These Kindergarteners are building a vehicle for a STEM challenge. As a kindergarten teacher, one of my favorite bonding activities was to tell the class we were going to do something sneaky.  I would turn all hush-hush, while looking around. I’d pretend to noticeably think to myself.  I’d whisper to the class that I was letting them do something they probably shouldn’t be doing.  I’d say how I hoped we didn’t get caught.  It usually involved a lot of giggles. It didn’t take my students long...

Writing for meaning wasn’t something I set out to teach. It was something I learned over time, as I watched student motivation rise and fall depending on how writing was used.

When most people hear the word innovation, they often picture robots, coding labs, or high-tech inventions. Those things certainly have their place. But when you work with young learners, especially preschoolers through about third grade, you begin to realize that innovation often starts much earlier and looks much simpler. It begins with curiosity. It grows through exploration. And it shows up in moments we don’t always plan for. Here are some ways that I have witnessed innovation in young...