Resources for Teachers and Families
We gathered resources from across the GSE that address issues facing educators and families now. Our goal is to support learning and well-being as communities adapt to current challenges and plan for the future.
Kids under pressure: A study by Challenge Success and NBC News
A study of over 10,000 high school students nationwide sheds light on student well-being and academic engagement during the pandemic.
Associate Professor Christopher Lemons discusses the remote learning challenges facing students with learning disabilities, and how parents can advocate for their children with special needs.
Communications professor and social media expert Jeff Hancock discusses why the concept of "screen time" is not a useful metric as children spend more time online during the pandemic.
Supporting students with learning differences during remote learning [video]
Remote learning has heightened existing obstacles and surfaced new opportunities to support children with learning differences. Panelist discuss the latest research, practice, and policy efforts and take questions from students, educators, and parents.
How to choose high-quality math apps for preschoolers
How do you evaluate apps for preschool children? Professor Deborah Stipek gives tips for parents and caregivers.
Virtual Q&A: Supporting distance learning at home [Webinar video]
How can caregivers support children's learning while establishing daily routines and maintaining positive relationships? Professor Jelena Obradović offers practical solutions.
Early math learning kit #2: Playing with math at home
These downloadable resources bring math into playtime at home. For preschool and early grades. Available in English and Spanish.
Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann discusses the different ways in which young people experience grief, and how adults can support them.
This tip sheet from the Stanford Project on Adaptation and Resilience in Kids gives practical ideas for caregivers of K-5 students to support learning and well-being.
Teachable agents: Planetary rescue
In this instructional game, students teach their computer agents about climate change, then watch their agents reason about what they have been taught to solve challenges and rescue distant planets. Grades 6-8, targeting Next Generation Science Standards on causal reasoning.
New research by Professor Bryan A. Brown shows the impact of connecting VR science learning experiences with students' culture.
Rethinking meaningful student assessment [video]
Associate Professor Maria Araceli Ruiz-Primo and doctoral student Sara Dozier discuss how school closures have affected teachers' ability to evaluate students and share strategies for assessing student progress.
Healthy minds for healthy students, at home and for the fall [video]
GSE senior lecturer Denise Pope and School of Medicine professor Shashank Joshi discuss ways educators and caregivers can support student mental health and well-being both at home and when schools resume.
Hands-on project ideas for kids [videos]
GSE master's student Mathieu Penot is busy providing short, online lessons that get kids making things with materials found at home.
The profound civics lesson kids are getting from the U.S. government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Civics education should encourage young people to lean in to the discrepancies they see between civic ideals and civic realities. Op-ed by Stanford GSE's Antero Garcia and Nicole Mirra of Rutgers.
Supporting students' social-emotional learning as a force for recovery [recorded Webinar]
Presented by Policy Analysis for California Education, researchers present new evidence that building students' social-emotional skills can improve academic and behavioral outcomes.
Associate Professor Maria Araceli Ruiz-Primo talks about ways teachers can get creative with assessment now—and after in-person learning resumes.
Down Syndrome and distance learning: Managing school at home [webinar video]
Professor Chris Lemons offers ideas and resources for managing school at home for children with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities, and provides an update on IDEA and the CARES act.
Early math learning kit #1: Playing with math at home
Research-based games and activities for busy families to explore everyday math with preschool and early grades children. Available in English and Spanish.
GSE associate professor Jelena Obradović shares strategies to support young children's emotional health.
Grading/crediting policies during COVID-19 [webinar video]
From Challenge Success, a discussion with education leaders on grading and crediting during school closures.
Guidance on grading/crediting policies during COVID-19
Challenge Success, Crescendo Education Group, and Mastery Transcript Consortium offer guidance, following principles of student-centered learning, well-being, and equity.
Learning at home with toddlers and preschoolers [video Q&A]
Professor Deborah Stipek and Haas Center early education program director Renee Scott answer questions on creating learning opportunities for young children at home.
Remote teaching practices to serve all learners [video Q&A]
Janet Carlson and Christine Bywater of the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching answer questions from teachers on effective instructional practices during school closures.
Digital learning experts at the GSE share tips to help instructors build community and collaboration while teaching remotely.
Learning at home with your K-12 students [video Q&A]
In this recorded Q&A session, Denise Pope of Challenge Success answers questions from parents about how to support well-being and learning at home.
Family math resources for early childhood professionals
From Development and Research in Early Math Education, this website offers math-at-home resources for early childhood practitioners.
Reading like a historian
Stanford History Education Group offers over 150 free history lessons that support student inquiry.
A process to design lessons that integrate technology
From the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching, a process to design lessons that integrate technology with students at the center
Playful Science mobile app brings families together around science
This GSE-developed mobile app encourages family science exploration in everyday settings. Free from the iTunes App Store. In English and Spanish.
Educators supporting educators: Professional learning and support
From the National Board Resource Center, tools and seminars for educators teaching online, including a calendar of online professional development.
Online courses focusing on supporting multi-lingual learners
Understanding Language has made available three online courses to support educators working with multi-lingual learners. Asynchronous, but with scheduled discussion times and office hours.
How to spot coronavirus misinformation
GSE professor Sam Wineburg on misinformation in the time of COVID-19.
Senior lecturer Denise Pope of Challenge Success answers questions about ways parents and teachers can help students pursue learning they might not be able to do at school.
Math at home, from youcubed
Sign up to receive youcubed’s weekly Maths at Home activity ideas and videos, designed for grades K through 12.
Resources for remote learning
From Challenge Success, a curated list of resources that promote student well-being and learning motivation while learning remotely. Resources for parents, educators, and schools.
Resources curated by GSE professor emerita Linda Darling-Hammond
This Forbes article includes online learning resources for parents and educators, with special sections for social-emotional learning and supporting English language learners and students with exceptional needs.
How to talk with kids about COVID-19
Advice from Stanford Children’s Health about how to share age-appropriate information about COVID-19 honestly but without stoking anxiety. Tips for teaching basic infection control measures and clues to look for that signal your child needs support.
Engaging kids in learning [Video]
In this short video, senior lecturer Denise Pope of Challenge Success talks about harnessing kids’ interests to motivate learning.
Civic Online Reasoning curriculum
Civic Online Reasoning curriculum provides free lessons and assessments that helps students learn to evaluate online information that affects them, their communities, and the world.
Science in the City: Resources for STEM education
Science in the City provides a community for teachers and educators to explore resources, exchange ideas, and learn about new research findings.
In this episode of our School’s In podcast, Shashank Joshi, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine, describes the signs of depression in adolescents, and what parents and teachers can do to intervene.
How to work and teach—at the same time
This Stanford Magazine article gives tips and advice from a former homeschooling working mom on how to work, parent, and oversee learning--all at the same time.
Digital media tips
Now more than ever, finding a balanced approach to digital media use presents a challenge. Paying attention to guidelines on sleep and continuing dialogue about your child’s need for connection can help foster well-being.
Senior lecturer Jennifer Wolf talks about reading for pleasure, the appeal of young adult fiction, and the importance of choice for young people when they read for pleasure.
Forty children’s books that inspire a love of math and reading
Here are our picks for 40 picture books with fun storylines about engaging topics that also support young children’s curiosity and enjoyment of math.
Storybook Guides
These guides to popular picture books have interactive reading strategies to foster young children’s literacy and mathematical thinking. In English and Spanish.
Easy recipes and tips for talking about math while cooking
If all you can do today is keep everyone fed, guess what? There’s math in that. Here are some easy recipes and tips for talking about math as you cook together.
Ten family card games
How do you pick a card game that your younger child can play, and that your older kids can enjoy, too? Here are 10 family games that appeal to a variety of ages--and support math learning as you play.
Origami and paper folding games
Paper folding is great for thinking about shapes and space. These math with paper ideas require few supplies and work for a variety of ages and with multiple kids at once.
Finger counting games
Finger counting is an effective way to support early math learning. Here are ideas for using a tool you always have with you--your (freshly washed!) fingers.
In this episode of School’s In radio, Stanford music professor Mark Applebaum talks about how students can recapture the joys of learning music at any age.
Making the most of talk about numbers
Parent talk is critical for infant, toddler, and preschool learning. Why is number talk important, and how can parents support early math development through everyday talk at home?
Spatial reasoning
Doing a lot of puzzle and block play? Your child is developing spatial reasoning, a critical part of early math development. Here are simple ways to engage in everyday talk that supports strong spatial thinking.
Math game: How close to 100?
This popular game from youcubed builds number sense and helps students learn multiplication facts conceptually and visually. Played in partners.
Math game: Tic-tac-toe products
This game, adaptable for grades 3 through 12, provides a way to practice and build fluency in multiplication. Rich in strategy and allows flexibility for students to make up their own rules for new games.
Math game: Tic-tac-toe sums
This game helps students learn addition facts, conceptually and visually, and provides a way to practice and build fluency with addends 0–12. As students develop new strategies, they begin to use subtraction.
Math game: Ice cream scoop
This task combines number sense, counting, and probability, and can be solved in different ways conceptually and visually.
Math game: The four 4’s
This fun math challenge builds number sense and operations and by asking students to find a way to represent every number between 1 and 20 using only 4 fours and any operation.
Playtime, downtime, and family time strategies for promoting children’s well-being
This tip sheet from Challenge Success provides everyday ideas for healthy development of elementary-aged students.
This article describes youcubed’s free, research-based resources that help students approach math learning with creativity and enjoyment.
Parent math resources from youcubed
This curated list of media stories give parents the background and tools to help support their children’s math learning.
Health psychologist and GSB science lecturer talks about harnessing stress as a way to reengage with what matters, rather than becoming distracted or paralyzed.
How to learn math
This free, online class is appropriate for learners at all levels and people who want to improve their relationship with math. Divided into six sessions, this self-paced class is available in English and Spanish.
Tips for promoting teen health and well-being
This tip sheet from Challenge Success gives ideas for promoting healthy adolescent development at home.
Nicole Ardoin, associate professor at the GSE, talks about environmental education, including the value of a garden to teach not only science, but also literature, math, and history.
Tips to help your preschooler thrive
From Challenge Success, tips to support your young child’s healthy development and learning.
