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Reflections from a school leader: What I’m thankful for in 2020
Brian Stack EducationI hope you all had the opportunity to celebrate, in some small way, the Thanksgiving holiday this past week. As we enter the season of giving this month, we will all need to make some adjustments and concessions to our “normal” celebration routines during the holiday season as a result of the challenges brought to us by the pandemic. This fall, as an educational leader, there is no shortage of things to be thankful about. Here are the top two things that made my list this year, thanks to the pandemic.
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Remote instruction: The importance of interest, attention, and memory
Howard Margolis EducationBefore COVID-19 ravaged the nation, countless struggling learners had a problem. They quickly forgot whatever was taught. Today, the problem continues. Some are bored; they give little if any thought to what’s taught. Others attend diligently but focus on the wrong information. And when they focus on the right information, they can’t remember much. The reason is simple: They don’t know how to remember. Now, in the era of COVID-19’s isolation and remote instruction, these problems have intensified. Teachers (and parents) are finding it increasingly difficult to create and sustain struggling learners’ interest and focus.
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Designing for celebrities: How career and technical education teachers…
Sheilamary Koch EducationTeaching any subject is tough these days. But imagine the effect of remote and hybrid learning on woodworking and other career and technical education (CTE) classes. As industrial arts teacher Tim Zavacki puts it, “You can’t exactly send bandsaws home with kids!” Here’s how teachers have kept student motivation high and even discovered silver linings as they maneuver within whatever parameters their schools are operating under.
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Learning disabilities, ADHD, and the psychopharmacologist
Dr. Lance Steinberg EducationAbout one-third of individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities have also been diagnosed with ADHD. The treatment of ADHD, particularly with the use of medication, has proven to be extraordinarily successful and unbelievably beneficial to the quality of life for the great majority of people. This article will provide a substantial understanding to the psychopharmacology of ADHD. Although the FDA has designated very specific medications that have been indicated for ADHD, the use of these medicines off label may, in fact, be helpful to those individuals with and without ADHD. This was demonstrated as far back as the 1940s.
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A look at the benefits of getting an MBA
Amanda Kowalski Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn business, sometimes it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. You work hard, but so do a lot of your co-workers — and they are looking to get ahead just like you are. Maybe an extra degree will push you over the top for that promotion. According to U.S. News & World Report, the National Association of Colleges and Employers say that the average starting salary for Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates is $79,043, more than $20,000 higher than those graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business. And it’s not just the first year that salaries are higher for MBA grads. The returns multiply over time like any good investment.
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How COVID-19 has changed what’s needed in ed tech
Bambi Majumdar EducationSchools around the world quickly pivoted to online learning when COVID-19 struck. Distance learning remains the key strategy to maintain instructional continuity in the face of massive uncertainties. K-12 school leaders are continuing to provide the best instruction platforms to avert public health risks. However, many experts feel that the pandemic has changed the nature of K-12 education forever. Let's take a closer look at the issues that can be addressed with technology.
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Grading what matters most
Brian Stack EducationIn a recent article, Edutopia’s Stephen Merrill asked a pivotal question that every educator needs to ask themselves right now: "In schools, are we measuring what matters?" Merrill reports out on a recent interview he conducted with educator Angela Duckworth, a champion for the push to include non-academic skills and dispositions in assessment, grading, and reporting plans. Duckworth is best known for her 2016 bestselling book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance." The book raised questions and concerns from fans and critics on whether the concept of grit was a skill that should be measured by schools.
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Why cultural understanding is essential: Part 5
Douglas Magrath EducationCulture is an important element for any ESL program, and instructors need to be aware of learners’ cultures as they work with international students. New students may feel isolated, especially if no one else from their country is in the program or school. Language teaching, including ESL/ESOL, should include a cultural component. Language and culture go together. Sometimes culture is missing from the curriculum. This represents a missed opportunity for student engagement: Without cultural contexts, students are robbed of a full and engaging language learning experience.
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How water helps boost student mental health
Sheilamary Koch and Ayla Reguero Koch EducationMost of us have experienced times when an ocean, river rapids, a waterfall or a very cold swimming pool has demanded our attention or inspired awe. Water is indeed a powerful force of nature. However, it’s not commonly thought of as part of the educator’s toolkit (unless perhaps you’re teaching Montessori or marine biology). This article may change your mind. Oceans and water in general can be used by educators to benefit student learning both as a mindfulness tool and a boost to brain functioning.
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US payrolls add 638,000 jobs; unemployment rate drops to 6.9%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementU.S. employers added 638,000 nonfarm jobs in October, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. October’s rate of unemployment fell to 6.9% from September’s 7.9% and August’s 8.4%. The gradual employment improvement is a result of eased COVID-19 restrictions on social movement and resuming of commerce, though the pandemic remains uncontained and prospects for a vaccine available to the public are unclear. "The number of unemployed persons fell by 1.5 million to 11.1 million," according to the BLS. "Both measures have declined for 6 consecutive months but are nearly twice their February levels."
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