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Using centers to differentiate for English learners
Erick Herrmann EducationCenters are used in multiple grade levels and in various subject areas as a way to provide small group instruction to a group of students while keeping the rest of the students in the class engaged in meaningful and productive practice. When working with English learners, centers can provide opportunities to deliver specific lessons to help students improve language skills, preview upcoming content or review previously presented content.
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Dealing with large-scale tragedies at school
Pierre LaRocco EducationIt seems like we hear about large-scale tragedies on a daily basis — from someone tragically dying at the hands of the authorities to terrorism overseas. Everyone seems to be affected by this, including our students. We were once able to say that school is a safe place for our students with people who care about them. It was their safe haven from everything on the outside. Well, it has been proven over and over again, that is not the case anymore as we see school violence and shootings on the rise nationwide.
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Follow the leader: Letting students take ownership
Pamela Hill Education"Follow the leader" is a game in which "the participants copy the actions and words of a person who has been chosen as leader," according to the Oxford Dictionaries. In many ways, this mirrors the instruction of a special educator and her resource students.
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What does Betsy DeVos’ appointment mean for public schools?
Brian Stack EducationPresident-elect Donald Trump recently named Michigan's Betsy DeVos to be the next Secretary of Education. DeVos, a strong advocate for school vouchers and school choice in her home state, is expected to bring this topic to center stage when she begins her term in Washington in the coming months.
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How do you solve a complex problem like struggling schools?
Deb Page EducationThe challenge of improving an underperforming school is a classic example of an ill-structured problem — a complex challenge with no clear predetermined or procedural way to overcome it and with many different causes and many potential solutions.
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What is love? An imaginative thinking, writing and art activity
Debra Josephson Abrams EducationAs a child, I looked forward to reading the comics. I enjoyed the exploits and escapades of Blondie and Dagwood, Nancy and Sluggo, the savvy prehistoric characters in B.C., the ne'er-do-well Andy Capp, the good-hearted green witch, Broom Hilda, and the curmudgeonly Shoe.
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Optimizing student success with differentiated instruction
Sheilamary Koch EducationMany teachers recognize that students are motivated when working on assignments they find sufficiently challenging — ones that are neither too far beyond their grasp nor overly simple. Now, neuroscience backs what these teachers witness daily in their classrooms, as recent findings show that the brain has an internal rewards system and one of the things it praises itself for is the act of understanding something new. This means there’s an intrinsic motivation for students when they comprehend previously unknown subject matter.
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How will you celebrate Inclusive Schools Week?
Savanna Flakes EducationEach year, during the first full week of December, schools across the nation take a moment to celebrate their progress in inclusive practices. Schools focus on their growth in promoting welcoming K-12 communities, embracing all students, and ensuring every student has an opportunity to learn, participate and contribute. As we embark on this week, commemorate your successes in effectively including students and look ahead for ways to challenge yourself to meet the ever-increasing needs in your classroom.
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Girls’ education — not just a third world problem
Bambi Majumdar EducationIn celebrating the International Day of the Girl on Oct. 11, Dell announced plans to expand investment in STEM education for girls in underserved communities. In partnership with Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology, Dell will support a massive national after-school computer science educational program. This will lead to increase in materials and supplies for the STEM curriculum and offer students a wide exposure to technical organizations and the industry as a whole.
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Dual enrollment: Good for secondary schools and colleges
Brian Stack EducationLike many schools in our country, my public high school in southern New Hampshire seeks to offer a wide-range of college credit-earning opportunities for our students. These schools recognize that providing high school students with an opportunity to experience early college success can positively impact the overall achievement rate of students when they finally get to the college level.
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