool in learning. Hands-on activities inspire learning and creativity. With a few materials, kids can build amazing things with their talent. Enrich any lesson with a little...

Beginning in the 1840’s, with the dawn of an organized school system, schools have operated on a partial-year basis. This system allowed rural students time off for harvesting and planting, while urban schools gave students time for summer vacation. In...

As adults we sometimes struggle with how much technology our children should use and when. Fortunately there are some educational websites geared towards improving students’ academics and helping them practice their computer skills. These websites are great for educators looking...

The “summer slide” describes the decline in academic skills and knowledge that affects students during the extended summer break. This “summer slide” varies across grade levels, subject matter and socioeconomic status. On average, students lose the equivalent of two months...

This summer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will host the world's Summer Olympic Games of 2016 from August 5 to August 21. As the hype for the games continues to increase, so does speculation about which contenders will take home the...

Over the past 20 years, as the use of technology has increased, debate has taken place among educators, parents and students about the use of technology in the classroom, where tools are integrated into daily instruction. Pros Keeps the practice...

Has summer just begun and you're already hearing your children unceasingly lament over their boredom? Perhaps you, yourself, are weary of seeing them zoned out in front of a screen with mouths agape, eyes glossy, and brains turning to mush....

How do we teach our students how to understand and share the feelings of others? Empathy requires that we feel compassion for others and have the ability to project ourselves into their shoes. Teaching empathy requires that we first are...

Ruth Spivak oversees the school store at Warren Elementary in Maryland. She took a few moments to tell us about their great school store. Tell us about your school store The Warren Elementary school store is open every day between...

When the weather outside is frightful, teachers have to cancel recess on the playground. Don't let the rain dampen your chance to enjoy the break inside. Brighten up a dreary day with activities that encourage learning, movement, and, most importantly,...

It's hard to believe that summer break is right around the corner! The increase in temperature often leads to a decrease in students' attention spans. Kids begin daydreaming about upcoming vacations. Many stress over future final exams and end-of-course assessments....

Summer is approaching and when the final bell rings at the end of the school year, parents will turn their attention to finding summer programs for their kids. Public libraries offer a great service to their communities through Summer Reading...

As spring arrives, changes occur all around us. Flowers break through the earth, stretching petals toward the sun. Grass greens. Birds chirp wildly, soon filling their nests with eggs. The wind carries a croaking cacophony from a chorus of toads...

The following is a guest post written by a teacher. Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you to all the teachers. I always loved teachers. I can remember learning my letter sounds with puppets from my caring kindergarten teacher, writing...

Text Version: Why Libraries are Important Libraries have played an instrumental role in human history and are still an integral part of our lives today. Here are just a few reasons why they're imporant. 1. Access to knowledge - 2.5...

How are children learning to read these days? Some reading programs focus on teaching from memorization through the use of sight words. Other programs also rely on memorization, but instead of memorizing entire words, students memorize phonemes, the units of...

While you won't find too many copies of superhero comics such as Superman or Batman in a teacher's classroom resources, you may discover the titles of other comics or graphic novels. Using these kinds of texts with a class can...

Ray Spahn is a fifth grade teacher at Sackets Harbor Elementary School in Upstate New York. He took a few moments to tell us about their school store and how they use it to raise funds. Tell us about your...

Creating a learning environment that is conducive to learning is a necessity for all schools. Today's youth needs assurance that their classrooms will be safe places. Rules and policies are put in place to create a code of conduct for...

Paula D’Alonza oversees the school store at Ellicott Mills Middle School. She, along with an army of volunteer moms, open the school store during student lunch shifts. She took a few moments to tell us about their school store. Tell...

In 1963, a book was published that still raises concern from some today. As its title implies, the book, according to some, promoted children to physically abuse their parents. In a recent article published by the Illinois Library Association, a...

The steps one must take to be admitted to college weighs heavily upon the minds of high school students bound for higher education. To them, future success will be determined by their academic success and extracurricular activities. Many college admissions...

Ask average teens for their opinion on school start times, and they may groan at you, "It's too early!" Parents and school administrators may brush off such a response and attribute it to general teenage laziness or that the respondents...

More public schools throughout the United States are experimenting with yoga programs in the classroom. Step into an elementary class and you will see students in an exercise practice that includes Bunny Breath, Volcano, and Raggedy Ann and Andy—all metaphors...

If you are a teacher, you know that inevitably as the school year rolls on your desk can become a cluttered mess. With the thousands of things that teachers are responsible for, it’s easy to let paperwork, craft assignments and...

Raymond Geddes & Company, Inc. is pleased to announce it has received a gold award in LibraryWorks’ second annual Modern Library Awards (MLAs). The MLAs were created to recognize the top products in the library industry in a truly unbiased...

An older crowd may look at a Minecraft game in action and wonder if it is a spin-off of Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing" music video. Built as a 16-bit sandbox (or "free-roaming") game, Minecraft's crude graphics call Legos to...

The Colt Caboodle is the school store run by 4th grade students at Brookwood Elementary School. Brooke Ahlers is part of a team of teacher sponsors that oversees the school store which is part of the school’s entrepreneurship program. She...