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More Than a Writing Assignment

April 24, 2025

Helping Students Become Independent Readers: Inspired by Three Teachers Talk

March 29, 2023

I opened my reading notebook to see which students I would conference with today. I sighed. Scott was not enjoying…

Share The Class & Share Power.

January 26, 2023

The 6th Period I Thought I'd Never Miss. You know that one class you have every year? The one that…

Project Based Learning

January 26, 2023

It was supposed to be a tough year, and this was, after all, that class of students. That class that derails every conversation -…

Keeping Students Engaged Through Differentiated Anchor Activities

January 25, 2023

Oftentimes, teachers strive to keep the "high fliers" in a subject area engaged and challenged independently while we supply other…

Music, Math, & The Mind

January 24, 2023

When you think of math lessons, you probably don't usually think of "The Battle of the Math Bands," Fraction Egg…

My Strategy Was To Just Be Nice

January 19, 2023

As an educator, building a relationship with your students is often the most delicate yet profoundly rewarding challenge you embark…

A Holistic Approach to Teaching A Drug Free Program

January 18, 2023

Many of us in the “visiting teacher” category are from special interest organizations that target a specific subject area. My…

Getting to the Root of the Problem: Strategies to help students succeed.

September 27, 2022

Although I recognize that this institute targets K-12 educators, I find that their content also relates to older students. I…

Revamping Seating Charts Promotes Community & Growth Amongst Students

September 27, 2022

How can one design a seating chart with 24 unique students? Do you use rows or groups, or the E…

Compassionate Listening Skills.

September 27, 2022

There is a student of mine named Chris, who has become one of my favorite kids in the school. However,…

Test Your Students Based On Their Strengths.

September 14, 2022

A focus in my life science class is appreciating our differences and finding beauty in imperfection. I highlight this throughout…

Decreasing Disruptive Behaviors In The Classroom Using Mindfulness Techniques.

September 13, 2022

In the past several years of my career, especially as we returned to school during the pandemic, my colleagues and…

Helping Students Feel Safe

September 12, 2022

As a teacher, it is common to encounter many different kinds of students. It is even more common to meet…

Teaching Should Not Be A Solo Act.

September 12, 2022

Last year during our Extemporaneous Speech presentation, one student went awry. This student walked to the front looking super confident,…

Building Worlds with Backwards Thinking

September 12, 2022

How does a teacher get students to write who don’t want to write? And what I mean is…

Four Domains of Language Learning: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing

August 1, 2022

As a language teacher, I enjoy operating in a field considered an elective but one that I consider imperative. We…

Centering Wellness in the Social Studies Classroom

August 1, 2022

After many years as a special education intervention teacher centering on social-emotional awareness and wellbeing while delivering academic instruction, I…

A New Semester A New You

October 27, 2020

Guest post written by Niko Yasui A successful lesson I have used over the past ten years has been “A New…

A Noteworthy Success Story

October 15, 2020

Guest post by Jennifer Wilson I have been teaching at Hood River Middle School for ten years now. I teach 8th grade,…

Walking For Fitness

June 16, 2020

Guest post by Alissa Lindeman As part of our community outreach program, we connected with a JOBS program through the local…

Why Do They Act Like This?

March 19, 2020

Guest post by THI instructor Michael Sedler When students don’t respond to an adult in the manner in which is expected,…

Intervention Strategies for Kids Who Stop Trying

March 6, 2020

Guest post by Aimee Paulson Once upon a time, there was a middle school student who had given up on school. He…

Starting the School Year Gritty

September 12, 2019

Let's face it teachers are gritty people. From completing a credential program to pursuing advanced degrees, it takes grit. If…

Getting More Out of Classroom Textbook Reading: The Secret is in Engagement

November 12, 2018

Most teachers depend on textbook reading to provide the backbone of their subject matter to students. But, how many times…

Online Interactive Reading [VIDEO]

September 13, 2018

In this short, Tips for Teachers Video, learn from Heritage Institute instructor Charity Staudenraus as she talks about online interactive reading using…

Back to School with Real-life Experiences: Get Going with Google Tours

July 27, 2018

The idea of bringing the outside world of mathematics into a 20 x 40 square foot space to 30 squirrelly…

Guaging Student Understanding—More Than a Hunch!

June 23, 2018

During a lesson how do you mentally measure where students are in their progress towards learning goals? If you are like…

Do Multiple Ways Matter: Using Tech to Make the Connection

June 1, 2018

Let's be clear counting in small quantities is a skill most kids do naturally without much prompting or coaching needed,…

Bringing Math Into the Real World with Technology

May 18, 2018

Okay you know the feeling it's math, and kids come into your classroom with all sorts of prior experiences and…

Strategies for Attention Seeking Behaviors

March 28, 2018

It’s frustrating when your students are constantly misbehaving in order to get your attention or the attention of their classmates.…

A Step-by-Step Guide for Using Puppets to Nurture Your Primary Students’ Reading Development

March 5, 2018

Young children benefit from interacting with the same story again and again. They develop rich story language, learn new vocabulary…

Avoid “Aboutitus”: Curate Your Classroom with Insiders

February 27, 2018

What exactly is “Aboutitus?” It’s our tendency and habit of presenting a subject as bits & pieces, isolated elements, small topics,…

Then One Day I Decided, “Why Fight It?”

January 5, 2018

In 2015, I started out with a great group of third grade students. I knew many of the students as…

Common Misconceptions about Socratic Seminars and How to Use Them Effectively

January 1, 2018

I’ve talked to a lot of teachers about using Socratic seminars in class, a lesson format in which students take…

Helping Students of Mixed Abilities Achieve in the Special Ed Math Classroom

December 24, 2017

There is nothing in the world more that I would want to do as a profession than be a high…

Tips for Teachers on How to Better Manage Overwhelm [VIDEO]

December 15, 2017

Teachers have a lot to manage in the classroom and in their lives. Here are some tips for teachers on…

Ways to Include Student Voice in Your Teaching

December 5, 2017

Some of the most impactful learning comes from activities that allow students to speak their minds and volunteer their own…

Mindsets in the Classroom [VIDEO]

December 4, 2017

Mindsets in teaching and learning are being recognized as a core foundation in education according to Heritage Institute instructor Brenda…

5 Ways to Use Movement in Lessons to Help Students Refocus

November 30, 2017

Getting kids to sit still for six hours a day is an almost impossible task! In the lower grades, recess…

Using Personal Maps to Better Get to Know Your Students

November 20, 2017

Getting to know your students can be a challenge, especially when you see over 100 different kids in one day.…

6 Simple Ways To Promote An Attitude Of Gratitude In Your Classroom

October 30, 2017

In the wake of school violence, suicide and a host of other social problems that plague children and youth, teachers…

When All Else Fails, Turn up the Music!

October 30, 2017

As a fourth grade social studies teacher I am often faced with comments such as, “History is so boring! How…

Building Confident Readers

October 23, 2017

“I don’t read.” As a teacher of social studies and English, I’ve heard this more times than I can remember. Every…

An Experiment in Mindfulness

September 26, 2017

When I hit my fifth year of teaching, I felt pretty confident. I’d worked in three different schools, from inner-city…

4 Questions to Ask Yourself for Successful Seating Charts

September 26, 2017

“So, when are we moving seats?” I get this question about once every six weeks, and it works like an unofficial…

Developing and Reinforcing Responsibility in Your Students

September 15, 2017

Early on in my teaching career, I recognized that while students were expected to take on more responsibility in high…

Why You Should Consider Allowing Cell Phone Use in Your Middle School Music Classroom

August 25, 2017

The bell rings and the students amble into the room. You stand at your post, greeting your middle schoolers, and…

A Time Filler Triumph

August 22, 2017

This article is dedicated to my esteemed colleagues who, like myself, belong to the Band Directors Facebook Group. This is…

A Fresh Look at the First Day of School

August 18, 2017

The first day of school is fast approaching, and with it, the question of what you’re going to do on…

Be an Inspiration for Organization!

August 16, 2017

As teachers, we all want our students to be organized. We want them to be able to find any supply…

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NEWSLETTER
Sign up for new course announcements, specials and Heritage Institute News.

Enjoy discounted 400/500 level tuition on our monthly featured courses. This month's courses are:

HAVING THE LIFE YOU WANT

Course No. ED481V, ED581V

Tuition $195 ‑ $280

Quarter Credits 3

More Information
Register Now

Humanity is on a consumption binge. It’s not going well and it’s not sustainable. We Americans are leading this binge followed closely by China and India, two countries that constitute almost 1/3 of the world population. We all need to slow down, take a breath, and ask ourselves what’s really important.

At our current rate we will see continued environmental and societal decline. The poorest in the world are paying the price for our over-consumption. Poor nations are burdened by parched earth in which nothing can be planted, others by rivers that are overflowing and destroying villages. In developed countries the rates of anxiety and depression in children and adults continue to rise creating huge stress on national health systems.

In this course, teachers will learn strategies and access resources that help them convey to students at all levels K-12 what it means to be a conscientious and healthy member of the global community. We need to look at what it means to be a citizen of the world, by taking responsibility for the impact of our actions on people near and far as we develop healthy lifestyles, and healthy social networks.

TOXIC PRODUCTIVITY MINDSET

Course No. ED482A, ED582A

Tuition $380 ‑ $495 $323 ‑ $421

Quarter Credits 6

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We are facing an epidemic-a life threatening, brain-paralyzing, heart-destroying disease known as the ‘doing disease,’ as described by Bec Heinrich. This relentless drive to keep moving, achieving, and fearing stillness is taking a toll on our well-being. In this course, Toxic Productivity Mindset, you will explore brain science and data-driven studies, along with personal anecdotes, to uncover the reasons behind why doing enough is never enough. If you find yourself overcommitted, compulsively overachieving, and constantly exhausted, join me to delve into why pursuing productivity at the expense of your physical, emotional, and mental health is detrimental. This course will help you identify deep-seated beliefs about overwork and provide actionable strategies for both your personal life and classroom.

VALUABLE LESSONS FOR CRAZY DAYS

Course No. ED481S, ED581S

Tuition $195 ‑ $280

Quarter Credits 3

More Information
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Our plans are full for most days with curriculum and pacing schedules. And yet, every so often, something comes up for us teachers that wasn't expected, and we need an immediate substitution for the sake of humanity. What to do when most of a class is failing, and it's close to the end of a grading period? What to do when you need students to line-up or respond quickly for a drill or emergency? What to do when students will be writing comments in a yearbook, annual or autograph book, and they don't have the skills? Or the students know someone has taken something and hasn't been caught. We need plans for days like these, as well as for our usual lesson plans. And most of these days provide opportunities for teachable outcomes.

These are some of the situations that derail your leson plan and everyone's peace of mind. Make a day like this one of the most important, with a thoughtful pivot. Specific strategies can be added to your own repertoire.

GENERATION Z: Understanding & Teaching The Kids In Our Classrooms

Course No. ED467g, ED567g

Tuition $380 ‑ $495

Quarter Credits 6

More Information
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Generation Z comprises students born since 1995 into a digital world made up of the Internet and cell phones. They are enmeshed in social media and criticized for lacking social skills. However, they are the future and we need to teach them in a manner that will lead to their success. To do that, learn how to best meet the unique needs of Generation Z and how to engage them in the K-12 classroom. Learn about what they think, where they are going and how they may change the world.

STEM LESSONS FOR GRADES K-8 TEACHERS

Course No. ED465v, ED565v

Tuition $195 ‑ $280

Quarter Credits 3

More Information
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This course meets OSPI’s STEM requirements

Learn how to incorporate great STEM lessons (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) into your K-8 classroom, and why STEM integration is important. You will also learn to use rich resources, creative activities and templates to enhance student learning and confidence. The popular movie "The Martian," provides a rich resource of STEM activities. Your students will discover the many occupations STEM learning translates into. Fulfills OSPIs STEM requirements for Washington State teachers.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING & THE TEEN BRAIN

Course No. ED465i, ED565i

Tuition $195 ‑ $280

Quarter Credits 3

More Information
Register Now

Teenagers are both incredibly delightful and occasionally frustrating. While that may not be news to you, why teenagers behave the way they do is, indeed, news to many of us. Recent research has helped create a significant body of study and literature that explains the developmental phases our teens go through. Based on recent research on the teen brain, this course helps you navigate the labyrinth of emotions, developmental differences, and entertainment we often call “the teenage brain.”

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR DIGITAL LIFE

Course No. CM401r, CM501r

Tuition $315 ‑ $415 $268 ‑ $353

Quarter Credits 5

More Information
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This course meets OSPI's STEM requirements.

Are you as overwhelmed with the sheer volume of digital communication as I am? It has become a never-ending stream of inputs that is difficult to get a grip on!

This course takes aim at the tremendous level of input that comes across our devices and helps you develop systems and strategies to process it all. Along the way, you will learn about the Getting Things Done methodology, how technology companies are competing for our limited attention, and much more.

Time to organize all that input so you can clear your brain and do your best work.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will enjoy:

The Getting Things Done methodology
Getting to Inbox Zero
Digital storage systems
Task management
A workflow system that actually helps
Technology and competition for your attention

EXERCISE & THE BRAIN FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE

Course No. HE402F, HE502F

Tuition $195 ‑ $280

Quarter Credits 3

More Information
Register Now

The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise can physically remodel your brain for peak performance. Our text, SPARK presents startling research proving that exercise truly defends against ADD, depression, and aggression. Learn about amazing case studies: the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois that made this school district's 19,000 kids #1 in science test scores in the world!

More Than a Writing Assignment

Helping Students Become Independent Readers: Inspired by Three Teachers Talk

Share The Class & Share Power.

Project Based Learning

Keeping Students Engaged Through Differentiated Anchor Activities

Music, Math, & The Mind

My Strategy Was To Just Be Nice

A Holistic Approach to Teaching A Drug Free Program

Getting to the Root of the Problem: Strategies to help students succeed.

Revamping Seating Charts Promotes Community & Growth Amongst Students

Compassionate Listening Skills.

Test Your Students Based On Their Strengths.

Decreasing Disruptive Behaviors In The Classroom Using Mindfulness Techniques.

Helping Students Feel Safe

Teaching Should Not Be A Solo Act.

Building Worlds with Backwards Thinking

Four Domains of Language Learning: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing

Centering Wellness in the Social Studies Classroom

A New Semester A New You

A Noteworthy Success Story

Walking For Fitness

Why Do They Act Like This?

Intervention Strategies for Kids Who Stop Trying

Starting the School Year Gritty

Getting More Out of Classroom Textbook Reading: The Secret is in Engagement

Online Interactive Reading [VIDEO]

Back to School with Real-life Experiences: Get Going with Google Tours

Guaging Student Understanding—More Than a Hunch!

Do Multiple Ways Matter: Using Tech to Make the Connection

Bringing Math Into the Real World with Technology

Strategies for Attention Seeking Behaviors

A Step-by-Step Guide for Using Puppets to Nurture Your Primary Students’ Reading Development

Avoid “Aboutitus”: Curate Your Classroom with Insiders

Then One Day I Decided, “Why Fight It?”

Common Misconceptions about Socratic Seminars and How to Use Them Effectively

Helping Students of Mixed Abilities Achieve in the Special Ed Math Classroom

Tips for Teachers on How to Better Manage Overwhelm [VIDEO]

Ways to Include Student Voice in Your Teaching

Mindsets in the Classroom [VIDEO]

5 Ways to Use Movement in Lessons to Help Students Refocus

Using Personal Maps to Better Get to Know Your Students

6 Simple Ways To Promote An Attitude Of Gratitude In Your Classroom

When All Else Fails, Turn up the Music!

Building Confident Readers

An Experiment in Mindfulness

4 Questions to Ask Yourself for Successful Seating Charts

Developing and Reinforcing Responsibility in Your Students

Why You Should Consider Allowing Cell Phone Use in Your Middle School Music Classroom

A Time Filler Triumph

A Fresh Look at the First Day of School

Be an Inspiration for Organization!

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