To prepare students for jobs in STEM fields, the U.S. Department of Education is shining a spotlight on how educators can incorporate technology into their classroom activities.

Many teachers use Legos in the classroom for hands-on STEM exercises, particularly as an enticement to get students who are less confident about their engineering aptitude to give it a try. Middle-school robotics teacher Ian Chow-Miller says he likes using Legos -- from the basic blocks to the higher-end robotics kits -- because his students…

Educators can take steps to make language lessons more accessible and inclusive for students with special needs, such as hearing or visual impairments, according to Andrea Mehringer, an English-language educator in Saudi Arabia. In this commentary, Mehringer shares how teachers can help bridge the gap, including the use of education technology.

The school is trying to take anxiety out of the lunchroom experience. It has assigned seating with a teacher at each table. Officials say it improves school culture. Others aren't so sure.

How culturally responsive teaching supports STEM education.

A public school in Colorado is gaining attention for its success in educating students who have dyslexia. Some families have moved to the area and others are making long commutes so their children can attend the Academy for Literacy, Learning & Innovation Excellence, which serves students in grades two through five with small classes, daily…

Beth Houf, principal of Fulton Middle School in Missouri, says she works to "lead like a pirate" -- meaning that she focuses on the "why of the work." In this interview, she shares several pitfalls busy educators can fall into that takes them away from the "why."

Deep knowledge and a command of vocabulary about a topic can help support reading comprehension, says education journalist Natalie Wexler, citing research on the cognitive science of reading. Wexler says her research shows that the knowledge gap that exists among students could be driving gaps in reading-comprehension skills and achievement gaps overall.

Teachers can help increase student engagement in lessons by identifying the topics and interests that resonate with students, Rann Miller writes. Miller also suggests teachers can liven up content students perceive as dry by making it culturally relevant or connecting it to real-world scenarios.

Here are eight concrete ideas from principals and other experts that school leaders can use to make their evaluations and observations of teachers meaningful, actionable, and low-stress.

Moving slowly when implementing changes can help education leaders boost the success of new initiatives, writes Miriam Plotinsky, a learning and achievement specialist with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. In this commentary, she offers guidance on how to methodically implement changes in the classroom, school and professional development.

There’s no need for funding or special training to bring these approaches and strategies into your classroom right away.