Van Andel Institute for Education

09/04/2026

Congratulations to this month's Caught Being Awesome winner, Christine Lee, of Central High School!

According to her peers, Christine is always creating new activities for her classes. She has a fun personality and always welcomes her students each day!

Well done, Christine🥇🏆

***If you know a teacher who’s creating a classroom where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking thrive, we’d love to celebrate them! Nominate at bit.ly/2WiQvjm

09/03/2026

🏫 Back to school doesn't have to mean back to late nights of lesson planning.

With 600+ ready-to-use activities, projects, and teacher resources, you'll have everything you need to start this year right.

Learn more at https://vaieducation.org/educators-studio 🍎

09/02/2026

🤔 Teachers agree that project-based learning is an effective tool in the classroom, but implementing it can be tricky. The biggest barrier educators face with PBL is teacher bandwidth.

Learn the best way to implement PBL in your classroom and enrich your students education here:

Most teachers don’t need to be convinced that project-based learning works. Instead, they need a realistic way to make it happen in the realities of everyday

08/27/2026

🎃 It's only 65 days until Halloween, you know what that means... It's time for Spooktacular STEAM! 🎃

Channel your students excitement into themed, 15-minute STEAM activities, perfect for grades K-8. These low-prep lessons are perfect for teachers who want to get into the Halloween spirit!

👻 For more information, visit: https://vaieducation.org/for-educators/timely-topics/ -steam

08/25/2026

💬 Sometimes, all it takes is one meaningful conversation to build a great relationship.

Conversation prompts are a simple way to help students get to know one another, build classroom community, and strengthen relationships throughout the school year.

Here are a few to try:
✨ What's your favorite part of school?
✨ What do you like to do on the weekends?
✨ Who is your favorite person in the world?

Looking for more? Get 200 conversation prompts plus over 600 ready-to-use classroom resources with VAI Educator's Studio. Learn more at https://vaieducation.org/educators-studio 🍎

08/24/2026

🍎 Why is the first week of school so important? It's because the habits you create that first week are what carry you through the whole year.

✏️ First impressions are everything, so start the year off on the right foot!

For more information on the perfect first week, visit:

Students decide very quickly when they walk through a classroom door whether that room feels safe, calm, and worth engaging. The decision to trust the adults

08/24/2026

It's that time of year again! 👀

🍎 VAI Education is wishing teachers, students, admins, and parents a memorable school year! Comment below on what you're most excited for. ✏️

Make memories this school year with VAI Education. Visit vaieducation.org.

08/20/2026

✨ Start out the school year strong with our free, two-part Timely Topics activity "Crafting Our Classroom" ✨

This activity will have students thinking about how they should treat one another and how to handle classroom conflict. Students visualize their thoughts in a collage and share with their peers what respect, kindness, and cooperation look like.

🏫 For more information, visit: https://vaieducation.org/for-educators/timely-topics/ -our-classroom

08/18/2026

A new school year brings new students, new routines, and plenty to think about. 🍎✨

The first few weeks can feel overwhelming, but focusing on what matters most can help set the tone for a year of growth, connection, and curiosity.

👉 Swipe for 5 things to remember as you head into the new school year.

And don't forget: you don't have to do it all alone. VAI Educator's Studio is here to help → https://vaieducation.org/educators-studio

08/13/2026

Check out what some of our students did in our Books to Builds summer camp! After our students read Just Like Rube, they created their very own Rube Goldberg Machine.