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Inclusive practices to engage all learners
Savanna Flakes EducationHow do you define student engagement? When you think of student engagement, does a visual of every student raising their hand or every student smiling with their computer screen turned on sound familiar? I’ve been working with many school districts on authentic engagement and what it looks and sounds like. Please consider that if the only way to check whether students are engaged in learning is whether their screens are on, we may be missing a lot of opportunities! Engagement includes excitement, motivation, and students immersed in work that has clear meaning and immediate value to them.
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The unique challenges of ESL literacy
Douglas Magrath EducationTeachers may have some students in their class who cannot read or write English. Their home language may have a non-Latin alphabet, or they may not be literate in their home language. Other students’ speaking skills may be at a higher level than their reading and writing ability. Pre-beginning or preliterate learners present a unique challenge to the ESL teacher accustomed to students who can write the Latin alphabet. Should we delay communication functions while teaching the writing system? Or should the learners first study by listening and repeating without using the written language?
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Grade retention: Will it help?
Howard Margolis EducationRetention rarely helps struggling learners, especially those with reading disabilities. I’ll say it again: It rarely helps. It often backfires. Combinations of negative feelings abound: Humiliation, bewilderment, anger, despondency, resentment, despair, and so on. Magnify this by the widespread isolation and anxiety caused by COVID-19 and you have a formula for continued despair, resentment, and turmoil.
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Balancing edtech and digital equity during COVID-19 recovery
Sheilamary Koch EducationLast 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.
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6 strategies for integrating arts-based learning into any subject
Ginger Abbot EducationChildren instinctively take to activities like pantomime and sculpting things out of clay. Arts-based learning takes advantage of their natural tendencies to make the most of their creativity. However, when it comes to how to integrate arts into other subjects, teachers sometimes overlook the power of such activities. Here are six strategies for arts integration in education to add to your lesson plans today.
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Infographic: How to become an entrepreneur
Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIf you go back a few generations in time, entrepreneurs were not all about the glitz and glamor of today. It was actually a looked down upon profession. So, what’s changed in the world? Entrepreneurship only works properly with a contract with society to succeed.
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‘Please give me my space:’ A school counselor’s perspective
Sweety Patel EducationI want you to think back to when you were a student and you walked into your school counselor’s office. What do you remember about his/her office? Do you remember the walls, the furniture, the seating arrangement, the atmosphere? Was there something really unique about the counselor’s space that moved you somehow? Oftentimes when we are learning how to be school counselors, we are very focused on the interaction between the student and us. We do not always think about the surroundings, and a lot of times we feel there is not much time to, either.
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Who is checking on the mental health of our school leaders?
Brian Stack EducationRemember when you were a child at the amusement park, and the ride operator said if you want to get off the ride all you have to do is wave? Well, I’ve been waving furiously for several months and yet some days it seems no one is coming to my rescue. I am sure I am not alone. Being a school leader is tough enough but doing so in a pandemic starts to take its toll on us as professionals and as human beings. Who is checking on the mental health of our school leaders during this challenging time? I hope all of you reading this can recognize if and when you need help and know the signs of when to reach out to your fellow school leaders.
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10 ways to make a positive first impression at a new job
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementFirst impressions are lasting impressions. Every new employee is under intense scrutiny as hiring managers and HR attempt to evaluate each new hire’s potential. Impressing in a series of interviews and during the selection process was only the preliminaries. Every new employee starts out at exactly the same place in the job, since there is no performance track record to view, no known bad habits, and an equal opportunity to excel. Here are 10 ways to stand out and make a great first impression during your onboarding period.
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Technology transformation: From avoidance to advocacy
Angela Cleveland EducationWhat did you want to be when you grew up? As a child, did you dream of being an astronaut, a doctor, or a teacher? How closely does your childhood dream connect with your current career? As my life went on, I thought I could follow my career goals and wouldn’t need to use technology if I pursued a career as a school counselor. I felt like I finally landed in the right spot. I dove into school counseling and loved the work I was doing with my students. But, I soon faced some professional challenges that made me question how I could continue to meet the needs of my students.
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