VCU T/TAC

12/19/2025

As we wrap up the first half of the school year and look forward to a time to rest and recharge, we know many educators use this time to consider how they can refresh their classrooms when they return in January. One way to refresh your classroom is to consider how you are engaging your students. Additionally, when considering strategies for student engagement, consider the routines/procedures you need to teach (or reteach) following the break. Here are some great reminders for "turn and talks."

12/19/2025

ZERO TO THREE reminds us that babies and toddlers are already building the foundations of lifelong mental health. Strong, responsive relationships with caregivers help young children feel safe, manage emotions, and explore their world with confidence. Yet many infants and toddlers—especially those facing adversity—experience mental health challenges that often go unseen. ZERO TO THREE is working to expand access to early support, train professionals, and strengthen policies so every child can thrive emotionally from the very start. Learn more at ZERO TO THREE.

Dive into our programs and resources focused on mental health for infants and young children. Support emotional and psychological well-being.

12/18/2025

Educators pour so much into their students, school, and community. This season is the perfect moment to refill their own cup.

This article offers a simple, uplifting ways to recharge: “12 Days of Teacher Self‑Care: A Holiday Wellness Challenge for Educators.” It’s full of practical, meaningful ideas to help you reset, breathe, and step into January with more energy and clarity.

If you’re ready to give yourself the same care you give everyone else, this is a beautiful place to start.

https://www.jeremyajorgensen.com/12-days-of-teacher-self-care-a-holiday-wellness-challenge-for-educators/

12/18/2025

A new study shows that giving children more time for outdoor recess may significantly reduce chronic stress. Fourth graders who received 45 minutes of daily recess had much lower hair cortisol levels (a biomarker of long-term stress) than peers who had only 30 minutes of daily recess. As schools navigate rising mental-health concerns, these findings highlight recess as a powerful, low-cost strategy to support children’s well-being.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12293798/

12/17/2025

New research highlights how specific note-taking strategies (e.g., highlighting essential information, writing key data, and elaborating on mathematical relationships) significantly improve students’ success with reality-based math tasks. Using data from 1,064 student solutions, Wienecke, Leiss, and Ehmke show that effective, relevant note-taking boosts performance, while irrelevant notes hinder it. This article offers compelling evidence for explicitly teaching note-taking as a problem-solving strategy in mathematics.

12/17/2025

If you’re looking for simple, mindful ways to help students reset, refocus, and breathe in the days before winter break, this is a must‑read.

Edutopia recently shared seven practical strategies that bring calm back into the room when excitement is at its peak. These ideas are easy to implement and make a noticeable difference.

When engagement wanes before a long vacation, teachers can introduce mindful breaks to help students reset and refocus.

12/16/2025

This new study by Arsenault & Powell (2025) offers promising evidence that embedding brief, explicit mathematics-writing within a word-problem intervention can strengthen fourth graders’ ability to explain their mathematical reasoning. Students receiving the combined writing + word-problem instruction outperformed peers on proximal math-writing measures and reported positive perceptions of the approach. The findings highlight the potential of integrating structured writing to support mathematical communication and problem solving.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00144029251397173

12/15/2025

By using data-driven tools leaders can streamline efforts, invest in what works, and create coherence across the system.

When districts let the evidence speak, they’ll find that fewer initiatives deliver greater impact.

12/12/2025

If you’re thinking about how to boost student engagement after winter break, this article from Education Week is a must-read:
“The Three Big Misconceptions About Student Engagement”
by Rebecca A. Huggins (Dec. 5, 2025)
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-the-three-big-misconceptions-about-student-engagement/2025/12

It’s a great reminder that engagement isn’t about gimmicks or keeping kids constantly entertained. It’s about clarity, modeling, and meaningful practice. Perfect reflection reading as we reset routines for the new year.

For teachers, engagement is the holy grail. But what if we’re thinking about it all wrong?

12/12/2025

Does teaching children to read well feel overwhelming sometimes?
With The Reading League Compass, you don’t have to figure it out alone. It’s a trusted, science-based resource hub offering guidance for educators, families, and leaders, from early literacy to adolescent reading support. Whether you’re evaluating curricula or looking for home reading tips, Compass helps you make confident, research-aligned decisions.
Check it out:

The Reading League Compass provides reliable and understandable guidance about the science of reading to various stakeholders.

12/11/2025

Looking for a new podcast?

Here's one to check out: The Educator's Blueprint. Led by Dr. Lisa Powers and Ms. Jamie Grieshaber, they engage in conversations on topics affecting school systems, behavior, and instructional practices. Most episodes are 45 minutes to an hour in length.

You can listen to The Educator's Blueprint on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Audacy platforms.

12/11/2025

Helping Young Brains Build the Foundations to Flourish: Executive function and school readiness in the early years: 1/22/25 @ 2:00 PM.

Join this session, led by neurodivergent educator Victoria A Bagnall, offers a clear and compelling exploration of executive function (EF) in early childhood, explaining its central role in school readiness and lifelong success. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the neuroscience behind EF development. The session will share practical, research-informed strategies for early years educators to create supportive, neuro-inclusive environments where every child can flourish by nurturing these essential brain-based skills.

Here’s the link:

Free, expert-led early childhood education webinars offering practical strategies and inspiring insights. Serving over 3 million early education professionals, join to learn and receive certificates.