<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Affirming Resources]]></title><description><![CDATA[Affirmed Scholars]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:06:51 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Designing an Inclusive Global History Curriculum for 9th Graders]]></title><description><![CDATA[Teaching global history to ninth graders presents a unique challenge: how to create a curriculum that is both comprehensive and engaging while promoting critical thinking and inclusivity. A well-designed curriculum should not only cover important historical content but also build skills progressively, center diverse perspectives, and prepare students for advanced history courses like AP World History (APWH). This post explores a thoughtfully crafted nine-year scope and sequence for global...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/designing-an-inclusive-global-history-curriculum-for-9th-graders</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a230c1e3919feaaedf90be2</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:50:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_f141e308e578401ba709213eb0c4e542~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Exploring Unit 2: The Impact of River Civilizations on Global History]]></title><description><![CDATA[Rivers have shaped human history in profound ways. In global history education, the study of river civilizations reveals how early societies harnessed natural resources to build complex cultures, economies, and political systems. This unit offers educators a rich opportunity to connect students with the foundations of civilization and the ongoing influence of geography on human development. The ile River near ancient Egyptian structures, highlighting the river's role in civilization...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/exploring-unit-2-the-impact-of-river-civilizations-on-global-history</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a230b3c14f1bdc719650feb</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:47:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_774e050afa304f7d96241ad3e281b805~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Exploring Unit 1 Origins: Essential Historical Thinking Skills for Global History Students]]></title><description><![CDATA[The origins unit in a global history curriculum sets the foundation for students to develop critical historical thinking skills. This first unit is more than just a collection of facts about early human societies or ancient civilizations. It prepares students to analyze, question, and understand history in ways that will support their success in advanced placement courses and beyond. Artifacts from early civilizations displayed in a museum Building Historical Thinking Skills The origins unit...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/exploring-unit-1-origins-essential-historical-thinking-skills-for-global-history-students</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2308d0f64e529b409d38a7</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:36:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_a6fd1b6430304af3b23712e0bebba375~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Exploring Unit 0: Building the Foundation for a strong Global History I Course]]></title><description><![CDATA[History is more than memorizing dates and events. It is about understanding the stories behind those events, recognizing who tells them, and why. Our Global History 9 Unit 0 introduces students to this critical way of thinking, laying a strong foundation for their future studies, especially those aiming for Advanced Placement (AP) success. This unit is already taught in over 30 schools and has proven to prepare students effectively for their history trajectory. Defining History and Its Power...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/unlocking-the-past-how-our-global-history-9-unit-0-sets-students-on-the-path-to-advanced-placement</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a230743861147e3839591c8</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:32:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_f357f61946514a209fe48a272a79a2d7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tips to Avoid Summer Slide with Sight Words and Reading Resources]]></title><description><![CDATA[Check Out Our Summer Resources! Avoid summer slide at all costs! Summer break offers a well-deserved rest for students, but it also brings a challenge known as the "summer slide." This term describes the loss of academic skills, especially in reading, that many children experience during long breaks from school. Preventing this slide is crucial for maintaining and building literacy skills, particularly sight word recognition and reading fluency. This post shares practical tips and resources...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/tips-to-avoid-summer-slide-with-sight-words-and-reading-resources</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a205bd243116cbc2f78e5df</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:59:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_7d5168ff4d7540f0bffc5478f36b6b71~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tier 2 Cannot Carry a Broken Tier 1]]></title><description><![CDATA[Schools love talking about intervention. We build intervention periods into the schedule. We purchase expensive programs. We color-code spreadsheets, create student trackers, hold weekly data meetings, and pull students into small groups all day long. Somewhere along the way, education started treating intervention as the solution to low achievement instead of what it was actually designed to be: additional support after strong instruction has already taken place. And that is where many...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/tier-2-cannot-carry-a-broken-tier-1</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04c18348aeb3fcb243223f</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 18:25:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_b010caa09e4047ad86418f8ec6243b6a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[You Can’t Differentiate Without Knowing Your Kids]]></title><description><![CDATA[Differentiation has become one of those words in education that sounds good everywhere—lesson plans, observations, PD sessions—but often feels unclear in practice. We say it.We’re asked to show it.We’re evaluated on it. But here’s the truth:You cannot differentiate effectively if you don’t actually know your students. Not just their reading level.Not just their test scores.Not just whether they have an IEP or not. You have to know them. The problem with the buzzword Somewhere along the way,...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/you-can-t-differentiate-without-knowing-your-kids</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04c07e48aeb3fcb243206b</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 18:19:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_1b11df44fa814392bf9e70b04fa3d1aa~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[They’re Not Lazy—They’re Overwhelmed]]></title><description><![CDATA[There’s a word we use far too easily in education: lazy. It slips into conversations, report cards, and even quiet thoughts:“They just don’t try.”“They’re capable, but they won’t do the work.”“They’re lazy.” But what if we’re wrong? What if the student we’ve labeled as lazy isn’t refusing to work—what if they’re carrying more than we can see? This school year, I sat in on a classroom observation. The lesson was strong—students were engaged in deep, text-based questions about a novel. The...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/they-re-not-lazy-they-re-overwhelmed</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04be5e48aeb3fcb2431ca9</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 18:16:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_77198321ed4540378810ac333f235e29~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[You Can’t Teach a Hungry Child—But We Still Try]]></title><description><![CDATA[There’s a truth that doesn’t get said enough in education spaces: you can’t teach a child whose basic needs aren’t being met the same way you teach a child who feels safe, full, and secure. And yet—every single day—teachers, caregivers, and families are expected to do exactly that. In America, poverty isn’t just about income. It shows up in empty refrigerators, unstable housing, missed sleep, and the quiet stress children carry into classrooms. It shows up in the student who can’t focus, not...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/you-can-t-teach-a-hungry-child-but-we-still-try</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04b7804c277d8732ae7833</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 17:42:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_6fcf958465684e35ab2e64e125eec375~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[3 mistakes that lower student confidence in reading]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the hardest things to watch as an educator or parent is a child slowly losing confidence in their ability to read. It doesn’t usually happen all at once. It shows up in small ways—hesitation, avoidance, quick “I don’t know” responses, or a reluctance to even try. Over time, those small moments build into a belief: I’m not a good reader. The truth is, many of the things that lower student confidence aren’t intentional. They come from common practices that, while well-meaning, can have...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/3-mistakes-that-lower-student-confidence-in-reading</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04b72ae5f825d008b2b0a1</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 17:39:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_373f1478106e442d818e2b9b17ef47fd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Build Confident Readers in 10 Minutes a Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[Building confident readers doesn’t require hours of instruction or perfectly planned lessons. In my experience, it comes down to something much simpler—consistency, intention, and creating small moments where students can experience success. Whether you’re working with a full classroom or supporting your child at home, even ten focused minutes a day can begin to shift how a child sees themselves as a reader. Confidence is often the missing piece when students struggle with reading. It’s not...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/how-to-build-confident-readers-in-10-minutes-a-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04b695e8ad7aab1e5fc28a</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 17:37:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_0a4d5d09529f4c7a846b666f5994c2a3~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Teach With Purpose: The Story Behind the I Know I Can Series]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every child deserves to feel confident when they open a book, but for me, this work became personal in a way I didn’t expect. The I Know I Can series was inspired by my middle child, who attends a beautifully diverse school. One day, he came home and said something that stopped me in my tracks—he told me he hated his brown skin. In that moment, I realized just how powerful identity, representation, and affirmation really are in a child’s life. We sat together and talked. I told him about the...]]></description><link>https://affirmedscholars.wixsite.com/affirming-resources/post/teach-with-purpose-the-story-behind-the-i-know-i-can-series</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a04964948aeb3fcb242d0b7</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 15:34:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/055770_a9663b2e0386439f92b2eb1be2c50865~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Affirmed Scholars</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>