Leah Kaminsky-Levy

Author, Copywriter, Editor & Creative Producer

Leah Kaminsky-Levy is a content strategist, author, writer and editor from Austin, TX. She helps organizations set content strategy that drives traffic and revenue, and covers education, marketing, tech and the lifestyle sector for numerous publications and corporations. She is currently shopping her first book, a middle grade fantasy/humor novel titled The School for the Intolerably Strange, and is the founder and head writing consultant at Just Start Storytelling, a writing consultancy servicing businesses and students applying to college and graduate school. In her spare time, she draws comics, despite lacking any artistic ability.

Portfolio
Usc
The Guide to Pinterest for Educators

Over 500,000 education pins are saved to Pinterest every day. Learn how to use this platform to inform your teaching and professional development.

Jackson Hole Traveler
My Wildlife Expedition in Jackson Hole

Guest writer Leah Levy visited Jackson Hole for the first time this July and joined a Wildlife Expeditions Sunrise tour on her first morning in town. Here, she shares her delightful perspective on what it's really like to experience a wildlife tour with local experts at the helm.

Pearsoned
01/27/2016
Vetting New Technology for the Classroom

As a teacher, you may not have a ton of control over the bigger technology decisions for your classroom, like whether or not you'll go iPad 1-to-1, or which classroom management system you'll use.

Goldtouch
12/16/2015
The Ugly Elf - Goldtouch

Once upon a time in a land far, far away - in the North Pole, specifically, which you'll find on the top of this spherical thing we call the planet - there lived an elf who was very much unlike all the other elves. In fact, this elf didn't look much like the other elves ...

Teachability
Intervention Next: What is the Maker Movement, ... | Teachability

When my husband sent me a calendar invite to go to something called, " Maker Faire," I had no idea what he was talking about. "Sounds good," I emailed back. I didn't think of it again until we were stumbling out of our car and into the convention center, which was filled to the brim with wild gadgets.

Teachability
Writing: Teaching the Fundamentals of Writing T... | Teachability

Learning the fundamentals of grammar and sentence style is key a part of becoming a writer whose message is respected and understood. This doesn't change the fact, however, that the idea of grammar lessons makes most students-and teachers-cringe. After all, things like sentence diagramming sound like nothing more than a total snooze fest.

Teachability
First Year Teaching: 4 Alternative Ways to Rais... | Teachability

In a more ideal world, teachers would have ample funds to help them stock their classrooms, create fun, creative, and engaging learning projects, and take their kids on exciting and illuminating field trips. We all know, however, that this is far from a reality for all but the luckiest of teachers.

Teachability
Top Writing Apps for Teaching Essay Writing

Whether they go on to become Pulitzer Prize winning journalists or simply to pen the best emails in the office, writing skills are crucial to your students' success in the real world. Good writers learn how to think critically and creatively, to organize their thoughts, to thoroughly pursue lines of inquiry, to think outside of themselves, and of course, to communicate well with others.

Teachability
Writing: 5 Sneaky Ways to Teach Writing Using D... | Teachability

When it comes time to teaching writing, it makes sense to do so in a dedicated manner, just like one would teach a subset of math or science. But unlike many other major subjects, writing is a skill that students will use throughout all others both to communicate their thoughts and to organize and analyze those thoughts in the first place.

Edudemic
The Unique Power of Afterschool Learning

Education in this country is often the subject of loud and rancorous debate. It is one, however, that most frequently concerns what happens during school hours. But academic and non-academic learning and development don't stop once the last bell of the day rings.

Teachers Pay Teachers
How to Write a Thesis Statement

TeachersPayTeachers.com -- 1,700,000+ free and priced teaching resources created by teachers for instant download including lesson plans, interactive

Teachability
Top Writing Apps for Teaching Essay Writing

Whether they go on to become Pulitzer Prize winning journalists or simply to pen the best emails in the office, writing skills are crucial to your students' success in the real world. Good writers learn how to think critically and creatively, to organize their thoughts, to thoroughly pursue lines of inquiry, to think outside of themselves, and of course, to communicate well with others.

Teachability
Writing: Teaching the Fundamentals of Writing T... | Teachability

Learning the fundamentals of grammar and sentence style is key a part of becoming a writer whose message is respected and understood. This doesn't change the fact, however, that the idea of grammar lessons makes most students-and teachers-cringe. After all, things like sentence diagramming sound like nothing more than a total snooze fest.

Teachability
Writing: The Best Writing iTunes Apps for Teach... | Teachability

Creative writing can be one of the most fun forms of writing to teach and learn. With an emphasis on big ideas and imagination, the subject is also a sneaky way to slip in lessons about thinking critically, ordering thoughts logically, empathizing with outside perspectives, and of course, flexing those creative thinking muscles.

Schoolhousechalk
07/24/2015
School House Chalk Top Reasons to Go Back for Your Master's Degree

Graduate programs have risen steadily in popularity throughout the past several decades. The reasons for this are many, but one factor includes the increasing glut of highly qualified employees with bachelor's degrees on the market, not to mention increased competition from abroad.

Schoolhousechalk
08/04/2015
School House Chalk Top Educational TV Shows

TV and learning don't always go hand in hand, but when program makers set out with clear educational goals in mind, they're a force to be reckoned with. Let's take a look at a few of the highest quality educational programs out there for use in the classroom and at home.

Schoolhousechalk
08/11/2015
School House Chalk How to Source Cheap Books for Your Class Library

No matter how much technology advances, the classroom library is still one of the most valuable areas of your classroom. Here, students can dash off to distant worlds, sop up niche knowledge and find literary best friends that feel just like them. The only problem: the expense.

Schoolhousechalk
08/26/2015
School House Chalk Tips for Organizing Your Classroom

If a cluttered space equals a cluttered mind, a classroom that looks like a tornado just tore through it can't be great for learning. And yet, anyone who has ever attempted to control a class full of Kindergarteners knows that it's not one tornado you have to worry about - it's fifteen to thirty.

Schoolhousechalk
06/15/2015
School House Chalk Virtual Field Trips to Take Over the Summer

Whether they're headed to a natural history museum, to a local factory to see how their favorite candy is made, or to an actual field to investigate flower types, field trips are universally loved by students and teachers.

Schoolhousechalk
06/22/2015
School House Chalk Fun Educational Summer Activities

Last week, we told you all about the joys of virtual field trips. But the educational opportunities available this summer don't stop there. Whether you're road tripping it to the beach or sticking solidly within city lines, here are a few of our favorite activities for pairing learning with summer fun.

Schoolhousechalk
07/14/2015
School House Chalk How to Build STEM Learning This Summer

STEM skills are more in-demand on the job market than ever these days, and so it's no surprise that school systems nationwide are promoting STEM learning from an early age. That's all well and good, but it's essential that students not lose the STEM skills they've acquired throughout the school year as they head off for two months of summer bliss.

Edudemic
Economics & Humanities Podcasts to Propel Student Learning

Several weeks ago, we took a look at a number of excellent podcasts just begging to be used in History and STEM classrooms. This week, we're detailing a few more excellent podcasts to add to the classroom library, along with further ideas for how you can integrate each type.

Edudemic
Spicing Up Student Learning With History and STEM Podcasts

Podcasts have been around for a long time now, but they have only just begun to surge into mainstream popularity. That's all thanks to a little podcast called Serial, a true crime program that reopened investigation into the murder of a high school student committed in 1999.

Edudemic
SXSWedu 2015: Big Changes and Big Themes

I'm writing this on day two of SXSWedu 2015 here in Austin, and all I can say is: "Wow, this city has some great tacos!" Hot sauce aside, I'm happy to report the conference has been stuffed chockfull of fascinating discussions.

Edudemic
The Best Taco Stops at SXSWedu

It's a rainy day here in Austin - and by that I mean, I think I just saw my neighbor floating down the street on his couch cushions. But to the devoted - and soaked - attendees of SXSWedu, which runs from March 9th through 12th this year, rain is just that funny thing that happened on the way to the Convention Center.

Edudemic
Classroom Strategies for Helping Depressed Teen Students

There is a disturbing trend among teenagers: depression and suicide rates are on a steady rise. Recent studies indicate that as many as 11% of the teen population - that's over 4 million students - may currently suffer from a major mental health disorder.

Edudemic
Make the Most of the World's Top Photo Feeds

From the smartphone Annie Leibovitzes to the Instagram Ansel Adams, it seems that everybody is a photographer these days. This is a fact teachers can and should take advantage of in the classroom - and for many reasons more than to expand the student photo repertoire beyond the selfie (though that is certainly an admirable goal).

Edudemic
Secret to Teaching Great Writing: Use the News!

As a professional writer and a writing specialist, I know that not everyone is as hepped up about words as I am. (What, you mean you don't want to spend the next five hours chatting about the relationship between a character's syntax and their familial history? Say it ain't so!).

Edudemic
How to Help Students With Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

The first time I encountered the term, "nonverbal learning disability," I was in the middle of an intake call with a parent, and I had no idea what she was talking about. "Is that a kind of autism?" I asked, feeling sheepish. The answer was complex: yes, according to some academics and educators; no according to the DSMIV.

Edudemic
7 Ways to Use Texting to Your Advantage in the Classroom

If you were to take a glance around a classroom in which no smartphone policy has been set, it would be easy to conclude that texting at school is nothing but a distraction. Just look at all of those bent heads and rapidly moving thumbs!

Edudemic
10 Apps to Make Reading in Class More Fun

Just about a year ago, we published a post detailing the 10 best web tools for enhancing the reading experience. We still love those tools (almost as much as we love books and reading and libraries), and now we're adding another 10 to take reading for you and your students up yet another level.

Edudemic
How to Help Extroverts Thrive in the Classroom

Over the past several years, there has been a great effort in the popular media to redeem the term "introversion" from something that almost feels pathological to a valid manner of processing world - one that teachers, colleagues, family members and friends should encourage and embrace.

Edudemic
7 Ways to Deal With Digital Distractions in Class

Some call today's students "digital natives." Others call them the "distracted generation." Whichever term you prefer, it's clear they're both far more than labels: they capture the core conflict many of us involved in education - educators, parents, and even students - feel about the use of technology in the classroom.

Edudemic
Teacher's Guide to Digital Storytelling

Teaching critical thinking and creativity in writing can be a difficult task, but it is crucial in preparing students to meet the standards of the Common Core. Digital storytelling is a highly effective technique for doing so, as it requires a clear organization of thought, discipline, and problem solving skills - all of which can translate directly into more traditional essay writing.

Edudemic
10 Ways to Get Student Centered Learning Right

If there's been a single educational buzzword with traction over the past few years, "student-centered learning" certainly tops the charts. From the TED stage to experimental classrooms, an increasing number of thought leaders, schools and teachers are advocating a handover of the learning experience to the students who must do the learning.

Edudemic
10 Creative Ways to Use Your iPad in the Classroom

If you've had an iPad (or several) in your classroom for any extended period of time, you're probably familiar with the many practical ways this technology can be used as a central hub for learning. You know all about storing materials in iCloud, and collaborating via Google Drive.

Edudemic
10 Ways iPads Teach Kids With Learning Disabilities

By now, saying that "the iPad is a great tool for customizing the classroom" wouldn't exactly be breaking news. But while this holds true for every student, each of whom learns in their own way, iPads are truly a lifeline for students with learning disabilities and the people who work hand-in-hand with them.

Howheasked
11/21/2014
How to Drop Hints About Your Dream Ring

You've tried printing out ring photos and "forgetting" them on the printer. You've tried pointing out rings you like during trips to the mall, and you've made well sure all of your shared family and friends know what you're looking for, just in case he asks.

Edudemic
5 Creative Ways to Help Students With ADHD Thrive in the Classroom

Recently, the NY Times ran an excellent article entitled: A Natural Fix for ADHD. In this piece, Dr. Richard Friedman, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Director of the Psychopharmacology Clinic at Weill Cornell Physicians, explores the neuroscience behind ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Edudemic
8 Ways to Help Introverts Brainstorm for Creative Projects

Here's a little scenario that will be familiar to most teachers. There you are leading a brainstorm for a creative project, when you notice several students haven't contributed a single word. Despite your best attempts to moderate and encourage all voices, you just can't seem to catch the eyes of the quiet ones.

Edudemic
The 5 Most Important Things To Come Out of Educational Summits in 2014

Blended learning. Digital literacy. Mobile learning. Game-based learning. When these top educational trends came onto the scene, they sparked a learning revolution. That revolution continued into 2014, but if there was one theme to come out of the top educational summits this year, it was this: smarter use.

Edudemic
How Stress Affects the Brain During Learning

A fight or flight reaction may be useful in some situations, but it is highly detrimental in the classroom. Whether anxiety stems from test taking or from an unstable home environment, the brains of students experiencing high levels of stress look different than those who are not - and those brains behave differently, too.

Edudemic
Doodling: A Teacher's Secret Weapon for Unlocking Learning

For educators, there are few things more frustrating than looking out into a classroom during the middle of a lecture and seeing nothing but bent heads. What are your students doing out there? Are they texting beneath the desk, despite repeated threats of phone confiscation? Are they scribbling notes to friends?

Edudemic
10/09/2014
5 Ways to Use Integrated Google Drive Apps for Group Projects | Edudemic

Google Drive empowers teachers as they use Google Docs to provide real time feedback. It also helps students engage in discourse via Google Moderator, and provides project participants a platform for brainstorming remotely on Google Hangouts. But Google Drive's power doesn't lie solely in its own features.

Jacksonholetraveler
My Wildlife Expedition in Jackson Hole

Guest writer Leah Levy visited Jackson Hole for the first time this July and joined a Wildlife Expeditions Sunrise tour on her first morning in town. Here, she shares her delightful perspective on what it's really like to experience a wildlife tour with local experts at the helm.

Topoffice
10/19/2013
Better Ways to Sit at the Office

Chances are, if you've worked in an office for any length of time, you've spotted one of your co-workers sitting on a medicine ball or lobbying your boss for a standing desk. With so many health problems associated with sitting, including neck and back pain and a range of metabolic disorders, it's no wonder this a concern for many office workers.

The Dangerous Lee News & Entertainment Network
08/23/2013
Fashion vs. Function: The Ultimate Office Battle

On the world's most renowned catwalks, fashion and function are often at odds. (Try wearing this little number to the office and just see how seriously you're taken). It feels like the same is often true for office design as well, where cubicles still rule the day.

Icontemplate
Top 5 Tips For Avoiding Eye Strain At The Office

By BloggerOne on October 11, 2013 Blurred vision, headaches, sensitivity to light, red, twitchy eyes. At the end of a long day at work, you may think these symptoms are due to generalized fatigue, but you may very well be suffering from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), also known as eyestrain.

Confessionsoftheprofessions
Tips For Ergonomic Working On Airplanes

Author: Leah KaminskyWebsite: http://www.juststartstorytelling.com/ The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on this blog are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of Confessions of the Professions thereof.

Thediscoveryblog
Why Taking Breaks Is Good For Your Workday Productivity

When you've got a big deadline looming, a manager breathing down your neck, or just a lot on your plate, it's tempting to think that you should just buckle down and work continuously throughout the day and into the evening. But not only is that "nose to the grindstone" mentality bad for your health and personal life, it's also counterproductive.

Daily Shot of Coffee
01/09/201
A Coffee Addict's Tale of Woe

A backpacker's coffee chain protest goes awry when she finds herself in dire need of comfort food in a foreign locale.

Zeehive Creative

Zeehive Creative
06/13/2012
Vacation As Muse

Vacation is more than a relaxant. It's a muse, too.

College/Grad School Admissions

Write By Night

The Natural Store Blog
06/11/2012
The Real Price of Cut Flowers

Beautiful flowers available at the click of a mouse. But what's there real cost to the environment?

WriteByNight.com
2/8/12
Post-MFA, There is Another Way: Part 1

Don't buy the hype. Your MFA qualifies you for many different careers. You've just got to think creatively. And isn't that what your MFA taught you to do?

The Natural Store Blog
05/09/2012
Going Vegan, Going Healthy

Always wanted to go Vegan but not sure what doing so entails? We break it down for you.

TheNaturalStore.com
11/28/11
Natural Makeup: Why and How

We think carefully about the food we put in our bodies. But what about the makeup we put on our faces? Why to go natural and how.

Professional Writers of Austin

TheNaturalStore.com
11/15/11
Greening Your Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving bloats your trash can just as much as it bloats your gut. How's an eco-conscious consumer to keep it green without having to eat tofurkey?

TheNaturalStore.com
10/19/11
A Very Green Halloween

A sustainable Halloween doesn’t have to mean swapping candy for fruit or toothpaste. Sustainability and fun go hand in hand.

Professional Writers of Austin
04/05/2012
Using Networking to Find Your Writing Niche

You know networking is good for finding a job. But have you ever considered using networking to figure out what kind of writing you're great at?

TheNaturalStore.com
10/6/11
Aluminum Foil Can Do What?

You aluminum foil is great for wrapping food and grilling veggies. But did you know it can help you move a couch? It sure can, and so much more.

Professional Writers of Austin
1/5/12
Finding the Right Voice

So a major corporation has hired you to write for them. But your natural writing voice sounds nothing like them. What to do?

TheNaturalStore.com
9/15/11
Green Jobs

With a host of private and public initiatives to help you along, finding a green job is easier than ever these days. You just need to know where to look.

The Natural Store Blog