School of Practice

How to Talk About (and Normalize) Learning Accommodations

It’s a tricky (but very common) classroom dilemma: How do you talk about—and normalize—learning accommodations in class without singling anyone out in front of peers?  Unfortunately, many teachers aren’t trained to have these sensitive conversations, so they’re figuring it out on the fly. But we’re here to help! In this episode of School of Practice, we chat with Daniel Vollrath, a veteran high school special education teacher, and elementary teacher Jeremiah Kim. They’ll share excellent, teacher-tested tips for talking with individual students (and your whole class) about learning supports in age-appropriate ways, establishing classroom norms that make space for different learning needs, and managing privacy without making disability a taboo topic. Related resources: It’s Important to Talk About Learning Accommodations With Your Students—Here’s How to Do It A One-Page Chart to Support Every Student Every Day  Equity vs. Equality. What Does Fair Look Like in the Classroom 2024? Talking to Students About Their Learning Differences: A Guide for Teachers Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted & Supported (2025) The Purpose-Driven Classroom (2024) Stigma Consciousness Among Adolescents With Learning Disabilities: Considering Individual Experiences of Being Stereotyped (2018) Stigma and Stratification Limiting the Math Course Progression of Adolescents Labeled with a Learning Disability (2016) Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities (2016) Redefining Disability, Re-imagining the Self: Disability Identification Predicts Self-esteem and Strategic Responses to Stigma (2012)

The Most Significant Education Research of 2025

Are you curious what the latest research reveals about everything from brain breaks to groundbreaking research on AI, cell phones, and handwriting in the classroom? Then you won’t want to miss this special year-end bonus episode based on one of our most popular feature articles of the year.  In the latest episode of School of Practice, Edutopia’s research editor Youki Terada and editor-in-chief Stephen Merrill walk us through the latest research on the impact of cell phone bans on classroom learning, why more recess time is critical for learning, how adept problem solvers tackle thorny math word problems, and how microbreaks powerfully impact focus and attention. Plus, we’ll share practical tips for bringing these findings right into classrooms today.  Related resources: The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2025 Sustaining Student Concentration: The Effectiveness of Micro-Breaks in a Classroom Setting (2025)  Highlight, Write, Elaborate: Note-Taking Strategies to Master Reality-Based Mathematical Tasks (2025)  The Impact of Cellphone Bans in Schools on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Florida (2025)  Removing Phones from Classrooms Improves Academic Performance (2025)  Ill Communication: Technology, distraction & student performance (2016) The Impact of Recess on Chronic Stress Levels in Elementary School Children (2025)  The Impact of Handwriting and Typing Practice in Children’s Letter and Word Learning: Implications for Literacy Development (2025)  Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task (2025)  Generative AI Can Harm Learning (2024) IEPs in the Age of AI: Examining IEP Goals Written with and Without ChatGPT (2025)

How To Improve Student Note-Taking in 3 Smart Steps

When students take notes during a lesson, research shows they get just about 30 to 45 percent of the important information right on the first try.  High school teacher Benjamin Barbour discovered this disturbing problem after taking a quick peek at his students’ notes midway through whole-group instruction. What he saw stopped him in his tracks.  “While some students had terrific notes, others had a big list of facts from the lecture or from the book,” Barbour says. “There was no rhyme or reason. Maybe there was a date but no information attached. And I realized: My students can’t even use these notes.” In this episode of School of Practice, we take a look at Barbour’s three-step process for teaching better note-taking and substantially improving study skills. Just a few minutes of practice each day, Barbour says, can yield big gains for student learning. Plus, he explains the brilliant strategy he uses to incentivize better note-taking and study habits in his classroom. Related resources: Teaching Students What to Do With the Notes They Take  How Testing Students Twice Can Improve Note-Taking Skills  Neuroscientists Say Don’t Write Off Handwriting  Research: Typed Versus Handwritten Lecture Notes and College Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis  Research: The Importance of Cursive Handwriting Over Typewriting for Learning in the Classroom: A High-Density EEG Study of 12-Year-Old Children and Young Adults Research: Revising lecture notes: how revision, pauses, and partners affect note taking and achievement  Research: The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking

Converting ‘Fast Finishers’ Into Self-Directed Learners

“I’m done, what’s next?” In every classroom, a handful of students will finish the work at warp speed. While the rest of the class is still mid-task, teachers must quickly pivot to keep the fast finishers busy, without missing an instructional beat. Former K-12 teacher Todd Finley argues this challenge presents a golden opportunity. “Instead of asking the question: ‘How do I keep fast finishers busy?’ the question should be: ‘Am I providing them with activities that are really meaningful?’” he says. In this episode of School of Practice, Finley, a professor of English education at East Carolina University, shares flexible, low-prep strategies for keeping speed racers engaged in meaningful work that’s immersive and challenging. Plus: Logistical tips for busy classrooms, and pointers for aligning tasks to classroom objectives. Related resources: Your Student Finished Early—Now What? Early Finisher Activities Your Students Will Love The Representation of Semantic Information Across Human Cerebral Cortex During Listening Versus Reading Is Invariant to Stimulus Modality We Drastically Underestimate the Importance of Brain Breaks Classroom Cheat Codes: Effective Teaching Strategies to Power-Up Engagement

How to Teach Authentic Writing in the Age of AI

The idea that you’re not a writer unless you stare down a blank page and produce text—that’s about to change, says high school teacher Jen Roberts. In her classroom, AI is not the enemy. It’s a tool she uses to help students become better writers. And yes, she sets guardrails. “You can be a real writer who started with an AI-generated outline,” she says. “You can have an AI thought partner who helps you plot out your story.” Yet for this to work in classrooms, “we need to readjust our expectations about student writing—and what we’re going to allow them to do and not do.” In this episode of School of Practice, we dive into this radical pedagogical shift with Roberts, and examine the strategies she’s developed to weave AI into the writing process to deliver thoughtful, authentic student writing. Related resources: Authentic Writing in the Age of AI Proactively Limiting the Use of AI in the Classroom When Students Use AI in Ways They Shouldn’t What ELA Teachers Should Know About AI Detectors Research: Generative AI Can Harm Learning Research: Cheating in the age of generative AI: A high school survey study of cheating behaviors before and after the release of ChatGPT Lit & Tech blog