-
6 ways to start music class
Aileen Miracle EducationPondering the best way to begin music class? In today's post, I'll write with my favorite ways to start a lesson. Please note that there is no right or wrong answer for how to welcome your class. It's totally up to you and what you think is best for your students. You might try changing it up a bit to see which way you like the best!
-
Cryptomining is a new threat to K-12 schools
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe FBI has issued a warning for the nation’s K-12 schools amid the increasing threats to student data privacy. As we rapidly move to all-digital education platforms, cybersecurity attacks on education technology companies have risen. Ed-tech companies and schools must take extra precautions to protect student data. Along with these attacks, increasing instances of cryptomining are posing another new threat to K-12 schools.
-
Culture and L2 learning
Douglas Magrath EducationA positive view of the target culture makes learning the language easier. It helps if the learners identify with the people whose language is under study. Culture and language go together. Cultural understanding is essential for both learners and teachers. Language learning is easier if one has a positive attitude. The instructor cannot be an expert on every culture but should be aware of some of the more common areas of potential conflict. In this article, I will look at some aspects of the cultures of individual countries.
-
How can micro-credentials be used to support teacher training?
Brian Stack EducationEarlier this year, the organization iNACOL released its latest map, charting the rise of policies that support K-12 competency-based education systems in states from coast to coast. By last count, 17 states have earned the status of "advanced," another 13 have reached the "developing" status. Another 18 have entered the "emerging" status. This leaves just two states (Wyoming and California) that have not yet begun their journeys. Competency education operates under the notion that curriculum, instruction, assessment, grading, and reporting are focused on the transfer of skills in and across content areas.
-
Confronting religious bias with education
Sheilamary Koch EducationHate-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.
-
Active reading strategies for English learners
Erick Herrmann EducationTeachers often use the practice of popcorn, or "round-robin," reading strategies in a number of ways. These include cold calling or randomly calling on students to read using sticks with student names on them or by teacher choice, calling on volunteers to read, or having one reader call on another student to begin reading where they left off. However, multiple studies prove that this practice does not work. In fact, round-robin reading likely does more harm than good, especially when utilized with English learners or students who are not proficient readers yet.
-
Differentiation in the music classroom
Aileen Miracle EducationThe term "differentiation" has been used more and more often in education lately. What does it mean? How does it apply to the music room? According to Carol Ann Tomlinson — an expert on differentiation — differentiated instruction is defined as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. So what does this look like in the music classroom? I've heard many music teachers say that differentiation happens naturally in the music room. I agree...to a degree.
-
Utilizing experiential learning in a university context
Jesica Nkouaga EducationI had the privilege of teaching English Language Learners (ELL) in an English Language Program (ELP) at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for two years from 2016 to 2018. I taught a class entitled Special Topics that employed Experiential Learning in the form of field trips and guest speakers, with the objectives of helping students build relationships in the community, find a sense of place, and build practical English skills in the four skill areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The class was taught to beginner- through advanced-level students from a variety of countries, and the class can be adapted to cater to mixed-level abilities.
-
What’s the best way to teach children to read?
Patrick Gleeson EducationThe two most often-used ways of teaching children to read are phonics and whole language. Each of these methods has committed advocates and both teaching methods are currently used, but according to The National Assessment of Educational Progress, more than half of fourth-grade students in the U.S. read below grade-level standards. What are we doing wrong?
-
Does your school facility need a makeover?
Brian Stack EducationDoes your school facility need a makeover? According to this 2012 report by the National Center for Education Statistics, 53 percent of American schools are due for such an upgrade. Upgrades can be done in ways to fit almost any school budget. The key for school principals is to stretch the financial resources they have to provide the biggest rate of return possible to enhance student learning and overall school culture.
All Education Articles