How to Build the Best Cheese Board

Awe cheese. Is there anything better than some delicious, creamy, sometimes odiferous cheese? Add in some crackers and meat and you have dinner in my house! If I’m going to a party or trying to be extra fancy, I’ll create a charcuterie board that fits the theme of the event. Celebrating the end of summer? Going to watch some college ball? Pre Thanksgiving celebration? I can make a cheese board for that! I mean they really are the be it and end all of party plates. 

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StyleThe Teaching Distillery
Building Classroom Community Through the Use of Puzzles

Classroom communities are important.  When students feel like they are part of a community, they are much more likely to become active participants in the learning environment. Whenever we think about being a part of a family or community, we think about holidays spent around a kitchen table working on puzzles.  The feeling of accomplishing a 1000 piece puzzle over the course of a weekend or holiday break is rewarding and satisfying. 

Read on to find out how we use jigsaw puzzles in our classrooms to build a class community.

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Practicing Mindfulness in the Classroom

There have been several studies that show how beneficial it can be to practice mindfulness daily. The American Physiological Association lists some benefits as reduced stress levels, improving working memory, improved focus,  less emotional reactivity to situations, and more cognitive flexibility . HELLO? Isn’t that like everything we try to improve in a classroom? 

When it comes to the Common Core Standards, one of the areas we find that the most growth is needed is in the speaking and listening strand. One strategy that we have introduced into our curriculum over the past few years to help build those skills is adding podcasts into our classroom instruction. There are many benefits to adding podcasts into your classroom instruction. If you’ve ever wondered about how podcasts could benefit your instruction, read on dear TTD followers, we have got some ideas for you! 

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Is Master Class Worth It?

Have you checked out the website Master Class (https://www.masterclass.com)? If not, you should! For a $15 a month subscription, you can have access to online classes taught by top experts in the field. They are adding new classes all the time. As an added side bonus, they are also beautifully filmed and curated.

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Educational App Spotlight: Showbie

We have a website we absolutely need to share with you all. This is NOT an advertisement, just two boss teachers writing a blog post about one of the absolutely most important websites that you need in your life. Here at the TTD we strive to be almost completely paperless. Read on to learn more about our favorite App, Showbie.

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