Tools for Educators

Stanford University School of Education offers a variety of learning materials and programs to meet the needs of K-12 educators and teacher educators. Learning resources are currently available in the following areas: U.S. history, mathematics, English/language arts, literacy, and English Learner education.

Historical Thinking Matters

Historical Thinking Matters is a website focused on key topics in U.S. history topics and is designed to teach students how to critically read primary sources and how to critique and construct historical narratives. Topics include the Spanish-American War, civil rights, Social Security, and the changing role of women. A collaboration between Stanford and George Mason University, the website provides resources and guidance for teachers who want to use the site in their classrooms, including standards of learning, classroom materials, classroom strategies, sample student work, and additional resources.

National History Education Clearinghouse

The National History Education Clearinghouse is designed to help K-12 history teachers access resources and materials to improve U.S. history education in the classroom. Launched by Stanford and George Mason University, the clearinghouse provides links to the most informative and comprehensive history content on the Internet. It also provides teaching tools and resources such as lesson plan reviews, guides to working with primary sources, and models of exemplary classroom teaching. The website is interactive, allowing teachers to ask questions, comment on topical issues and share information on what and how they teach.

Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observations (PLATO)

Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observations (PLATO) is designed to evaluate the impact of middle and high school English/language arts instruction on student achievement gains. The tool enables observers, including principals and instructional coaches, to zero in on specific dimensions of effective teaching, such as quality of classroom discussion, the level of intellectual challenge provided to students, and accommodations for English Learners.

Problem-Solving Cycle

The Problem-Solving Cycle (PSC), a series of three interconnected professional development workshops for mathematics teachers, provides resources to help teachers and administrators interested in implementing the PSC. Materials include a facilitator’s guide for individuals (such as math coaches) who are interested in understanding and carrying out the PSC with teachers, a problem bank of rich mathematical tasks, and a DIVER video tool that enables teachers to analyze videos of their classroom lessons and learn from what they may not have seen while teaching.

Ravenswood Reads Tutoring Manual

Members of literacy programs seeking additional tutoring materials and guidance can access resources from the Ravenswood Reads website. Tools include a tutoring manual and video excerpts of effective tutoring sessions. A unique partnership among the School of Education, the Haas Center for Public Service, the Ravenswood City School District, Ravenswood Reads links Stanford student volunteers with East Palo Alto elementary school children for after-school tutoring in literacy.

The Reading Like a Historian curriculum

The Reading Like a Historian curriculum features 75 documents-based lessons in U.S. history. The lessons include modified primary sources and other classroom resources to help struggling readers and English Language learners develop crucial reading and historical thinking strategies. The lessons were part of a large-scale curriculum intervention in San Francisco high schools, and were tied to gains in students’ historical thinking, factual knowledge, and reading comprehension. For more information, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWz08mVUIt8

Stanford English Learner Library of Resources

The Stanford English Learner Library of Resources offers a range of learning materials for educators working with English Language Learners, including K-12 teachers, school-based administrators and teacher leaders, district administrators, and school boards. Materials include videos of classroom teaching and lectures by prominent professors; problem-based units; and lesson plans, student work, and short readings. The materials cover the following topics: secondary-language acquisition theory and policy, content instruction for English Learners, English language development for English Learners, and English Language Learners and special education.