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Exploring the crisis in funding and teachers’ salaries
Bambi Majumdar EducationWhen Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ripped Oklahoma teachers last week for not serving their students, she inadvertently shed light on a problem that is tearing the K-12 system apart. The issue is not the teachers and the missed classes. It is the intrinsic detachment of lawmakers and decision-makers from the reality of our educational needs. Some teachers complained that DeVos has not visited enough schools in underfunded regions and therefore has no idea of what they need.
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Want to boost your brainpower? Check out this research
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareWant to boost your capacity for memory retention, better learning, plus creative thinking and problem-solving? Sure you do! And the good news? The latest scientific research is making it easier to boost your brainpower than ever.
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Focus on paragraph and multiparagraph writing
Erick Herrmann EducationWriting is no simple feat. Teachers help students to build their writing skills over time, starting in kindergarten and continuing over the years. Some would argue that one never truly masters writing, but that one continues to hone their skills over a lifetime.
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What I’ve learned about teaching ukelele
Aileen Miracle EducationThis year, I've embarked on a new journey: teaching ukulele! I've really enjoyed it and have learned a lot my first year, including the following: You don't have to spend a ton of money on ukuleles.
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Summer programs for struggling learners: The parents’ role
Howard Margolis EducationOver the summer, many parents of struggling learners will strive relentlessly to teach their children the reading, writing and mathematics proficiencies they've yet to master. Some of these parents will succeed, but history shows that their efforts will usually backfire, igniting one or a combination of stress, anxiety, resentment, anger, despondence and depression.
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Move when ready: The case for eliminating grade levels
Brian Stack EducationIn a recent EdSurge article, writer Felice Hybert introduces the notion of eliminating grade levels in an effort to better connect classes to careers. Hybert highlighted work in the Kankakee Public Schools in Illinois where elementary students are introduced to a number of career pathways in an effort to start conversations and explorations around career possibilities.
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Games are memorable teaching tools for ESL learners
Sheilamary Koch EducationChildren 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.
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Can ‘buying local’ for K-12 testing improve assessment standards?
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe Iowa House of Representatives recently voted, 94-3, to bring their K-12 testing services in-house or, rather, in-state. Last year, the contract was awarded to Washington, D.C.-based American Institutes of Research (AIR) instead of the University of Iowa testing services, but the bill seeks to bypass this process by using state-run programs.
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Time is running out to turn unproductive students into successful learners
Susan Winebrenner EducationIs this a trick? A joke? Wishful thinking? No, I am completely serious about this. My decades in education have taught me this one inescapable truth: If a student is not learning the way we are teaching her, we must try other strategies.
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Exploring 529 plans and K-12 tuition
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe latest tax overhaul now allows parents to pay for K-12 private school tuition using the money saved in a 529 plan. They can withdraw $10,000 per student per year, starting from the 2018 tax year.
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