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The optimal time to establish and practice good habits that will contribute to a person’s well-being throughout their life is during the formative years that start in childhood and continue into adolescence and their teen years. At each of these life stages, a person will encounter different challenges requiring them to make certain choices which could have a profound effect on their overall happiness and general welfare.

Imagine a situation where a student is asked to draft a paper on a topic for which they have little or no knowledge. Without a plan or strategy prepared in advance on how best to approach this task, a student might hastily gather whatever information they can readily find on the topic that would allow them to complete the assignment.

In the much-loved Harry Potter books, it is the Sorting Hat that assigns new students into one of the four houses that make up the school known as Hogwarts. Placements were aligned with the house climate that best matched a student's characteristics and abilities, as determined by the Sorting Hat.

The opportunity for a student to develop skills in a language other than their home language should not be limited to the time they spend in a foreign or world language class. Instead, students should have the chance to expand their language proficiency regardless of what class they are in—whether that is a class in mathematics, social studies, science, or another discipline.

“I’m sorry Dave. I can’t do that.” Some may recognize these lines from a pivotal scene in Stanley Kubrick’s classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey, a science fiction epic about a crew of scientists and astronauts on an interplanetary mission. Controlling flight operations aboard the spacecraft is a digital artificial intelligence—the HAL 9000, referred to as “HAL,” a sentient supercomputer which, through its programming, has developed human-like “consciousness” and reasoning abilities.

Connecting abstract thinking to real world applications—or put another way, “keeping it real.” If you are a math teacher, this is a challenge that you are likely to face every day in your classroom, especially when working with young learners.

Motivation is shaped by a student’s goals, beliefs, and emotions. Motivated students set meaningful goals, believe in their ability to succeed, and feel positive about their work. Learner motivation is influenced by three key factors: beliefs about themselves, their emotional state, and the environment around them.

The lack of organization and structure in a classroom, especially in elementary school, can quickly spiral into a state of uncontrolled chaos. In this type of atmosphere, a teacher will be forced to spend most of their time addressing behavioral disruptions that may be occurring in the classroom instead of creating learning experiences that would benefit their students.

Navigating the process required for a student with disabilities to qualify for the services they need to access the same educational opportunities as their peers without disabilities can seem complicated and challenging. This is especially true for families and teachers who may care for or work with a student eligible for special education support. Demystifying the process can help families and teachers in protecting that student’s right to a meaningful education.

Music is a powerful tool that can influence an individual’s behavior. It can be a catalyst that sets behavior in motion, reinforces patterns of behavior, or even acts as a form of communication. Music is universal and a part of our everyday human experience.