This article provides a list of several mobile applications to help parents and teachers connect and communicate during the school year. They include social media apps -- such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype -- as well as Remind, which allows for communication via text messaging.

Some students are learning to write computer code while playing Minecraft via a recent modification to the program. Using the new LearnToMod addition, users can create features in the game and make their modifications available to other users. The program is being tested by 150 students.

Music lessons can sharpen language and reading skills for students from disadvantaged areas, according to a recent study. Researchers looked at two groups of students -- one that received musical instruction on a regular basis and one that did not.

Good leaders know the power of teamwork, and they make it their job to build a culture that fosters team spirit, writes Don Mathis. That starts with hiring and training and ends with letting them proceed. "Trust your team, allow for broad agency and decision-making, encourage risk taking, and then stand back and let the…

Starting school one hour later may improve elementary students' performance on standardized tests, according to a study in the Journal of Educational Psychology. Researchers examined test-score data and start times for 718 elementary schools in Kentucky and found that a one-hour later start time was associated with a three- to seven-point increase in assessment scores.

In this blog post, the authors of the massive open online course "5 Habits of Highly Creative Teachers" break down the five habits, which include curiosity and reflection. "As educators, we must create the conditions that allow creativity to flourish in -- keeping in mind that creativity will manifest itself differently in every student," they…

Simon Nelson is head of FutureLearn, the OU's venture into Moocs – massive open online courses that some have claimed will revolutionise higher education.

If the prospect of teaching for another year fills you with dread then it may be time for a career change. But before you take the plunge, there are some things to consider.

Alan November explains how he would use the first five days of school to lay the groundwork for a year of learning that goes far beyond the test.

Alwa Woxlin har ett helt arbetsliv som lärare bakom sig. Nu presenterar hon sina erfarenheter, tillsammans med aktuell forskning, i bokform. "En bok om framtidens skola. Entreprenöriellt lärande och didaktiska rum" är ett beskt piller, där författaren hårt kritiserar hela det moderna svenska skolsystemet.

Empowerment is the key to developing top teachers for U.S. schools, asserts Carol Hunter, a retired elementary-school principal and author. In this blog post, Hunter writes that, among other things, school leaders must hire the right people, and then trust and empower them to make a difference in schools and for students.

This article lists 15 mobile applications that every principal should be aware of, including some that allow administrators to collaborate, connect and communicate. One California principal is using the Common Core Look-fors app, which allows her to take notes about teaching and classroom activities related to the Common Core State Standards.