-
Listen…do you want to know a secret?
Debra Josephson Abrams EducationAs you learned from my previous article, I’m spending almost a year as an English Language Fellow in Moscow, Russia, where, in late December 2016, I had the great fortune to teach three classes to 10th- and 11th-level students at a distinguished English language school for students from primary through high school. I chose to develop activities whose theme was succeeding in spite of — if not because of — obstacles, and embracing the inevitable challenges that we face.
-
Understanding the new school choice push
Bambi Majumdar EducationPresident Donald Trump’s announcement of a broader school choice initiative has baffled many. His idea is to empower disadvantaged youth from lower-income families so that they have more options than just public schools. On paper, this doesn’t sound too bad. So why is there so much opposition to it? To answer that question, we need to understand the concept of school choice and our education system.
-
Moving beyond ‘drill and kill’ during test prep season
Savanna Flakes Education"Testing season" is right around the corner! As we enter testing season, it is essential that we consider novel and exciting ways to provide students with rigorous review and preparation activities. Research shares that too much time spent solely on verbatim memorization and test-taking skills often neglects high-order thinking skills, creative expression, and student choice in demonstrating mastery.
-
America’s sleep deficiency: When you can’t snooze, you lose
Bob Kowalski Mental HealthcareAmericans seem to be closing their eyes to a problem that's growing, despite exhaustive research into the ramifications. It's time to wake up and smell the coffee: We don't get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep has been declared a "public health problem" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which attributed an increased risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, depression, cancer and reduced productivity to a shortage of shut-eye.
-
A surprising new use of virtual reality — Teaching empathy
Sheilamary Koch Education"It is exciting to consider what could be accomplished if the power of virtual reality were harnessed for education rather than gaming; if developers turned their resources away from creating games that teach children how to steal cars and kill people and toward allowing them to explore history, science, art and other subjects in innovative new ways," wrote Charles Sahm, director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute, in US News and World Report back in October.
-
The theory of language: ESL and phonetics
Douglas Magrath EducationLanguage is what makes us human, and it's something no other creature has. As I wrote in my previous article, ESL instructors need to understand how languages work to be better able to serve the student population. Understanding phonetics will help ESL instructors, especially those who are teaching speaking skills.
-
The evolving role of police in schools
Brian Stack EducationIt is just another typical day at work for police officer Emmanuel "Manny" Fardella, a member of the Cheyenne Police Department in Wyoming. Fardella serves as the school resource officer (SRO) at Cheyenne's South High School. His day, like many who serve in similar roles in schools across America, begins by being visible as kids first enter the school in the morning. He walks the halls, saying hello to staff and students, working to develop positive relationships.
-
Reimagining professional development for today’s classroom
Bambi Majumdar EducationIn a recent EdSurge article, Ken Halla, professional development expert and administrator in Virginia, stressed the necessity of rethinking professional development programs for K-12 teachers and making them more useful and relevant. Gone are the days when boring textbook-oriented programs would drone on and on.
-
Researchers find key brain differences in those with ADHD
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareWith symptoms of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is challenging for families. Forgetfulness and disorganization cause problems at home as well as in school, and characteristics such as low self-esteem, aggressiveness and emotional immaturity affect the daily lives of all family members.
-
Preparing students for critical thinking: Incorporating metacognition
Sheilamary Koch EducationHand-in-hand with critical thinking, incorporating metacognition consciously in the classroom has been proven to promote the development of a growth mindset — while empowering students with strategies to help themselves learn better. Metacognition goes far beyond its common definition "thinking about thinking" to encompass observation and analysis of one's thinking, its application to learning objectives and the employment of strategies for obtaining these objectives.
All Education Articles