Sheilamary Koch

Sheilamary Koch is an education reporter with over 15 years experience teaching and learning in traditional and alternative settings. Along with covering education initiatives, edtech and research, she enjoys collaborating with educators and youth on new programs, books or creative projects. She’s especially interested in student-centered learning, STEM for under-represented youth and initiatives that encourage artistic expression, community building and self-knowledge. Currently she’s starting a new project to help level the playing field for girls in Mexico by helping them develop woodworking skills. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter @sheilamary67.

Articles by Sheilamary Koch

• More pieces to the STEM diversity puzzle

  Monday, May 24, 2021

  Months back, the University of California, Berkeley's College of Engineering posted a newly created assistant dean of equity and inclusion position to impact the climate and culture of the college and help it carry out its stated mission of educating an inclusive group of leaders. It wasn’t so surprising that a major university was seeking to be more inclusive in a demographically skewed course of study. Women are 47% of the overall workforce yet occupy only 15% of engineering jobs while Blacks make up 11% of the nation’s workforce but hold 5% of engineering jobs, according to a Pew Research analysis of federal employment and education data. While one in four students is Hispanic and this group represents 17% of the workforce, only 8% hold science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) positions.

• Outdoor learning improves engagement and mental health

  Tuesday, March 30, 2021

  Under tall mango trees between a dry riverbed and two large warehouses, kids ranging between three and 12 years old gather midday for story time. They sit on stumps spaced in a circle. A few interact with some ants and each other. After they introduce themselves in big outdoor voices, Nicole Majewski reads a story interjecting commentary and inviting response as she goes along. Since the beginning of the school year, Majewski, education director at EntreAmigos, a nonprofit in San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico, and other educators have been bringing activities like watercolor painting, mud play and treasure hunts to kids outdoors.

• Balancing edtech and digital equity during COVID-19 recovery

  Monday, February 22, 2021

  Last year’s epic move to online learning gave educators tangible evidence of how technology can enhance education — and where it falls short. Edtech solutions are expected to remain front and center even as schools transition back to in-person classes. And while the discussion involves the ins and outs of top education technology offerings, it goes much deeper to include issues of identity and student empowerment.

• Tackling the nation’s math education deficit

  Wednesday, February 03, 2021

  Ask students whether they like math. Now ask the same question about money. Usually their reactions are pretty distinct! Since finances boil down to numbers, couldn’t they be used to teach math? Of course, the answer is yes. Teaching about money is just one way innovative educators are picking up the slack on the country's dismal state of mathematics. COVID-19 related school closures and distance learning have made the situation even worse, especially for students from marginalized communities.

• Supporting social-emotional learning in today’s classroom

  Tuesday, December 15, 2020

  Before students can really focus on math, science or any academic subject, they need to have their basic needs met, and one of those needs is emotional security. Today, students' stress may be related to economic uncertainty in the family, concern about an elderly loved one or even being able to log in for class. Even prior to today's pandemic-triggered upheaval, many educators were strongly advocating for social-emotional learning (SEL) to address bullying in the classroom as well as to help students develop the skills today’s employers are seeking such as the ability to tolerate unpleasant emotions.

• How educators can best focus on the social-emotional needs of boys

  Thursday, December 10, 2020

  Creating safe spaces for youth, in particular boys and young men, to express what they’re going through and heal from trauma is one of Chad Reed’s overriding objectives. His personal history and work with nonprofits serving youth of color in the San Francisco Bay Area has made him a strong advocate for social-emotional learning (SEL), which he believes is a must before academic subject matter. While developing the soft skills reflected in CASEL’s five competencies can be challenging for all students, one's gender, socio-economic level and cultural background can shape how readily a student can integrate this learning.

• Study: Number of adults seeking additional education surges

  Wednesday, December 02, 2020

  Interest in pursuing additional education is greater now than prior to the pandemic, according to results of a recent poll. This trend foresees an exciting year ahead for the savvy education marketer, teacher or even prospective student. In a study of more than 1,200 adults by the higher education marketing and research firm SimpsonScarborough in conjunction with LinkedIn, 47% said their interest in furthering their education has increased since the onset of COVID-19 while 67% said they currently are actively researching education options and 53% plan to enroll within the next 6 months.

• Designing for celebrities: How career and technical education teachers motivate students

  Tuesday, November 24, 2020

  Teaching any subject is tough these days. But imagine the effect of remote and hybrid learning on woodworking and other career and technical education (CTE) classes. As industrial arts teacher Tim Zavacki puts it, “You can’t exactly send bandsaws home with kids!” Here’s how teachers have kept student motivation high and even discovered silver linings as they maneuver within whatever parameters their schools are operating under.

• Stay on track with your content marketing

  Monday, September 28, 2020

  Your content shouldn't give readers a déja vu feeling. Nor should they feel like they've stepped onto an automobile showroom. As you plan your content strategy or next piece of content, ask yourself three key questions: 1. Is my content relevant to my audience? 2. Does my content solve real problems? 3. Does my content offer something people can't get elsewhere? Here's how to answer a resounding yes on all three.

• Building social justice apps builds STEM skills, self-worth for students

  Monday, September 14, 2020

  From paper waste to police brutality, 145 children and teens took a deep dive into the social issues that most concern them this summer. Sounds like a good social justice project, right? What took the work of students who took the recent STEM Kids NYC course outside the realm of what we'd expect from a project on social activism was their final product. No, there were no reports, posters, presentations nor a single PowerPoint or video — instead, each student (aka computer scientist) created a digital app to illuminate their issue.

• Pandemic pod craze touches public education

  Wednesday, September 09, 2020

  The micro-schooling, homeschool or pandemic pod craze in education has exploded. At least six New York Times articles have been written on the topic since July 22, with many focusing on families and which ones can or can’t afford to hire private teachers and tutors. While families are leading the trend, some districts and schools are forming their own version of learning pods.

• How pharmacists can help stem insomnia — a growing public health issue

  Thursday, September 03, 2020

  Sleeping well not only boosts one’s mood and ability to pay attention, it supports the body's immune functioning and ability to fight infections. So it’s ironic that now when people most need the benefits of a good night’s sleep, an increased number are finding it elusive. In fact, insomnia has surged to such a degree since the pandemic started, that doctors have coined the phrase "COVID-somnia" to describe it.

• What is social capital, and how can educators help students build it?

  Friday, August 28, 2020

  Before summer break ended, my 15-year-old daughter wrote up eight burning questions, donned a mask and met with a local architect for her first informational interview. The answers to most of her questions could’ve been found online. Yet like the high school guidance counselors who introduced me to informational interviewing years ago, I understand that making connections with professionals in her area of interest is at least as important as getting questions answered. That day she took a step in building her social capital.

• Marketing and sales alternatives as the COVID-19 crisis continues

  Tuesday, August 04, 2020

  Recently, a couple of business owners contacted me with the issue of how to sell when they can't connect live with prospective customers as the COVID-19 crisis continues. Moving operations online is a good place to start. That's where people are buying. At the same time, there are businesses getting creative with niche, offline and hybrid options that work for their products and customers.

• Offset trauma for students by promoting positive experiences

  Monday, July 27, 2020

  When Christina Bethell was little, she lived in a low-income housing complex where her neighbor, a quiet lady the kids called Mrs. Raccoon, always had her door open for neighborhood kids. Every Saturday she threw a tea party with candy to celebrate any child with a birthday that week. Bethell fondly remembers the woman's kindness as source of comfort during her challenging childhood. Dr. Bethell, now a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, shared this story on the release day of her study on the long-term effects of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) on mental health.

• Leading with equity to support our most vulnerable students

  Monday, July 20, 2020

  Harm to our nation's most vulnerable children is likely to extend far beyond missed learning. New evidence reveals that staggering numbers of students could fall months to a full year behind, be locked out of experiential science learning and drop out of school. With the real threat of racial disparity increasing exponentially, educators and advocates across sectors are rallying to make equity the center of plans for next school year and beyond.

• Outdoor classrooms could improve student mental health

  Thursday, July 09, 2020

  As the nation’s school districts plan strategies to keep students safe when schools reopen for the 2020-21 school year, repurposing outdoor areas as learning spaces is getting growing support from parents and others. Expanding the physical space used for education beyond its brick-and-mortar facilities may not only help schools meet physical distancing requirements aimed to protect students’ physical health but could also promote better mental health.

• How hip-hop culture can power up student self-worth, engagement

  Monday, June 29, 2020

  Hip Hop for Change has empowered and educated students remotely these past few months as school administrators have sought out the nonprofit to help motivate students as they tire of online learning. Even in the best of times, whether they're making beats, DJing, rapping, breakdancing or doing graffiti art — kids have a lot of fun learning with hip-hop. "When education so often feels like shoving things down kids’ throats, hip-hop is really a no-brainer," says Khafre Jay, founder and executive director of San Francisco Bay Area-based Hip Hop for Change (HH4C).

• How educators can begin to dismantle racism in the classroom

  Friday, June 19, 2020

  People in all 50 states continue to take to the streets to support Black Lives Matter and demand an end to racial injustice. Meanwhile, a surge of interest in race and race relations has prompted people to seek out films and books on racism. For this uprising to significantly change the trajectory of 400 years of oppression, radical changes must also permeate the classrooms, hallways and playgrounds of our nation’s schools.

• Should your brand be on TikTok?

  Thursday, June 11, 2020

  In 2019, only 9% of American internet users said they'd used TikTok, but that jumped to 49% for teens. Ranking third favorite among U.S. teens, this reincarnation of lip-syncing channel Musical.ly now features a 25-second video format, with the option of stringing four videos together. Its popularity among young people reinforces TikTok's status as a Gen Z app. So how can marketers ride the wave of a platform where some 37% of U.S. users report annual household incomes of $100,000 or more?

• Museum educators fill a critical need for students

  Tuesday, June 02, 2020

  To say museums have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic would be an understatement. The American Alliance of Museums estimates that museums in the United States are collectively losing at least $33 million a day. Yet even now while they’re hurting most, many museums have offered entertainment and solace to families sheltering in place at home with free virtual tours. Teachers have been able to take advantage of these resources to create engaging lessons for students on virtual field trips.

• Get personal with your brand marketing

  Tuesday, May 26, 2020

  Uncut, vulnerable and camaraderie were words that Ann Handley, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and chief content officer of MarketingProfs, linked to successful brand messaging during these times of COVID-19 and sheltering-in-place. Handley's keynote at this year's Content Marketing Conference (CMC) reached me in my living room after the Boston-scheduled event was quickly pivoted to an online platform. While I can't claim exclusivity, this close-up (and suddenly free) opportunity to connect with top marketing gurus had me feeling like I’d won the lottery.

• Many educators want to reboot the US school system

  Wednesday, May 13, 2020

  Today's colossal interruption in class as usual has inspired teachers around the country to boldly speak out about changes they want to see in education. They're urging drastic measures to solve problems magnified during this time of COVID-19-related closures — before things get swept under the rug again. "COVID-19 has torn down the barriers that long hindered schools from trying new things and threw open the window allowing them to observe the effects of changes in real-time," says Casey M. Bethel, who serves as the K-12 science, STEM and computer science coordinator for 35 schools in Douglasville, Georgia.

• Preventing back injuries in children who participate in flexibility-related sports

  Monday, May 04, 2020

  Instagram is full of kids and teens showing off their super flexibility — and my daughters seem to follow them all. One thing I’ve pointed out to them is we don’t see posts when they’re injured nor are we privy to how they’re faring 15 or 20 years from now. Fortunately, by taking the precautions that follow, conscientious parents and coaches can help reduce needless injury for young athletes and performers who strive to accomplish phenomenal feats of flexibility.

• Will kids affected by the digital divide be ready for next school year?

  Monday, April 27, 2020

  A poll of California parents conducted from March 26 to April 1 showed that a majority fear major educational setbacks for their children due to school closures. As 39 states confirm that schools will stay closed for the rest of the academic year and some begin to discuss closures extending into summer and fall, educators are grappling with how to sufficiently prepare students for next school year. "We are bracing ourselves for an unprecedented, historic academic regression experienced by our most fragile population of students," Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, told USA Today.

• Reenvisioning our lives and world, post-COVID-19

  Thursday, April 16, 2020

  As days of social distancing turn into weeks, it's not a bad thing if overdoses of the news, scrolling through social media posts and funny cat videos feel increasingly hollow. Upheaval surrounding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has forced many to adapt, create new routines and be resilient. And although much remains outside our control these days, each day gives us opportunities to observe silver linings and forge new beginnings for our lives and world from this point forward.

• Grieving little heartbreaks is OK, even during a pandemic

  Wednesday, April 01, 2020

  In a recent article in The Verge, writer Monica Chin skillfully addresses what many of us are secretly grappling with — guilt that here in the middle of a pandemic we're grieving silly things like canceled basketball games. Chin cites backlash she's seen on social media when people have expressed sadness about the cancellation of events like Coachella, but concludes, "While it’s important to cancel these events to slow the spread of COVID-19 to keep hospitals and health systems from being overrun, I think it’s also important to allow ourselves (and each other) to mourn them." It may be hard not to think that sadness is a bit self-indulgent these days. Still, experts agree that denying our feelings isn't the way to go.

• Supporting student success through industry outreach

  Tuesday, March 24, 2020

  "I learned early in my career that I alone did not bring enough to the table to ensure the success of my students," explains Mark Smith, an industrial arts teacher at Reed-Custer High School in Illinois. "I needed to develop relationships with people outside the education system that are passionate about educating the next generation of skilled employees." In addition to the six classes he teaches, Smith actively markets the work his students do — successfully bridging the gap between the classroom and industry. Over 20 years of consistent outreach has certainly paid off.

• Mentoring, a beacon in the dark for young leaders

  Tuesday, March 10, 2020

  Recently, my 15-year-old daughter, an emerging environmental activist, told me of her first mentoring experience at a youth summit she attended. In a nutshell, a college student involved in activism on her campus was assigned to a group of three younger students. She began by sharing how she’d experienced little support for her ideas in the area she grew up, then encouraged the others to share about their lives and aspirations. Often, mentors act as metaphorical beacons in the darkness for mentees aiming to accomplish things outside the scope of what people around them are doing.

• Breaking down barriers to make career and technical pathways accessible for everyone

  Thursday, February 27, 2020

  Livestreaming industry experts into classrooms is an efficient way for high school career and technical education students to get their questions answered directly by people in the field who've recently completed their education and training. While students from any school certainly benefit, learners from rural, inner city or marginalized communities where opportunities to connect live with industry experts are often severely limited may gain considerably more from such virtual outreach. In fact, Advance CTE, a national nonprofit representing state career and technical education (CTE) directors, recommends technology use to expand access and reach as one of five core strategies for states to expand high-quality CTE pathways in rural areas.

• Millions of high school students set for success: Celebrating Career and Technical Education Month

  Friday, February 14, 2020

  "I learned the formula for success," says Ian Solano, reflecting on what he gained from his high school career and technical education (CTE) classes. Now a business and marketing junior at the University of Southern California, Ian articulately shares how the hands-on experience of completing real-world projects and presenting them to “clients” in high school taught him a process he’s applied to internships and his college coursework. Solano is part of the changing face of high school vocational education.

• Do you have recurring knee pain? Examine how you’re standing

  Thursday, January 23, 2020

  Avoiding movements that tax your knee like high-impact sports won’t be enough if misalignment in your everyday posture is at the root of your recurring knee pain. Habits of poor alignment affect the entire body and knees are no exception. But identifying and correcting these habits isn’t easy. To begin with, people tend to focus attention on where they feel pain, yet the problem often lies elsewhere, notes somatic movement educator Carolina Baronio. "Everything we do with one part of the body affects the entire skeletal system," she explains.

• Medical professionals weigh in on minors’ right to consent to immunizations

  Tuesday, December 17, 2019

  As outbreaks of preventable diseases, namely measles, have become relatively commonplace in recent years, some physicians are supporting laws that would give adolescents the right to choose to be vaccinated over parental objections before the age of 18. The issue of conflicting viewpoints on vaccines between parents and teens hit the national media in March when Ohio high school senior Ethan Lindenberger shared his experience of trying to get vaccinated despite his mother’s objections in his testimony before a Senate committee.

• Easy ways to discover what interests your target audience

  Tuesday, November 26, 2019

  Learning about your audience can be incredibly easy. According to a study by content marketing strategist Jordan Loftis, successful marketers are 242% more likely to conduct audience research at least once per quarter — while 56% of what he calls his most elite marketers conduct research once or more per month. Here's a compilation of best tips from expert marketers for going beyond basic demographics to glean important insight about your audience.

• To fight crime, engage kids in quality after-school programs

  Tuesday, November 05, 2019

  When kids have access to after-school programs, crime and incarceration go down, shows a new report by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a nonpartisan organization of over 5,000 law enforcement professionals. Juvenile arrests around the country have declined 70% while participation in after-school programs has increased by over 50% since 2000. Yet more programs are necessary to meet the need, especially in rural areas and communities of concentrated poverty.

• Mindfulness: A potential lifeboat for middle school students?

  Thursday, October 31, 2019

  Daniel was feeling anxious before an exam at school, but he paused and used the three breaths technique to get centered and settle his nerves before starting. When he got his test results, he seemed surprised — he’d expected a D or C but got a B — simply from being more grounded and calmer, shares Daniel’s instructor, mindfulness and emotional intelligence coach Janet Fouts. New evidence from two recent studies strengthens the argument in favor of mindfulness practice for young people. While earlier research has shown that mindfulness training has a positive effect on the adult brain, its impact on young developing brains was unknown — until now.

• Innovative programs help pharmacists prepare for cold and flu season

  Wednesday, October 23, 2019

  As temperatures cool, days shorten and store aisles fill with holiday displays, pharmacists in the Northern Hemisphere know cold and flu season is imminent. Pharmacies are perhaps best known for their key role in preventing infections and reducing transmission of influenza by dispensing flu immunizations. Pharmacists can also make a positive impact in other methods of infection prevention, symptom management, patient self-care, and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS).

• Surveys: High school graduates need more life skills, less test prep

  Monday, October 14, 2019

  Real-world skills warrant more emphasis in high school claim students, employers, parents and other adults in three nationwide surveys conducted this June. While 83% of the students surveyed do plan to go to college, they’d like to see less focus on college-entry exams and more on practical skills like personal finance and tax preparation. The surveys, funded by the Kansas City, Missouri-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, polled a demographically diverse sampling of over 2,000 people from across the country.

• Research-backed tips for getting your content noticed on LinkedIn

  Monday, October 07, 2019

  The potential for leveraging relationships on LinkedIn is still on the upswing — with a 145% increase in users last year, LinkedIn’s growth topped all other social media networks. LinkedIn experts agree that creating quality content is one of the best ways to increase your visibility and build credibility on the network. You can showcase your leadership, expertise and personality by posting status updates and writing articles as well as engaging with other people’s posts. Here are some tips based on recent research for creating content people want to read and share.

• 5 tips for a greener school year

  Wednesday, September 25, 2019

  On Sept. 20, around 4 million people took to the streets worldwide as part of the largest youth-led climate strike to date. Whether you were there or at work, here are five practical tips to help ride the momentum of this historic event to create a greener classroom, school building or entire district. "If you’re not sure where to start, look at what other schools are doing," says Robert Whiteman, field studies teacher at Costa Verde International School in Sayulita, Mexico.

• Why doctors prescribe more opioids at the end of the day

  Thursday, September 12, 2019

  More opioid prescriptions were written for patients seeing their primary care provider toward the end of the day, according to a study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Time pressure influencing doctors’ clinical decision-making is a long-standing concept, yet little empirical research has examined its validity or magnitude, write the researchers of the study Hannah Neprash, Ph.D., and Michael Barnette, MD. Specifically, they examined how appointment timing affects prescribing for patients with pain.

• Building the right audience for your LinkedIn content

  Tuesday, September 03, 2019

  Decision-makers look for high-quality content on LinkedIn. Recent data analysis by LinkedIn demonstrates that key audiences — the C-suite, executives, small- to midsize-business owners, and IT leaders — hunger for good content. In ranking the top-followed companies, LinkedIn found that reputable publications like Forbes and TED Talks were second only to big tech companies. This study makes clear that if you’re a professional, LinkedIn is the place to be recognized for your expert content. But to make the most powerful impact, the right people must see your posts. Here’s how to build that audience.

• Study: For teens and depression, not all screens are created equal

  Thursday, August 08, 2019

  Depression is a serious concern for adolescents and those who live and interact with them. A Canadian study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics on July 15 reveals sound evidence that adolescents who spend more time engaged in certain screen activities suffer increased depression. The study adds clarifying evidence to prior research linking increasing teenage depression with technology use. It was also unique in that it distinguished between four types of screen use.

• Avoid these 5 mistakes with your LinkedIn profile

  Wednesday, July 31, 2019

  Any professional can benefit from having a profile on LinkedIn. Beyond being the place to be for job seekers and recruiters, happily employed people are taking advantage of the platform to gain recognition and to network. Statistics back up claims that LinkedIn is a B2B gold mine — and is where most Fortune 500 decision-makers and executives like to spend their spare time. Over 80% of lead generation from social media comes from LinkedIn, according to Hootsuite. In 2018, 93% of B2B marketers called it the most effective social media site.

• Yoga tips to help fitness clients, athletes achieve better posture

  Wednesday, July 17, 2019

  Most people hiring a fitness coach aren’t thinking about improving their posture. Maybe they should be. Research-based literature over the last decade increasingly shows how much posture affects one’s mood, outlook on life, confidence level, and physical health. Techniques from the yoga world can help fitness professionals incorporate spinal alignment techniques into the packages they offer clients — which may even boost clients’ motivation to reach their fitness goals.

• Study: Cannabis use may help consumers avoid opioids

  Wednesday, July 10, 2019

  Cannabis use for symptom relief among recreational users may help diminish opioid consumption, promise results of a study published recently in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. A staggering 88% of adults who had been taking opioids for pain relief reported that they had reduced or completely eliminated opioid use in favor of cannabis. The research was based on an anonymous survey of 1,000 adult-use-only cannabis dispensary customers conducted as part of a customer feedback program at two retail outlets of a Colorado cannabis dispensary organization.

• Emphasizing creativity, living role models boost girls’ interest in STEM

  Tuesday, July 09, 2019

  For the first time, the number of female college graduates in the labor force has surpassed that of their male counterparts, per a new Pew Research Center analysis of 2019 first-quarter data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet, the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs remains steady and below 30%. To shed light on how we as educators can help shift these stats, I spoke with international educator and STEM author Erin Twamley. Here are some of her strategies that empower female students.

• Simple tips to refresh, refocus your mind before returning to school

  Wednesday, July 03, 2019

  Whether summer break for you includes travel or just a change in routine, you can increase your enjoyment of it with these simple mindfulness practices. Beyond a multitude of health benefits associated with mindfulness, it is basically an attitudinal shift that promotes greater satisfaction with life. The objective of any mindfulness technique is to maintain a state of alert, focused relaxation by deliberately paying attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment. This allows the mind to refocus on the present moment.

• Overcoming obstacles to teaching about climate change

  Monday, June 24, 2019

  A radio program, entitled "Teaching Climate Change: Push and Pull," aired on April 23 on Washington, D.C.'s WAMU-FM immediately following the release of a new NPR/Ipsos poll showing that teaching climate change in schools is supported by over 80% of teachers in the U.S. Teachers backing climate change education may not surprise you — what's alarming is the gap between support for it and its prevalence in K-12 schools around the country. The nationally representative poll of 505 teachers showed 86% in favor of climate change education — yet only 42% actually teach it.

• Pharmacists’ role in promoting patient safety through deprescribing

  Wednesday, June 12, 2019

  Pharmacists are obviously key players in prescribing medications. Now, as medication-related harm impacts aging populations, these same pharmacists are being called to take on an equally crucial role in the deprescribing process. Deprescribing is the planned and supervised identification and reduction or discontinuation of unnecessary, inappropriate or ineffective medications. It is a viable route to consider for patients who are suffering from a number of maladies, including polypharmacy, adverse drug reactions, ineffective treatment, falls, or when the goals of treatment have changed, note medical researchers from the Centre for Education and Research on Ageing at the University of Sydney.

• Noise: An invisible danger in sports and recreation

  Monday, June 10, 2019

  While most people wouldn’t think twice about wearing hearing protection at a noisy workplace, it’s easy to forget that noise can be equally damaging when we’re at play. Many things we do for leisure can put us at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Dangerously high noise levels are inherent in sports involving ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles. Interestingly, excessive noise isn’t always just produced by the machinery being used.

• Circus arts: Building more than a spectacular show

  Monday, June 03, 2019

  Dramatic music and theatrical lighting set the mood as three silvery, besparkled, nymph-like creatures move their limbs, twist, twirl and drop in perfectly timed synchronicity suspended in the air above you. You could easily be at Cirque de Soleil in Las Vegas or Cancun. Yet when the performers glide off the trapeze and step before the audience to take a bow, you notice their proud, shining young faces — they’re children! Actually, you have just witnessed a number in the annual fundraising show for Circo de los Niños in the small Mexican village of San Pancho.

• Teens and noise-induced hearing loss: Educating to a growing problem

  Thursday, May 16, 2019

  Young people love loud music, and they’re not alone. As adults, how many of us take the edge off a long rush hour commute by blasting music in the car? Or motivate ourselves at the gym or while working around the house by listening to tunes on our personal stereo system? The attraction to loud music is of increasing concern to audiologists, who are seeing more cases of hearing loss linked to noise at younger ages.

• Is hearing well in one ear enough? A look at unilateral hearing loss

  Tuesday, May 07, 2019

  Not being able to hear so well in one ear shouldn’t significantly affect school performance nor social development for a child since the other ear functions properly. Right? Wrong. The mistaken belief that a hearing deficit in one ear or unilateral hearing loss (UHL) is no big deal has been shown by research to have dire consequences for children when they reach school age and adolescence. Prevailing misinformation about mild hearing loss has prevented many children who would have benefited from intervention.

• Audiologists address the gaps in newborn hearing loss screenings

  Tuesday, April 23, 2019

  A child’s ability to hear and distinguish sounds is a critical component in his or her early language development. Unlike other deficits in the speech-language-learning realm that have a birth to 3 years old early intervention window, the critical window is much smaller for infants born with hearing loss. "If a child can’t hear, that child can’t communicate," emphasizes Jennifer Phelan, AuD, CCC-A, specialist in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss in children at the Center for Audiology, Speech, Language and Learning at Northwestern University.

• Pediatricians key for critical early intervention in speech, language impairments

  Thursday, April 11, 2019

  School and social successes hinge more on language ability than any other factor for the vast majority of children. Pediatricians and family doctors who have regular contact with infants and their parents are uniquely positioned to help identify young children who demonstrate delayed development within the speech, language and hearing realm. A quick referral to a corresponding specialist for evaluation can make the difference between these infants and toddlers experiencing years of struggle and having the tools to navigate the normal challenges of childhood.

• The baffling nature of auditory processing disorders

  Thursday, March 14, 2019

  Unlike many deficits that fall under the umbrella of audiology, auditory processing disorders are not diagnosed during infancy, toddlerhood or even the early school years. In fact, most audiologists wait until age 7 to make a definitive diagnosis. This is due to the child's neural pathways not being sufficiently mature to make a full evaluation prior to this age, explains Tracy Hagan Winn, audiologist at the Northwestern University Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning in Evanston, Illinois.

• When someone you know stutters: Invaluable advice from a specialist

  Wednesday, February 27, 2019

  While young children may not even notice that they stutter, as they get older, living with this speech fluency disorder becomes increasingly stressful for many. "Stuttering is a disorder that comprises many elements, some that are very specific to the individual, so it’s critical that it's accurately diagnosed and managed through treatment," says pediatric speech and language pathologist Amy Sindelar, a specialist in stuttering as well as language delays and disorders. Speaking in front of the class, meeting new teachers or classmates, eating at restaurants and socializing at events have been reported to Sindelar as difficult speaking situations by some of the young people who have been in treatment for stuttering with her.

• 4 keys to successful intervention for children with speech, language and hearing difficulties

  Tuesday, February 19, 2019

  Many deficits in the area of speech, language and hearing are progressive. This is why Amy Sindelar, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, believes so strongly in looking out for those early red flags in children under 3 years old. "The earlier you can get started in therapy the better," says Sindelar, who is an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University and is on staff as a speech and language pathologist at Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois. "Research supports that early detection has a positive impact on long-term prognosis so it’s important to catch issues in the critical window of opportunity."

• Weaving MLK’s teachings throughout a class curriculum

  Friday, February 01, 2019

  Teacher Austin Crowder does not wait until MLK Day in January to present the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to his high school students. In fact, he introduces "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" when students return to the classroom in August. Crowder shares his own reasons for intentionally initiating his semester-long government course at a public charter school in South Memphis, Tennessee, with King’s letter. "I could easily start the class with 'British philosophy on governance,' which would be fine," explains Crowder. "But I think it's important for students to see that this class goes beyond its content."

• Project transforms the perception of religion in classrooms around the nation

  Thursday, January 03, 2019

  From reading Martin Luther King’s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" to analyzing artwork at the Art Institute of Chicago, students around the nation are embarking on educational activities from a new religious studies-informed angle. Thanks to the Religious Literacy Project (RLP) at Harvard Divinity School, which guides teachers in incorporating a constitutionally sound approach to presenting the interplay between culture and religion, students are developing better understanding of how the multiple facets of religion influence human experience.

• A look inside 2 distinct high school religion classes

  Wednesday, December 12, 2018

  The two teachers interviewed for this article both mentioned wisdom as a quality they envisioned or witnessed their high school students moving towards as they engage in the study of religion. Interestingly, their teaching approaches and subject matter are strikingly different. One teaches at a public high school and the other at a private institution that encompasses primary through high school. Nonetheless, both use the study of religion in ways that have the potential to impact how these young people interact in the world.

• Collegiate athletes encounter new career possibilities

  Tuesday, December 04, 2018

  While over 480,000 students in the United States participate in college sports per NCAA estimates, the odds of a collegiate athlete attaining professional or Olympic status are extremely low. Baseball players have the best chance to make a career of their sport with a 9.1 percent conversion rate between college and professional levels. The percentage is closer to 1.5 for college football players and even lower for those who play basketball, volleyball and soccer. Still, college students have plenty to gain from the time and effort they invest in playing on a college team.

• Pharmacists well-positioned to support individuals living with dementia

  Tuesday, November 27, 2018

  Each year 7.7 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed worldwide. In the United States alone, age-related dementia affects at least 5 million people — a number expected to rise in upcoming years as life expectancy increases and more baby boomers age. The high percentage of the population affected — around 1 in every 6 people aged 80 years and older — makes dementia something that medical professionals across all sectors will undoubtedly encounter. Healthcare professionals and pharmacists who are person-centered in their approach will be able to provide much more effective care for this growing population.

• Confronting religious bias with education

  Friday, November 16, 2018

  Hate-spurred tragedies like the recent Pittsburgh synagogue massacre make religion-related aggression in the U.S. difficult to deny. However, the increase in the subtler harassment children face at school based on the religion their families practice can more easily slip below the radar. Anti-Semitic incidents in schools jumped a staggering 94 percent in 2017 — with 457 incidents reported by the Anti-Defamation League — making K-12 schools the place where the most such incidents occurred last year.

• Umbrella skills for expressive language

  Tuesday, October 23, 2018

  Can you say "Kwuggerbug?" Not knowing how to rhyme and change first sounds of words would put Dr. Seuss readers at a loss. Fortunately — thanks to their phonology skills — successful readers possess the ability to break an unfamiliar (or in this case a nonexistent) word into parts and to rhyme an unfamiliar syllable with a familiar one to sound out words they’ve never seen previously. Phonology, a set of expressive skills needed for learning to read, is the final umbrella skill belonging to the framework we have followed for this series on expressive language from an SLP perspective.

• Social communication from a speech-language perspective

  Tuesday, October 16, 2018

  The ability to adapt language to a specific situation or audience is an important social communication skill. This fact was driven home when interviewing Judith O. Roman, clinical faculty member at Northwestern University’s Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning about pragmatics, otherwise known as social communication. Social communication, or pragmatics, corresponds to the “use” component of the “form-function-use” framework that has created the structure for this exclusive MultiBrief series on expressive language from an SLP perspective.

• Morphology and syntax: Key to successful reading

  Tuesday, October 09, 2018

  Simple sentences are great for social media — but when elementary school children use them exclusively, it could indicate difficulties with morphosyntax, which may be undermining their reading. Continuing with our expressive language series, we turn again to Judith O. Roman, M.A., CCC-SLP, clinical faculty member at Northwestern University’s Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning to answer questions on morphology and syntax. Morphology and syntax correspond to the function component of the "form-function-use" framework for expressive speech that Roman introduced in the first article on semantics, the form component.

• Insights from a speech-language pathologist: Semantics

  Tuesday, October 02, 2018

  Imagine a boy in a classroom who regularly raises his hand to respond to questions, yet when called on hems and haws not knowing what to say. While he claims to have the answer, no one has time to wait for him to come up with it. Meanwhile, other students shout it out and the teacher wonders why he raised his hand in the first place. One viable explanation for the boy’s actions comes from Judith O. Roman, M.A., CCC-SLP, who is a clinical faculty member at Northwestern University’s Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning. In this series, we turn to Roman, an expert in the field of pediatric speech and language pathology, who shares her experience in the area of expressive language.

• Keep production up by avoiding common management mistakes

  Tuesday, September 11, 2018

  Seasonal warehouse work, by nature, draws quite a wide demographic — individuals in transition, college students, teachers, immigrants, rehabilitated offenders, retirees and young people new to the world of work as well those who travel between warehouses as a career. Production and safety are utmost concerns in any warehouse or plant — so managing workers to be highly effective while remaining uninjured tops the list of leadership objectives. While seemingly straightforward, it doesn’t necessarily prove simple in practice, especially when the temporary labor force comprises people with diverse backgrounds and personalities.

• Research documents surprising benefits of prenatal supplements

  Tuesday, August 28, 2018

  Recently published findings from two international follow-up studies show that offspring development may be greatly affected by the vitamin supplements their mothers took when pregnant. This research is likely to open the door to further studies in the area of prenatal supplementation and could eventually influence the vitamins prescribed to pregnant women. In one of the studies, adolescents whose mothers received multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy showed notably higher intellectual development than the offspring of women who took folic acid, according to Chinese researchers.

• Fun with task-based language learning

  Monday, August 13, 2018

  If you’ve studied a new language, you probably remember the moment you learned certain words. For me, it was a day about 20 years ago when I learned the difference between wallet and highway in Spanish. At a bus station in Oaxaca, Mexico, the ticket counter agent explained that my bus was behind schedule and recommended not travelling that day due to something about my wallet, or so I thought. If I’d had a teacher or the right dictionary along, my mistaken assumption would’ve been clear right then.

• Is fitness the right weapon to combat childhood obesity?

  Friday, July 27, 2018

  ​Increasing sedentariness among children around the world makes fighting the problem of childhood obesity even more challenging than ever. In the U.S. alone, more than 12 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 years are obese — one out of every six children, cite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Along with healthier eating, promoting physical activity has been long considered a cornerstone of obesity prevention and treatment. But how much impact do exercise and sports have on this critical issue?

• Are brighter futures through edtech within reach?

  Tuesday, July 24, 2018

  Possibilities for using technology in schools are endless — but the conditions that nurture successful educational technology programs boil down to a handful. Institutions that boast excellent outcomes associated with their high-tech capabilities had three common traits; detailed technology visions and plans, teacher and student involvement in technology planning, and formal evaluation of technology effectiveness. These findings were based on a global survey evaluating 22 evidence-based edtech capabilities.

• A balanced approach to technology in the classroom

  Tuesday, July 17, 2018

  The powerful influence of technology on our lives is not to be taken lightly — and it’s no surprise that educators have strong opinions on its place in our schools. Evidence that educational technologies displace curricular activities that better develop students’ ability to relate to each other, think critically and concentrate were key justifications for low-tech education expressed in the previous article. While some take an extreme stance against technology in schools, many seem to believe it has a place in the education of our children.

• Swimming against the educational tech tide

  Wednesday, July 11, 2018

  "Make learning awesome!" and "Fully capture the attention of all your students!" urge marketing copy for new educational technology offerings. Such products are becoming commonplace in schools around the country — with no end in sight. The school computer and software market is projected to reach $21 billion in sales by the year 2020, reports The New York Times. However, children attending a handful of private schools intentionally bucking this trend will have none of these promised "powerful pedagogical experiences" with technology.

• Pharmacists forge an expanded role in patient-centered care

  Tuesday, June 26, 2018

  Complex patients see their pharmacist an average of 35 times each year — that’s 10 times more than most will visit their primary care physician, according to claims data from the state of North Carolina’s Medicaid care coordination network. As the provider who directly interfaces with the patient most — no one is better positioned to regularly monitor the patient than the pharmacist. Yet while it’s logical that pharmacists perform other vital tasks to manage patient care in addition to dispensing medicine, this not yet the norm in the U.S. healthcare system.

• Why I started reading storybooks to my older students

  Tuesday, June 19, 2018

  ​When I was a preschool teacher, reading to my students daily was a requirement for the school’s ELL program — well-supported by a bin of illustrated storybooks in the classroom. But as I began teaching progressively higher grade levels, the amount I read to them progressively decreased. By the time I was teaching ninth-graders, the storybook bin had disappeared from the classroom and I’d stopped reading story books to my students all together — except for one time.

• Teachers share games that keep students moving — and learning

  Monday, June 11, 2018

  When I recently surveyed ESL and ELL teachers on their favorite games to play with students in class, most of the games recommended involved moving around the classroom or playground. One reason is these activities are most frequently requested by students — who unsurprisingly are attracted to what’s best for their well-being and learning. Among research that backs up what these children seem to know are multiple studies conducted by Terrence Dwyer that show exercise improves academic performance, classroom behavior and social skills.

• Can creativity be taught — and untaught?

  Tuesday, June 05, 2018

  Recently, my husband and I held a toy-making workshop with recycled materials in a primary school. While everything the kids made was brilliant, we both couldn’t help but notice that the lower primary students attempted wilder and more imaginative creations than the upper primary group. The younger students were also more persistent in making seemingly impossible toys hold together—whatever it took. Interestingly, our casual observations align with research conducted 50 years ago by George Land.

• New campaigns challenge early sports specialization

  Wednesday, May 30, 2018

  Four national sports organizations in Canada recently joined forces with the Canadian Olympic Committee in a campaign to encourage young people to play various sports in lieu of only one. In the U.S., the OneSport media campaign to help prevent overuse injuries in young athletes was kicked off this spring by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM). Both initiatives reflect a growing pushback against the trend of early sports specialization that’s involving increasingly younger children.

• Can educators make trade school an easier choice for students?

  Wednesday, May 23, 2018

  In response to soaring higher education costs and widespread shortages of skilled workers to fill jobs, the topic of vocational training has become increasingly popular. The reduced training time and cost of trade school compared to university is a key benefit highlighted by advocates. Why then, despite the obvious benefits, are high school graduates — especially those likely to find a career in the trades fulfilling — still opting for an expensive college education instead of trade school?

• Classical music builds bridges for Gifford, Florida, youth orchestra members

  Tuesday, May 08, 2018

  "More Violins — Brighter Futures." This motto has become a reality for nearly 200 children who have been members of the Gifford Youth Orchestra (GYO) since it was launched in 2003. To give some history, the eastern Florida community of Gifford became home to black Dodgers players during the days of segregation when neighboring Vero Beach was the team’s spring training site. After that, many of the services once found in Gifford dwindled, including music — in all of the schools.

• Research explores arm injuries in young pitchers

  Tuesday, May 01, 2018

  Pitchers accounted for 58.59 percent, or $420 million, of the salary on the MLB disabled list in 2015, as reported in a Forbes article. Elbow injuries led at 21 percent and shoulder injuries followed at 17 percent. For young players, injury statistics can match or even surpass those of the major leagues. Consider a well-publicized report from 2015 showing that players between 15 and 19 years of age accounted for close to 57 percent of the total number of ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction procedures (UCLR) or Tommy John surgeries covered by private-payer insurance between 2007 and 2011. The ramifications for young players may not include such a shocking price tag but are equally serious.

• Games are memorable teaching tools for ESL learners

  Wednesday, April 04, 2018

  ​Children love playing games, particularly during school hours. Yet there's no need for alarm — playing is a good use of students' time. Fun experiences are memorable to the brain, which has been shown to help information stick — an especially important component to ESL learning.

• A new kind of ballet student: Athletes

  Tuesday, March 06, 2018

  ​For most people, the term "ballet student" is likely to conjure up images of thin young girls with their hair combed back in tight buns, puffy pink tutus and matching satin slippers.

• Effectively using news in ESL classrooms

  Wednesday, February 21, 2018

  ​The number of sites featuring news in levels and news for kids attest to its growing popularity as a learning tool — especially in the ESL classroom. Current world affairs make for compelling conversation starters, and news reports provide authentic examples of how the English language is used in broadcasting this information. For the language learner, the ability to comprehend the facts in a real news story — whether written or spoken — is a big step in employing their second language in everyday life.

• Identifying life purpose helps teens in career path exploration

  Thursday, February 08, 2018

  ​By the time most children reach their teenage years, they've heard the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" more times than they care to remember. How can educators support students explore this question at a time when the future holds little certainty?

• Mindfulness helps exercisers keep their commitment

  Thursday, January 18, 2018

  It's mid-January. How are doing with your New Year's resolutions? Perhaps like many people you resolved to exercise more during 2018. Or maybe you no longer make resolutions to avoid disappointment after years of falling short on them. Either way, if you really want to increase your level of physical activity this year without fear of failure, there's encouraging news.

• Puzzle reading to engage language learners

  Wednesday, January 10, 2018

  Puzzle or jigsaw reading fuels students' hunger for solving puzzles while developing and reinforcing reading skills — like a glorified word scramble. Transform whole stories into a scramble game that allows students to practice everything from problem-solving and logical thinking to sequencing and communication skills.

• What educators need to know about cluttering

  Monday, December 11, 2017

  Valerie Savana suffered low self-esteem throughout her school career largely because classmates and even teachers stopped listening when they couldn't understand her fast-paced, irregular speech.

• Discussion brings literature to life

  Wednesday, December 06, 2017

  Like complementary colors across from each other on the artist's color wheel, reading and speaking complement each other in the ESL classroom. They are opposites in terms of one being receptive and the other productive — an ideal pairing that leads to complete, balanced language learning.

• Warming up and cooling down: What does new research tell us?

  Tuesday, November 28, 2017

  ​What keeps athletes and weekend warriors in the game has a great deal to do with what happens before and after their "real" workout or competition. New research shows that longer, more intense warmups may be key to reducing injuries a whopping 40 percent for sports like soccer and basketball. On the other hand, some popular post-exercise recovery techniques don't hold up to scientific scrutiny.

• Education plays only a small part in economic success

  Tuesday, November 14, 2017

  ​Most of us were brought up to believe that education is the key that opens the door to a better future. Whether this is true depends in part on how one defines a better future. If we're just talking about upward mobility and earning power, it is not a given that education leads to greater financial success, according to a growing body of research.

• Incorporating drama in the language classroom

  Wednesday, November 08, 2017

  ​Imagine a practically foolproof way to captivate your English language students while giving them the opportunity to actively practice pronunciation, intonation, sentence structure and real-world language.

• Do education spending cuts spell trouble for the country?

  Thursday, November 02, 2017

  ​President Donald Trump's proposed ​$9.3 billion cut to the federal education budget in May has angered concerned citizens as well as many educators. The logic is that less investment in education translates into a bleak future for today's youth, especially in marginalized areas.

• Our brains are wired to forget — How does that affect language learning?

  Wednesday, October 25, 2017

  ​Recent research shows our brains are wired to forget information. This may not sound like great news to ESL teachers whose job is to help students acquire a whole new language. Yet better understanding of the dynamics behind forgetting gives us valuable insight on to how to work with — not against — the brain in the language classroom.

• How equine therapy can help in schools

  Tuesday, October 03, 2017

  ​In the aftermath of devastating floods in Newcastle, Australia, many children in the area showed signs of low self-esteem and disconnectedness, according to youth worker Lisa Dyer. Inspired by a program used following massive bushfires, Dyer began doing equine therapy with these young people to help them heal emotional wounds.

• Comic strips and language learners

  Wednesday, September 27, 2017

  One of the joys of Sunday mornings when I was young was ruffling through the hefty Sunday newspaper to snatch out the comics before anyone else in the family got them. The colorful illustrations with their mini stories of humor, suspense and drama seduced me unwittingly into reading.

• Food and lifestyle choices affect knee pain

  Thursday, September 14, 2017

  Keeping your knees pain-free may have as much to do with what you eat as what you do. Ever since my running days some decades ago, I have had reoccurring knee pain and seen my share of specialists. A few years ago, walking became so painful that I had several months of physical therapy and have been consistent with the strengthening routine my therapist prescribed ever since.

• Can exercise help ESL students learn English?

  Wednesday, August 30, 2017

  ​Too busy to learn a new language? Try taking your language lessons to the gym! No, this isn’t the latest "multitask for success" tip — working out while you study has actually been proven to improve memorization and retention of new vocabulary.

• Finding the proper place for the arts in education: Media arts

  Monday, August 21, 2017

  ​So far in this article series, we have looked at art disciplines that have existed in one form or another for ages — some even predating written history. The legacy of these arts gives them a power that we as humans can feel when we engage in them, whether by creating our own works or experiencing the creations of other artists.

• Finding the proper place for the arts in education: Music

  Thursday, August 10, 2017

  ​Music's positive effect on brain development has been researched and documented more than any other art form — from increased intelligence and higher SAT scores to better listening skills and greater self-esteem.

• Can watching movies be a legitimate language lesson?

  Wednesday, August 09, 2017

  ​I can't count the times I've walked into my high school language class to hear students ask, "Can we watch a movie today?" I laugh and move on to the lesson planned, the same as when they ask, "Can we just sleep today?" To me, it's the same question.

• The shoulder dilemma: So versatile, yet so prone to injury

  Friday, August 04, 2017

  The shoulder is the body's most mobile joint area. It allows humans to do amazing things like move their arms gracefully in complex patterns, pull their bodies up a steep rock face or power a ball at blazing speeds. It also lets people do ordinary things like shrug, take food out of the freezer and make a bed.

• Finding the proper place for the arts in education: Drama

  Thursday, August 03, 2017

  Like the rest of the arts, participating in drama serves as a weapon against ignorance and gives young people tools that enable them to think and act for themselves in their lives.

• Finding the proper place for the arts in education: Dance

  Thursday, July 27, 2017

  Dance, defined as movements of the body that are expressive rather than purely functional, has existed as long as we have. Using the body to express feelings, sensations and emotions is the oldest form of human communication — uniting communities, emulating and honoring natural cycles, celebrating harvests and hunts, and signaling rites of passage.

• Finding the proper place for the arts in education: Visual arts

  Thursday, July 20, 2017

  Works of art — whether abstract or literal depictions of reality — expand the mind. Nonverbal by nature, visual art erases barriers allowing communication to flow unhindered by nationality or language. Both creating and viewing art are ways of spending time that cause no harm and make life as a human meaningful. It follows that young people should have significant exposure to visual art as part of their education.

• Finding the proper place for the arts in education: Intro

  Tuesday, July 11, 2017

  President Donald Trump's proposal to ax the National Endowment for the Arts from the U.S. national budget this spring alarmed the world and drew special attention to the arts. While funding ended up being increased for the fiscal year and the threat postponed until 2018, the question remains: Are the arts worth investing in as a nation?

• Becoming a better teacher by being a student again

  Thursday, June 22, 2017

  ​In my free time, I’m taking a sewing class at a government-run trade prep school here in Mexico. As we approached the end of the term, the instructor asked to see the completed school uniform she’d assigned at the beginning of the term. Not a single student answered responded, and the teacher left the room without another word. It struck me how similar that scenario was to my interaction with my high school English students when it comes to their follow-through on assignments.

• Virtual reality: A hit for fans, players alike

  Wednesday, June 21, 2017

  America’s favorite pastime has suddenly become easier to experience virtually with the launch of two innovative, high-tech Major League Baseball viewing options. Recently, baseball fans were delivered their first live-streaming "game of the week" in virtual reality. As part of a three-year agreement between MLB and Intel, viewers wearing VR headsets can get close to the field, so to speak, and select the perspective they want watch the game from, reports USA Today. However, virtual reality isn’t just for spectators.

• How music and songs boost language learning

  Wednesday, June 14, 2017

  If you've ever studied a new language, you know how overwhelming it can be to absorb all that new vocabulary, pronounce things right and correctly use the grammar. Singing a language can make it easier to learn, according to research that found people who sang words or short phrases from a foreign language instead of speaking them were twice as good at remembering them later.

• Despite challenges, songs add value to the high school ESL classroom

  Wednesday, May 31, 2017

  ​In a recent discussion with my high school ESL students about music, I asked them to relate experiences where music was used to help teach them an academic subject in school. Nearly everyone had something to say about how important music was in their lives — as a way to concentrate, shift their mood, shut out the world, or make them dance. But when it came to education, about all they mentioned was the ABC song and rhythm to teach multiplication in a Waldorf school.

• Don’t let wrist pain sideline your game

  Thursday, May 18, 2017

  ​If you've ever injured or experienced soreness in your wrist, you know how debilitating it is. Simple tasks like turning a door knob or buttoning clothes can trigger pain — just imagine what a wrist injury could do to your workout routine or playing schedule. To avoid being sidelined by a bad wrist, here's a look at how problems start in this joint and how to sidestep them.

• Don’t forget to exercise your face

  Tuesday, April 25, 2017

  ​These muscles work hard but don't carry, lift or move the body. Learning to exercise and relax these muscles can take years off your look, reduce chronic headaches and bring ease to your body and mind. Though it's easy to forget about them, they're visible to everyone you meet.

• 10 years later: How are we doing with bullying?

  Monday, April 17, 2017

  ​In 2007, a group of students distributed pink shirts in solidarity with a boy who was bullied for wearing one to school in Canada. This event — which served as the original impetus for special days dedicated to raising awareness and uniting against bullying that take place around the world — led to the United Nations official designating of May 4 as Anti-Bullying Day.

• The case for space: An inspiration for learning in the stars

  Thursday, March 16, 2017

  The excitement surrounding the discovery of the Trappist-1 solar system announced by NASA on Feb. 22 speaks to the allure that space still holds for modern humans. Despite the exploration that's taken place in the last 80 years, the universe is full of mystery, as it was for ancient civilizations.

• Students and fake news: Educators breathe hope into bleak diagnosis

  Friday, March 10, 2017

  It’s easy for parents and teachers to be wowed by the tech savvy of today’s "neo-digital" natives. Yet, while the typical millennial student can work the most complicated phone and has got a finger on the pulse of social media and the newest apps and games, recent research out of Stanford University shows a gaping hole in their digital competence — namely in their ability to discern what online information is credible and what’s not.

• A surprising new use of virtual reality — Teaching empathy

  Thursday, March 02, 2017

  "It is exciting to consider what could be accomplished if the power of virtual reality were harnessed for education rather than gaming; if developers turned their resources away from creating games that teach children how to steal cars and kill people and toward allowing them to explore history, science, art and other subjects in innovative new ways," wrote Charles Sahm, director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute, in US News and World Report back in October.

• Preparing students for critical thinking: Incorporating metacognition

  Thursday, February 23, 2017

  Hand-in-hand with critical thinking, incorporating metacognition consciously in the classroom has been proven to promote the development of a growth mindset — while empowering students with strategies to help themselves learn better. Metacognition goes far beyond its common definition "thinking about thinking" to encompass observation and analysis of one's thinking, its application to learning objectives and the employment of strategies for obtaining these objectives.

• Preparing students for critical thinking: Challenges and strategies

  Thursday, February 16, 2017

  "Critical thinking is not a set of skills that can be deployed at any time, in any context. It is a type of thought that even 3-year-olds can engage in — and even trained scientists can fail in" — Dan Willingham, psychology professor at the University of Virginia.

• Preparing students for critical thinking: Foundational skills

  Tuesday, February 07, 2017

  There is a great deal of discussion among teachers on how to get students to reason and think critically — and for good reason. With well-developed critical thinking, learners can better scrutinize information they encounter, think flexibly and make informed decisions instead of jumping to conclusions. These abilities are crucial both in and outside school especially as they mature and become immersed in a world full of complexities.

• Should English as lingua franca influence language teaching?

  Wednesday, January 11, 2017

  Today, the vast majority of the English spoken around the world is not between native speakers — in actuality, only about 25 percent involves L1 speakers. Such use of English as a contact language between people who don't have the same mother tongue and often share no other language is referred to as English as lingua franca (ELF). It is currently the most prevalent way English is used globally and becoming more so each year.

• Mathematical modeling: Coming soon to a school near you

  Thursday, December 08, 2016

  ​In a May Multibriefs Exclusive article, former math teacher Brian Stack wrote about the urgent need to revamp the approach to math instruction to meet both the needs of our future economy and the large number of students who find it a struggle. As a mother of two school-age girls who claim to hate math — as do their friends — I worry about their automatic shunning of a subject with such far-reaching implications. Can math education be improved? How? Is there a way to make it exciting and pertinent for younger students?

• Optimizing student success with differentiated instruction

  Monday, November 28, 2016

  Many teachers recognize that students are motivated when working on assignments they find sufficiently challenging — ones that are neither too far beyond their grasp nor overly simple. Now, neuroscience backs what these teachers witness daily in their classrooms, as recent findings show that the brain has an internal rewards system and one of the things it praises itself for is the act of understanding something new. This means there’s an intrinsic motivation for students when they comprehend previously unknown subject matter.

• Focus on the 4 basic language skills: Productive

  Wednesday, November 02, 2016

  Considering all four basic language skills, the majority of students and teachers I surveyed claimed the productive skills — especially speaking — were more difficult than the receptive skills when beginning to learn English. These receptive skills, reading and listening, were highlighted in Part I of this article. Now, let's take a look at speaking and writing, the two productive language skills.

• Focus on the 4 basic language skills: Receptive

  Wednesday, October 26, 2016

  Why do some English learners struggle with reading and listening? How can we support them in navigating these receptive language skills? Let's take a closer look at these two basic language skills.

• The play debate: Primary and beyond

  Friday, October 14, 2016

  ​Ask primary students what their favorite school subject is and most will say, "Recess!" As adults we may laugh at this response and say, "I meant just real subjects." But it's no joke. Play — on the playground, in the classroom and after school — is still essential to children's mental, emotional and physical well-being at this stage of their lives.

• The play debate: Shouldn’t preschoolers work more at school?

  Friday, September 30, 2016

  ​Play embodies a plethora of activities that activate the child's growth on multiple levels — physical, neurological, emotional, intellectual — all simultaneously. The important role each type of play has in the development of a preschool-aged child ​was addressed in my previous article.

• The play debate: Do preschoolers need more free time?

  Friday, September 16, 2016

  Growing concern about preschool and kindergarten students being ready for the academic rigors they'll face in primary is leading some schools to shift the focus away from activities seen as less fundamental. This frequently translates into reduced time for recess, free play or creative arts; and a larger portion of the school day spent seated in direct instruction.

• Mingles and circles: Dynamic activities to launch the school year

  Monday, August 15, 2016

  Take advantage of your new students' eagerness to socialize by setting up fun, interactive exercises that take into consideration important beginning-of-the-school-year objectives, from student introductions and diagnostic assessment to promoting group unity and inclusive behavior.

• The hidden benefits of a balanced life

  Friday, August 12, 2016

  "Back to school" symbolizes new beginnings for most educators to a degree unmatched by Jan. 1. If, in the New Year's spirit, you were to create a list of resolutions focused on making this school year better than last, would having more balance between work and personal time be on your list? If so, take advantage of the beginning of a new cycle to anchor yourself in an activity just for you.

• For children to be independent thinkers, we must teach autonomy

  Thursday, July 14, 2016

  When I asked junior high students to look back on their school career and describe the assignment that stood out most for them, most named activities where they were in the driver's seat. They claimed having the opportunity to take responsibility for their learning motivated them to achieve their best.