There's no doubt about it: when parents are involved, students do better. According to the Family Engagement Collaborative of the Miami Valley, family engagement in schools leads to higher student achievement and graduation rates, fewer behavioral problems, better self-esteem, and stronger performance by students from diverse backgrounds. 

There will always be barriers to family engagement, but framing it as an "opportunity for all" can help schools move beyond the barriers. The Framework Institute advises that promoting family engagement as an equity issue and policy matter focuses the initiative on inclusivity and opportunities for achievement for all children and will help schools look at how current practices may exclude some students and families. Introduce the high-quality instructional materials available at no cost from INFOhio to families to help remove barriers and provide opportunities for all.

So you’re comfortable in finding and integrating Open Educational Resources (OER) into your curriculum and want to take the next step? Are you ready to create new resources to share with others? This blog is for you!

Have you ever found something from the internet that could be a perfect resource (image, video, quiz, etc.) for your class, and you spent hours trying to figure out the copyright issues with that resource? You couldn’t find any Terms of Use, and there was no author information, so you didn’t know who to contact to get permission to use it? Wouldn’t it have been nice if that resource somehow said “I’m free to use, no strings attached, you don’t need to ask for my permission because it is already granted”? Open Educational Resources, or OER for short, are an answer to this problem.

INFOhio provides a variety of options for educators dedicated to discovering new, effective ways to teach. Whether using online classes, or building a reading list, INFOhio's professional development has something for everyone. Read more about how to use INFOhio's professional development for high-quality, self-directed learning.

Social studies and science activities and videos have been added to Open Space and are provided by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. 

Learn how to use the Simple View of Reading as a guide to extend and accelerate learning for your students with INFOhio authentic texts. Webinar recording available. 

High-quality writing instructional materials have been added to Open Space. These interactive writing lessons and activities are appropriate for grades 1-12 and have been provided by Quill, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help all students become strong writers and critical thinkers. 

Check out INFOhio's Monday Mini Lessons to support educators in integrating digital content into instruction and remote teaching. INFOhio will be featuring a series of videos that showcase best practices for remote teaching using INFOhio's high-quality digital content. Learn more about this series and how to stay informed. 

High-quality instructional materials have been added to Open Space. These STEM lessons and extension activities are appropriate for grades K-6 and have been provided by the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative and Hamilton County ESC. 

A professional development learning pathway has been developed to learn more about BLUEcloud, SirsiDynix's next-generation library services platform. Complete this pathway and earn up to 16.5 contact hours.

Classic childhood books capture the joy and freedom of play and imagination. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is one of those. This award-winning book tells the story of Peter and the adventures he has on a snowy day. Readers young and old can imagine the red snow-suited figure of a young boy playing in the wintry city. Many will also remember that Peter is an African-American child, and recognize that childhood delights are not determined by race, location, or gender. Everyone has fun in the snow.

Did you know that INFOhio has purchased a Premium Membership on behalf of all Ohio PreK-12 schools to OhioNet? That membership has benefits!

Whether you need printed packets for learning activities or plan to make the learning happen digitally, World Book webquests are a great way to help students build foundational knowledge on a topic.

Teachers face many challenges when incorporating meaningful career planning lessons into classroom learning, but the most daunting is time. However, with the right resources, and a creative approach, teachers can incorporate meaningful career planning activities that complement their classroom curriculum and empower students as they enter life after high school.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Ask any child that question, and you are bound to get a myriad of responses that range from firefighter to teacher to astronaut. And why not? Childhood is a time of wonder, imagination, and discovery, making this an excellent time to begin supporting career awareness through self-awareness.