VARconnection

Preparing for Spring Assessments

Spring testing season can be a stressful time—for both students and teachers. But if you start planning now, you can have a roadmap to keeping your entire school or district motivated and prepared for the challenges ahead. Here are some tips on preparing for spring assessments. Address testing anxiety According to the American Test Anxiety … Continue reading →

Native American Heritage Month Hero Roundup

Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie is a Native American writer of poetry books and was an author of several novels and short films. Suffering from a sickness in his younger years, Alexie became an avid reader and was influenced by his grandmother, a spiritual leader of the Spokane. His experiences later fueled a lot of his … Continue reading →

4 Ways to Take Better Notes

Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well on all your schoolwork — everything from taking tests to researching a paper. Here are some tips on how to take better notes. Compare notes. Keep your notes handy when you’re doing your reading assignments. Compare what you wrote with what the readings say — you … Continue reading →

Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively

According to an extensive study by the Australian Education Research Organization (AERO) there has been a decline in children’s writing skills over the last seven years. From 2011 to 2021 AERO analyzed 10 million NAPLAN writing results. The key findings demonstrate a dramatic drop in children’s writing abilities and serious long-term implications. The unnerving results … Continue reading →

Tips to Beat Writer’s Block

Most writers experience writer’s block at some point in their life, at various stages of the writing process. Writer’s block can be caused by fear, stress, or lack of self-confidence. Often a solution can be found by speaking with your instructor (if you are a student) or a writing tutor. But there’s ways to combat … Continue reading →

Prepare Students for College Writing Courses

While a strong writing skill set is pivotal to an individual’s success not only in college, but in the workplace, many students find themselves overwhelmed by the rigor of college-level writing. There are a variety of ways that English teachers can approach preparing high school students for the demands of college-level writing. Emphasize reading the … Continue reading →

Pros and Cons of STEM Contests

STEM competitions allow for individual or student teams to solve a specific challenge or problem through science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Many of these challenges are rooted in real-world issues, encouraging participants to use creativity and critical thinking to come up with innovative solutions. Competition can bring out a new side to people, showing passion and strive, … Continue reading →

STEM Education Inequities

According to a 2021 NSF Diversity and STEM research, even though there has been an increase in a representation of women (34%) and minorities within STEM over the last ten years, there still exists a large gap needing to be filled. In 2021, women represented nearly two-thirds (65%) of workers in S&E-related occupations, though had … Continue reading →

How to Evaluate Edtech

Since the shift to remote and hybrid learning due to Covid-19, educators have been exploring different teaching methods and digital tools. Even with the many advances and benefits technology has brought, it can be overwhelming to decipher which edtech solution is the best fit for schools. With too many options, teachers can lose instructional time … Continue reading →

5 Ways to Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2023

Indigenous Peoples Day in the U.S. is a time to honor and celebrate Native American peoples. Therefore, many people use the day as an opportunity to uplift and celebrate Native American culture, history, and teachings. While Indigenous Peoples Day is not yet a national holiday, there is a growing movement to declare it a federal … Continue reading →