We are thrilled to introduce the newly launched VAI Educator’s Studio. Collaborating with scientists, the Van Andel Institute for Education has pinpointed the seven essential skills that children require to thrive: collaboration, communication, creative thinking, critical thinking, curiosity, perseverance, and self-direction. In response, they have developed a range of resources and activities designed to assist educators in cultivating these skills within their classrooms. All of these invaluable resources and activities can be accessed through a membership for just $19.99 per year, specifically tailored for students in grades K–8.
To gain insight into its effectiveness, we reached out to Cara Vega, a fourth-grade teacher from Woodbury, New Jersey, who explored the VAI Educator’s Studio with her students. Read on to discover why she considers it one of the most practical and engaging resource platforms she has encountered. With extensive experience as a special educator, Cara recognizes the importance of low-prep, high-impact tools that maintain student engagement, making this platform an ideal addition to her teaching toolkit.
For which grade levels and subject areas do you think VAI Educator’s Studio is best suited?
The VAI Educator’s Studio is optimally designed for K–8 students and can be seamlessly integrated into any core subject areas, including math, science, technology, ELA, and social studies. Educators can utilize the resources and activities for morning meetings, structured brain breaks, STEM-related inquiry tasks, and project-based learning ideas to actively engage students while achieving learning objectives. Regardless of the subject you teach, there is a wealth of resources available to help foster the seven skills necessary for success: collaboration, communication, creative thinking, critical thinking, curiosity, perseverance, and self-direction.
This resource aligns well with required educational standards, aiming to provide students with opportunities to develop these essential skills. While it is crucial to teach these competencies, teachers often find themselves pressed for time or faced with curricula that inadequately address these habits, leading to hours spent searching online for suitable activities.
How does building success skills help achieve curriculum standards?
While specific success skills may not be explicitly included in curriculum standards, they play a vital role in achieving learning success across all subjects. Here’s how they connect:
Why is it worth paying for?
Having utilized this site for only a few weeks, I can confidently say that it has become an invaluable resource for me. One of the most significant advantages of this site is the ability to access a multitude of organized, user-friendly, and effective resources for a single price. This eliminates the time and effort I would otherwise spend scouring the internet for activities, which often leads to disappointment after downloading resources that do not meet my expectations.
How did you use VAI Educator’s Studio in your classroom?
- Daily SEL Activities Calendar: I have frequently utilized the Daily SEL Activities Calendar, as it provides comprehensive and meaningful lessons that I had not considered for my morning meetings. It serves as a quick and effective way to stay organized and prepared every day of the week.
2. Timely Topics: The Timely Topics are fantastic for celebrating special days or holidays throughout the month. For example, I engaged my students in the Haunted House activity for October, where we constructed houses using marshmallows and toothpicks. In November, there was an enjoyable activity dedicated to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
3. Potatoes of Positivity: The Potatoes of Positivity was a delightful activity that highlighted the positive events occurring within our classroom. I printed out charming potato images, and we used sticky notes to jot down our positive experiences. The display served as a canvas for students to add more sticky notes throughout the week. The kids loved it, and after recess, they eagerly asked for sticky notes to share their positive observations from lunch and playtime. This was an effortless yet impactful way to strengthen our classroom community and encourage students to recognize each other’s contributions.
Which activities did your students like best?
My students particularly enjoyed “Emotions Charades” as they love acting. The emotion cards included words like hostile, inspired, optimistic, and content. I appreciated that it expanded their vocabulary beyond common emotions like happy, sad, and mad. The Emotions Charades game featured two pages with 32 feelings each, making it easy to cut out the cards and place them in a selection bucket for the kids.
I also found the “Mindful Simon Scripts” beneficial, as they provided me with a straightforward script to help my students concentrate on their breathing and energy levels. This activity is easily repeatable, taking only about 10 minutes, and serves as a fantastic reset after recess or any overstimulating events.
Through these activities, I was pleasantly surprised to see that all of my students were engaged. Even those who typically shy away from participation eagerly guessed emotions or contributed positive experiences for the Potatoes of Positivity.
How would you sum up your overall experience?
I truly appreciated having access to such amazing resources right at my fingertips. As a busy teacher and a self-proclaimed type B personality, I valued the accessibility and ease of implementation of the resources, which required minimal prep time. I would wholeheartedly recommend this membership to fellow educators as it provides excellent resources for cultivating essential skills.
How easy was it to use and implement VAI Educator’s Studio in your classroom?
Implementing the resources was exceptionally easy. I specifically used the platform for morning meetings, where I needed activities that were quick and required minimal materials. The Games and Activities tab was particularly useful, as all the slides and links were clearly organized. I was able to quickly sift through the activities and filter by grade level, making it a low-prep, high-reward resource that saves educators time while making a significant impact.
Watch Cara’s video about her experience with VAI Educator’s Studio:
Teacher Picks is a sponsored program available from We Are Teachers. All opinions shared in the review are honest and based on the teacher’s direct experience. To learn more about our guidelines and review process, click here.
