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Make something good happen
Debra Josephson Abrams EducationWhat kind of world do you want to be a part of? While the answer may seem at once easy to conceptualize and ridiculous in its impossibility to implement, there are public and private institutions and organizations accomplishing what too many others dismiss as too…too expensive, too time-consuming, too difficult…too whatever. We can be overwhelmed considering the Herculean tasks before us. However, we can learn that, as internationally acclaimed scholar, ethologist, and environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall asserts, "Act locally first, see that you make a difference — then you dare to think globally."
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Will kids affected by the digital divide be ready for next school year?
Sheilamary Koch EducationA 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.
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How COVID-19 has changed K-12 education
Bambi Majumdar EducationOver 55 million K-12 students have been affected by school closures across the country, impacting 124,000 U.S. public and private schools. Students previously used a blended format for learning, which evolved over the years. Traditional schoolwork and classroom learning were supported by a digital infrastructure and tools like iPads. But in a matter of days, everyone had to shift to 100% online learning. For teachers, this has been an even harder challenge to overcome.
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5 pandemic-friendly ways to prepare neurodiverse college freshmen for success
Alexander Morris-Wood EducationWhen it comes to celebrations, May 1 beats Cinco de Mayo for many high school seniors. May 1 is when many seniors commit to their preferred college. In 2020, however, that celebration stands in COVID-19’s long shadow. A recent survey of fall 2020 prospective parents and students by Maguire Associates, a Massachusetts-based consulting firm that serves educational institutions, found that COVID-19 scuttled their ability to visit campuses before depositing or orientation. Most will enroll despite the uncertainties of what opening day will bring.
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Incorporating the US Census into remote classroom instruction
Brian Stack EducationLike most school principals around the country, earlier this year I received a package in the mail from the U.S. Census. The package contained a toolkit for educators, complete with colorful maps and activity books, designed to help teachers incorporate the U.S. Census into their classroom instruction. There are specific areas for K-12 activities, pre-K materials, ELL/adult ESL resources, maps, videos, and tools that are specific to Puerto Rico and the islands.
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Teaching hints: Listening and speaking
Douglas Magrath EducationListening and speaking go together as parts of overall proficiency. Students need constant practice in both before they can succeed in a classroom with native speakers. Students need to begin work with authentic materials as soon as possible. The trend is now toward authentic texts, radio broadcasts and real lectures for college ESL to promote student learning and interest by stressing communication skills and presenting culture in a natural way. Listening is considered an active skill and is emphasized in today's proficiency-oriented classrooms.
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The retirement elephant in US classrooms
Patrick Gleeson EducationBy now, most Americans know that pension plans in this country have a problem — put simply, many and perhaps most pension funds don't have enough money to pay the pensions they've promised their retirees. The coronavirus has already deeply affected education in K-12 classrooms. Soon, it will also affect the pensions of K-12 teachers across the country. Here's why.
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How COVID-19 affects the school lunch program
Patrick Gleeson EducationIn a couple of earlier articles, I wrote about how the coronavirus threatens U.S. education in general. Here, I'd like to concentrate on one particular aspect of the problem: how the coronavirus will make an already highly unequal K-12 education experience even less equal by depriving the neediest students of what may be their only substantial daily meal.
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COVID-19 leads to rapid e-learning growth in K-12 education
Bambi Majumdar EducationAccording to Education Week, the spread of the coronavirus has forced the closure of at least 124,000 K-12 schools across the country, and learning has gone virtual. While K-12 educators are trying to shift to e-learning in record time and continue teaching, they, along with students, are receiving a lot of help from the K-12 tech industry. Major education technology companies are making their paid services free through the rest of the school year and are even adding premium features to those.
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Helping graduating seniors cope with COVID-19’s impact
Brian Stack EducationThe COVID-19 crisis of 2020, featuring unprecedented calls by states for social distancing and the emergence of remote learning in schools from coast to coast, has left our teens feeling helpless, especially our soon-to-be high school graduates. As educators, we need to help them through this difficult time. Consider the situation through their eyes.
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