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Part 1 of 2: Language development is essential to educational success,…
Shirley Veldhuis EducationLet’s imagine a struggling school district where the new superintendent just received results from the state assessment, which revealed a large percentage of the elementary students were not proficient in reading. She is not alone. Reading proficiency is declining across the state. She thinks about an important book she had read by Dr. Sally Shaywitz, entitled "Overcoming Dyslexia." In one chapter, Dr. Shaywitz discussed the role of Dr. Paul Broca, who established that the root of reading is language and speech. The superintendent repeats this statement — the root of reading is language and speech.
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Do smaller classes reduce performance gaps?
Bambi Majumdar EducationNew research from the University of Minnesota's College of Biological Sciences (CBS) produced some interesting insights for class sizes. The new study points to the impact of class sizes on students' performance. Researchers found that smaller classes can help reduce performance gaps, especially in science or STEM. Data collected from four institutions, which included exam grades and non-exam assessments, show that class sizes not only affect performance, but also have an influence on student attrition.
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Why cultural understanding is essential
Douglas Magrath EducationESL professionals need a basic understanding of the effects of cultural contrast on ESL learners. The percentage of ESL students in public schools is a significant factor. Add to these the international students coming on study visas and the residents in ABE/ESOL programs and one can see how cultural understanding is essential. As I wrote in the first part of this article, the instructor cannot be an expert on every culture but should be aware of some of the more common areas of potential conflict.
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Maximizing learning time while riding the big yellow bus
Brian Stack EducationMy seventh-grade son Brady informed me the other day that with the change to bus routes this year, he is now on the bus for nearly 45 minutes each way to school. At first, I was surprised. We live in a small town of about 10 square miles, and it would take less than 10 minutes to drive from our house to the school. Yet, he was right. He is one of the first students picked up in the morning, and one of the last to be dropped off in the afternoon. Each day, Brady, like millions of other children from coast to coast, deals with one of the great inefficiencies of our education system — bus transportation routes.
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My life with learning disabilities
Amy Temple EducationHi, everyone. Now before I begin, I am going to give you all a head's up and let you know this is not going to be the typical article that you are probably used to reading here, but bear with me... I have quite the story to tell. My name is Amy Temple and I have learning disabilities. I was diagnosed when I was 5 years old, but before that, a few members of the medical community sure did try to figure out what was wrong with me. I mean...there had to be something!
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Selecting the right choral repertoire for your class
Aileen Miracle EducationHave you ever struggled to find the perfect repertoire for your choir concert? In this article, I'm outlining how I select songs for my choir program, to ensure variety, accessibility, and engagement. I was a trumpet player all through school, and before my Kodaly training, I had only been in one semester of choir. Because of this, it has taken me quite a while to feel comfortable selecting repertoire, as well as directing the choir! Here are some questions to ask yourself as you choose choral repertoire.
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Are student labels helpful or harmful?
Erick Herrmann EducationIn every school, students are labeled for a variety of reasons. Consider the students you have or have had in your classroom. Of course, our intent in schools is always to help students learn and make progress so that they can be happy, healthy, productive members of society. To better serve students, we add labels to help us consider the needs of the students and ultimately better meet their needs. However, the labels may serve to ostracize, segregate, or otherwise provide a disservice to our students.
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Department of Education considers armed teachers, Title IX reforms
Michelle R. Matisons Civil & GovernmentSchools are back in session, and we all know what this means. Time to sharpen those pencils, set that alarm clock, and pack your bulletproof backpack up with everything you’ll need, right? Wait! Did you say bulletproof backpack? Earlier this year, after the tragic Parkland, Florida, mass shooting, there was widespread debate immediately on the almost desperate school security situation. Schools perform under mounting pressure to both protect students and staff while also building learning climates that are not ruled by fear. This is not an easy task.
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How asset-based programs help K-12 education
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe focus on asset-based education is growing. Often called strength-based education, this new-age approach seeks to build on the strengths that students already possess. It aims to unlock the inner potential of students by focusing on their talents. Schools and teachers who are adopting this approach believe that asset-based teaching will create lifelong learners who are confident, talented and proactive in their path. The traditional approach has been called the deficit-based style of teaching, which highlights students' inadequacies.
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What to know about teaching to Generation Z
Brian Stack EducationIn any profession, you have to know the audience of the people you work with or serve. As educators, what do we really know about our current students, who are members of Generation Z? How can we use that as school leaders to promote effective instructional strategies to meet their learning needs? To know how to educate them, we have to understand how a Gen Zer is different from a millennial. They are a group that was born in the era of smartphones, and those devices have become more robust with the passage of each year.
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