November, 2024

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Using Student Discourse to Increase Engagement

A Principal's Reflections

As my Aspire Change EDU consultant team and I visit classrooms on a routine basis, we strive to lead administrators, coaches, and teachers in reflecting on their practice using questioning techniques. The majority of these often revolve around engagement, and it is quickly realized that when students are compliant, it is because the adult is doing all the work or talking.

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20 Types Of Questions For Teaching Critical Thinking

TeachThought

What Are The Best Questions For Teaching Critical Thinking? by Terry Heick What are the different types of questions? Turns out, it’s pretty limitless. I’ve always been interested in them–the way they can cause (or stop) thinking; the nature of inquiry and reason; the way they can facilitate and deepen a conversation; the way they can reveal understanding (or lack thereof); the stunning power of the right question at the right time.

educators

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For My Daughters, For My Students: Valencia Abbott’s All-In

NCHE

After Valencia Abbott’s school day ended, we met to discuss her experiences as a history teacher. At the top of our time together, we discussed a quote from an article she recently wrote: “ When students sense that you are all-in for them, they are more likely to give you their best in the classroom.” “That’s not something that came about because I was in the classroom,” Valencia said.

Museum 317
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Avoiding the Pitfalls of Multitasking in School

Cult of Pedagogy

Listen to my interview with Megan Sumeracki ( transcript ): Sponsored by Alpaca and The Gilder Lehrman Institute This page contains Amazon Affiliate and Bookshop.org links. When you make a purchase through these links, Cult of Pedagogy gets a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. What’s the difference between Amazon and Bookshop.org?

Pedagogy 225
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EP Roadshow: Save The Date

HistoryRewriter

Calling all secondary educators! Mark your calendars for a high-energy and inspirational professional development opportunity. On April 26, 2025, the EduProtocols Roadshow will take over the Hiller Aviation Museum in Northern California. The location is close to the Redwood City Residence Inn and the Blue Oak Brewing Company in San Carlos. This intimate, one-day event is designed to help you teach more and grade less.

Museum 246
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Sites of Encounter- The Medieval World

World History Teachers Blog

One of my favorite sites for teaching medieval cities like Mali, Calicut, and Quanzhou is called Sites of Encounter in the Medieval World. It comes from The University of California at Davis and includes lessons with primary sources, maps, charts, and graphs. The lesson on Calicut, for example, explores the importance of the spice trade in food and medicine and even includes medieval recipes.

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Addressing Gaps in Practice with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

A Principal's Reflections

Unless you are living under a rock, AI is all the rage right now, and rightfully so. It can revolutionize various practices by addressing gaps in efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI algorithms can uncover patterns and trends that human analysts may miss, leading to more informed and effective strategies. For instance, in healthcare, AI-powered tools can analyze patient data to predict disease outbreaks, optimize treatment plans, and streamline adminis

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For Teens Online, Conspiracy Theories Are Commonplace. Media Literacy Is Not.

ED Surge

How often do you come in contact with a conspiracy theory? Maybe on occasion, when you flip through TV channels and land on an episode of “Ancient Aliens.” Or perhaps when a friend from high school shares a questionable meme on Facebook. How confident are you in your ability to tell fact from fiction? If you’re a teen, you could be exposed to conspiracy theories and a host of other pieces of misinformation as frequently as every day while scrolling through your social media feeds.

Civics 145
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Three reasons why so few eighth graders in the poorest schools take algebra

The Hechinger Report

Like learning to read by third grade, taking eighth grade math is a pivotal moment in a child’s education. Students who pass Algebra 1 in eighth grade are more likely to sign up for more advanced math courses, and those who pass more advanced math courses are more likely to graduate from college and earn more money. “Algebra in eighth grade is a gateway to a lot of further opportunities,” said Dan Goldhaber, an economist who studies education at the American Institutes for Research, in a recent

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Socrative Review Games for Social Studies

Passion for Social Studies

Are you always searching for ways to make your lessons more engaging? Similarly, are you constantly trying to get students to be active in the thinking process? Honestly, both of these questions make teaching overwhelming! Teachers want students to enjoy school and be the ones thinking, but there is a lot to get through! There are so many standards and not enough time to teach everything.

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Islamic Art & Culture: Terrific Twitter Threads

World History Teachers Blog

Here are some fascinating Islamic art and architecture threads from the Arabic Art House Bayt Al Fann. They include threads about Islamic calligraphy, Islamic gardens, unique mosques in Africa, the dome interiors of mosques worldwide, and the use of geometric patterns in Islamic art. These threads, which I have saved as pdfs, could work well in a unit on Islam in World History.

Cultures 147
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Accountability Drives Growth

A Principal's Reflections

These days, it seems that everyone says they want change. However, the fact is that those asking for it might not be as open to the idea as they want others to think. The number dwindles even more when considering who wants to lead the process. No matter how you slice and dice it, improving outcomes aligned with change relies on the dreaded “A” word – accountability.

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Why Cybersecurity Matters: Protecting Your Digital Footprint

TeachThought

The massive T-Mobile data breach in 2023, which exposed 37 million customers’ data, was a stark reminder: cybersecurity isn’t just IT jargon—it’s a necessity in our digital world. Whether you check your bank balance on your phone, work remotely, or browse social media, your digital footprint is vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated attacks.

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TimeGuessr

Geography Education

I love introducing Geoguessr to my students; I love the practical geographic skills that it combines in a games that can get the competitive juices flowing. It gets users to analyze the cultural and physical landscapes, relate a stimulus to other places on Earth, use maps at a variety of scales, etc. Guess Where You Are is an alternative to Geogussr without all the bells and whistles, but it also has no time restrictions w But I’m also a history buff and I love a good twist on a geographic g

History 130
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A theory for learning numbers without counting gains popularity

The Hechinger Report

Subitizing means to instantly see how many without counting. Fostering this skill is becoming more common in schools. Credit: Getty Images Little kids are looking at a lot of dots these days. The theory behind this increasingly popular practice is that an effective way to teach counting might be by … not counting. That’s the contradiction at the heart of what education researchers call “subitizing,” from the Latin “subito” or suddenly, and it means to instantly see how many, much like the

K-12 135
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How Colonialism Invented Food Insecurity in West Africa

Sapiens

Archaeological evidence and Oral Histories show people in what is today Ghana lived sustainably for millennia—until European colonial powers and the widespread trade of enslaved people changed everything. ✽ It’s the year 2065. West Africa’s cool seasonal rains wake Abena. She rides her bike to work, where she pushes investment in cultivating insects as renewable protein sources.

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Enslaved: Peoples of the Historical Slave Trade: Lesson Ideas

World History Teachers Blog

Here is a terrific site that features biographical stories of specific slaves, slave owners, and traders. It comes from the same people who created the "Slave Biographies: The Atlantic Database Network." You can read dozens of short sketches about specific slaves like Felisberta who was born in 1820 in Central West Africa. She was a household slave and wet nurse who served a wealthy family in Southeastern Brazil.

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Why Well-Behaved Teachers Rarely Make Systemic Change in Schools

ED Surge

When I came out to my family during my first year of college in the early 2000s, my mom’s immediate concern extended beyond my safety and happiness to my future as an educator. She asked, “But what about your career?” as though living authentically meant I’d have to hide my queerness to succeed in teaching. In that moment, even before I entered my teacher preparation program, I confronted a troubling reality: in education, there would always be scripts I’d be expected to follow.

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Nearly 60 Districts Tackle Key Education Challenges through Collaborative Learning

Digital Promise

This school year, districts across the country will engage in collaborative learning around student voice and engagement, high school redesign, and digital equity.

Education 141
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How To Unblock TikTok In The USA: Fostering STEM Engagement Through Short-Form Videos

TeachThought

In today’s digital landscape, social media platforms have become crucial for educational engagement, especially in STEM fields. TikTok, a leading short-form video-sharing app, has gained immense popularity globally. Yet, in the USA, access to TikTok is restricted, hindering students and educators from tapping into its educational value. This piece delves into TikTok’s role in enhancing STEM engagement and the ways to bypass access restrictions in the USA.

Teaching 139
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‘Easy to just write us off’: Rural students’ choices shrink as colleges slash majors

The Hechinger Report

CLEVELAND, Miss. — Although she won a scholarship to Mississippi State University, two hours’ drive away, Shamya Jones couldn’t get there because she had a new baby and no car. So she enrolled instead at a local community college, then transferred to the four-year campus closest to her home in the rural Mississippi Delta — Delta State University. She planned to major in digital media arts, but before she could start, Delta State eliminated that major, along with 20 other degree programs , includ

Geography 127
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Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician – Alice Rothchild

Women's History Network

My memoir, Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician, is both a chronicle of my life in the 1950s in a first-generation Jewish family, coming of age in the 1960s, and my embrace of feminism as I encountered outrageous contradictions and outright sexism in college, medical school, and residency.

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The French Revolution: Senseless Violence?

World History Teachers Blog

Teaching the French Revolution? Was it just ten years of senseless killing? That's what columnist Peggy Noonan suggested in an essay for the Wall Street Journal. Two historians, Mike Duncan, a revolutionary history podcaster, and David A. Bell, a history professor at Princeton, took Noonan to task on Twitter for not knowing her history. Both historians suggest that the revolution, while horrifically violent, made significant contributions to the world.

History 147
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Should Students Chat With AI Versions of Historical Figures?

ED Surge

Veteran multimedia producer and professor Lynn Rogoff has long experimented with ways to bring history alive for young people. So as she saw the rise of AI tools, she was quick to try them. In her latest film, “Bird Woman: Sacagawea,” viewers not only watch the story of Sacagawea — the young woman from the Soshone tribe who helped guide the Lewis and Clark Expedition back in 1804 — they can chat with her and ask questions about her life.

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How We’re Harnessing the Power of Project-Based Learning in the Republic of Georgia

Digital Promise

The post How We’re Harnessing the Power of Project-Based Learning in the Republic of Georgia appeared first on Digital Promise.

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The Necessity Of Self-Criticism In Education

TeachThought

Education is actuated by teachers. It makes sense that education should also be able to reflect critically on its own performance as well. Source The post The Necessity Of Self-Criticism In Education appeared first on TeachThought.

Education 137
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It used to be a notoriously violent prison. Now it’s home to a first-of-its kind education program

The Hechinger Report

CRESCENT CITY, Calif. — In less than 15 minutes, Michael Mariscal validated why a team of officials at Cal Poly Humboldt have spent more than three years trying to set up the first bachelor’s degree program at a maximum-security prison in California. At the end of a class in persuasive speaking, Mariscal was tasked with giving a presentation to highlight his personal growth.

Education 119
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Doctors Are Taught to Lie About Race

Sapiens

Decades ago, anthropologists dispelled the myth of biological race. Lagging behind in scientific understandings of human diversity, the medical profession is failing its oath to “do no harm.” ✽ Doctors lie daily. The moment a patient enters our care, a simple checkbox starts the deceit. By checking “Patient’s Race,” we health care providers pretend to know something that we cannot possibly know: the patient’s ancestry and associated medical risk.

Ancestry 129
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Should we throw out everything we’ve learned about the Silk Roads?

World History Teachers Blog

Should we throw out everything we’ve learned about the Silk Roads? The writer William Dalrymple thinks that we should in this fascinating essay for the Guardian titled "T he Silk Road still casts a spell, but was the ancient trading route just a Western invention? " He notes that the term “silk road” was a Western invention popularized by a Prussian geographer in 1877 and did not appear in English until 1938.

Teaching 130
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When Students Miss School, Teachers Enjoy Their Jobs Less

ED Surge

Since the pandemic, the number of students who are missing class has risen. More than a quarter of students were “chronically absent,” meaning they had missed 10 percent of classes or more, during the 2021-2022 school year. That was a steep increase from the 15 percent of students missing that much class before the pandemic. In fact, absenteeism has become such a nationally notable problem that it was picked up by the White House in May.

Tutoring 126
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Socratic Circles in the Classroom: How to Use Conflict to Increase Student Engagement

Digital Promise

Through Socratic Circles, students are able to explore and experience how conflict creates space for their identities, interests, and perspectives.

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How Teachers Can Equip Parents For College Planning

TeachThought

College planning often feels overwhelming for families. Parents juggle excitement about their childs future with anxiety over the financial, emotional, and logistical challenges ahead. Many dont know where to start, and as educators, were in a unique position to offer clarity and guidance. By helping parents understand the process early and in manageable steps, we can significantly change how families approach this important milestone.

Advocacy 130
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How child-focused ballot measures fared this election

The Hechinger Report

Over the past few years, it’s become clear that states need more money to support kids. Pandemic-related aid is long gone, but effects from that era still linger, evident in persistent child care shortages and ongoing child behavioral and mental health concerns. Now, states are increasingly trying to generate new sources of money to support young children, although in at least one state, a ballot measure was designed to pull back on just these kinds of efforts.

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An Inquiry Discussion Guide

C3 Teachers

I’ve been using the C3 Inquiry Design Model (IDM) for over a decade. Generally speaking, I’ve felt successful and have shared my best practices with others in the field. But despite my students’ success in producing rich products from their work on formative performance tasks, arguments, and taking informed actions, the sensory experience of walking into my classroom did not reflect the intellectual energy that I knew was pulsing in my students’ heads.

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Bantu Migrations: Resources

World History Teachers Blog

Bantu Migrations: Resources Here are three good clips about the early Bantu migrations, and a terrific site about iron in Africa. One video clip comes from Masaman, who produces educational videos on his YouTube channel. He does a good job of explaining the groups of people who lived in Africa before the Bantu migrations and the changes the Bantus brought, especially regarding language.

Museum 130
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What If Finding Child Care Online Were as Easy as Making a Dinner Reservation?

ED Surge

In 2024, if you want to make a dinner reservation, you’re very likely to open an app on your phone, input a few details and then filter your results to see which restaurants have availability for your party size, date and time. If you want to find child care, on the other hand, good luck. In most states, you can visit a website and see a map of providers in your area, along with some basic information about them — ages served, operating hours, quality rating — but details about their enrollment

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Advancing Digital Equity: Key Insights from the League of Innovative Schools Convening

Digital Promise

The post Advancing Digital Equity: Key Insights from the League of Innovative Schools Convening appeared first on Digital Promise.

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