July was Park and Recreation Month and we couldn’t think of a better way to continue the celebration than to suggest a few ways that you can move your lessons from the classroom to the great outdoors. We know our students don’t spend enough time outside, yet three-quarters of students in one survey said they had “little to no access to nature through school.”  

Getting students to think for themselves, base their ideas on evidence, and question what they are reading—if I can accomplish this, I’ll be content.  And the way that I do this is by teaching close reading.

But what do I mean when I say close reading?

Learning doesn’t end in the classroom, yet most parents are at a loss when it comes to supporting their children’s intellectual development. Many try to do too well and hover around them when they do homework, which can stifle creativity and self-development. Others let them roam free and hardly monitor their progress.

Yet, studies are unanimous: children are more successful at school when parents are involved. Better yet, teachers, too, are positively affected when parents take interest.

That’s because involved parents promote positive classroom behavior, make sure children do their homework, help them be more organized, enforce disciplinary measures, and validate their effort.

8 QUESTIONS is a series of interviews with teachers who have effectively transitioned their classroom skills into new and exciting careers in the field of education. We at Teach.com believe that teaching is a rigorous and diverse classroom in and of itself; the skills learned “in the trenches” can translate into an exciting portfolio of professional options. From education tech to consulting, the only “X factor” is where you want to go — our interviews hope to shine a light on the steps it takes to get there.

It's 2pm: you had a meeting before school, cleaned up a bloody nose, and now, with 30 minutes left of class, your last whiteboard marker has dried up. Sometimes, all you can do is laugh. Laughter may not substitute for proper medical care, but research does point to serious health benefits. Laughter can relieve stress andimprove your memory, according to Loma Linda University. It also boosts the immune system—something every teacher needs—and even helps out your cholesterol numbers.

These seven sites have something for every kind of teacher. Whether you like jokes or memes, podcasts or comics, taking time for humor each day can help you handle the stress of daily life. Enjoy!

Technology is the future.

How do we know?

Well, let’s take a look at businesses for a moment. In the business world, it is estimated that, by the year 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationships without ever even speaking to a human.

Technology isn’t just infiltrating the business world, however.

We live in an age where any random person you stop on the street will tell you that they have their own fashion blogand also run a social media marketing firm based on their skills on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Tumblr, …