About: Amanda Castillo

Amanda R. Castillo, M.Ed., is an education writer and former K–12 teacher with more than 12 years of classroom and curriculum experience. She has taught elementary and middle school, supported special education inclusion, and guided aspiring educators through degree programs and state certification pathways. Amanda focuses on practical, accurate information about teaching careers, licensure requirements, and professional development.

Recent Posts by Amanda Castillo

Best States for Teacher Pay vs. Cost of Living

yellow Victorian-style house with wraparound porch behind a white picket fence with climbing roses
Among the best states for teacher pay vs. cost of living, West Virginia offers the smallest gap between home prices and salary: a typical home there costs $182,704, compared with a $56,610 median high school teacher salary. Hawaii has the widest gap, at $762,431. Nationally, that gap is about $299,734, so where you teach can…
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How to End the School Year Strong: Bedside Manners and Battle Cries

Man holding up a sign that says "Make it Happen"
Ending the school year strong comes down to how you treat people in the final weeks, not how much you accomplish. Stay patient and connect on a human level even when you're exhausted, and give your staff and students a shared rallying point to aim for. Research on the peak-end rule suggests endings can carry…
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How to Make Curriculum More Engaging: 8 Teacher Strategies

Two elementary teachers in pirate costumes beside a cardboard ship's wheel during a classroom transformation
Making curriculum more engaging rarely means replacing it. You can't always change the scope and sequence you're handed, but you can change how it lands: room transformations, genius hour, movement, self-assessment, celebrations of learning, music and drama, games and quests, and structured discussion all work inside a mandated curriculum. [xyz_feat_school] Part 4 of 5 ……
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