News Update

Do you have an outstanding math or science teacher in your elementary school (kindergarten through sixth grade)? Nominate him or her for the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the …

Social media continues to cause issues for both educators and students. As educators, we must refrain from any activities that may reduce our effectiveness in the classroom. Before posting, liking, or retweeting online, use this checklist as a guide to determine the nature of the content or comment. This is a helpful t…

The benefits and opportunities of registered apprenticeship programs are being showcased through events held this week as part of National Apprenticeship Week. Now in its fifth year, the week is a nationwide celebration that gives businesses, communities and educators the opportunity to draw attention to apprenticeship…

Looking for some classroom resources for the upcoming Veterans Day observation? We have you covered. The links offer videos, lesson plans, activities – all designed to make Veterans Day relevant in the eyes of your students. Check them out: C-SPAN Teacher Vision PBS Subscribe to receive email upd…

According to research accumulated by Attendance Works and the Child and Family Policy Center, regular attendance in preschool impacts kindergarten readiness, literacy skills, and future attendance patterns. A four-year-old child enrolled in the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP) is of compulsory atte…

Miles to go before they sleep, literally. For students at Northstar Elementary School in the Knoxville Community School District, it’s all about participating in the Northstar Mileage Club. The club began last spring as a way to get kids moving at recess and encourage a lifelong love of running and walking. It turns …

Work-based learning gives students hands-on learning Denise Hillman is an instructional coach and co-teacher of English language students at Muscatine High School. As an instructional coach, she has been involved with career and technical teachers throughout the school system. She has signed up for a project with …

Jake Welchans, the project manager of the Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-based Learning, is well-suited to bring this initiative to fruition. After all, he's a former teacher. Prior to joining the Iowa Department of Education, Welchans spent 11 years with Des Moines Public Schools as a business and technology teacher, …

Brooke Axiotis, the president of the Iowa State Board of Education, has been named chair of the National Association for State Boards of Education. Axiotis, a Des Moines resident, joined the State Board in 2014. She works at Drake Law School as the director of academic success programs. She is a member of the Iowa B…

Teaching a toddler to catch a ball is slow, careful business. Under-handed gentle tosses. Take the same child – 10 years later – and would you deploy the same methods when tossing the ball to her? Of course not. That’s because her skills have vastly improved over the last decade. So why would a teacher leaders…