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Want to stoke the creative innovator in you and your students?  Ever wonder what it takes to design an engaging project or design challenge? Interested in generating your own project based learning experiences but don’t know where to start?  What does it mean to empower students? Ever think of letting students use power tools?   Then…

Together with help from the Santa Clara community, RAFT and Intel created 10,000 student experiences using hands-on learning kits. Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT), Intel, and the Santa Clara community came together to build 1,000  educational kits to help support hands-on learning. The kits will support 10,000 student learning experiences and were donated to 18…

By Elisha Burns, RAFT Fellow Older students helping the younger ones garden To increase student engagement, I say let the students take the lead.  I have found that my students do their best work when they are put into a position of leadership.  My students that are normally reluctant learners suddenly are engaged and willing…

The week of May 2nd, educators all over the country are thanked for their efforts in teaching. When it comes to student performance on reading and math tests, a teacher is estimated to have two to three times the impact of any other school factor, including services, facilities, and even leadership (Teachers Matter: Understanding Teachers’…

By Ashley Estes, RAFT Fellow  RAFT is one of the best places to find some amazing premade kits and learning tools. These kits are great and can be used across many grade levels. As a 1st grade teacher, I use them weekly in my classroom. In this article, I would love to explain one kit…

Guest post by Brittany Coleman, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) Instead of turning to affordable repurposing, many teachers and after-school providers spend hundreds of dollars of their own money each month on school supplies and activities for learning. But little do they know that the average person generates 4.3 pounds of…

For the past year, RAFT has collected and diverted 700 cubic feet of material every day. Earth Day is a beloved national holiday celebrated on April 22nd. This year Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) joins the celebration by collecting and diverting 700 cubic feet of donations from businesses located in and around San Jose and…

By Elisha Burns, RAFT Fellow This is the time of the year when I think of all the things that I am thankful for having in my life. Materials found at RAFT With all of the extra expenses that come with a teaching career I am happy to learn of any ways to lessen my…

Resource Area for Teaching celebrates National Week of the Young Child April 5, 2016 – As part of the national Week of the Young Child™ (April 10-16, 2016) celebrated across the country, Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) locations in California and Colorado are honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives. “All young…

By Rita Mercado, First Grade Teacher, Serendipity School I have taught first grade for the last 12 years, and it seems like every year I get questions about what we do during our “Choice Time.” The number one thing that my students learn how to do during playtime or choice time is learn how to…