April, 2022

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Shifting Our Practice

A Principal's Reflections

In my previous post , I dove into the concept of shifting our focus from “what” to “who” in order to set the stage for personalization. The premise is as simple as it is powerful, with the goal being to provide all learners with what they need, when and where they need it, to become life ready. While having a focus and knowledge of pertinent strategies is a good start, there needs to be an emphasis on changing practice.

Pedagogy 528
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China's Social Credit Policy

World History Teachers Blog

I plan to introduce my Current Events students to China's social credit system with a lesson that I found from another teacher, some outside readings, and a couple of video clips. China has instituted a series of initiatives and databases to monitor the trustworthiness of its citizens and companies. They do it by combining older and state-of-the-art technologies like phone scanners, facial recognition cameras, and fingerprint databases.

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Motivating Students to Test Their Best

My AP Life

Amid all the stress and organized chaos that comes with state testing, there can be bright moments that make everyone smile. AP DeAnna Miller shares how her school’s staff (and students) brightened their test season to encourage kids to do their best after a challenging year. The post Motivating Students to Test Their Best first appeared on MiddleWeb.

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7 Edtech Trends to Watch in 2022: a Startup Guide for Entrepreneurs

ED Surge

As we navigate the roadmap drawn by COVID-19, we know there will continue to be accelerated digital transformation and rapid innovation of education intended to positively impact student outcomes in 2022. This will take many forms, from institutions evolving their operations to students optimizing their learning with technology to caregivers connecting directly with their children’s education through edtech services.

EdTech 145
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After the pandemic disrupted their high school educations, students are arriving at college unprepared

The Hechinger Report

Andrea Hernandez studied the multiplication table nearly every day during the summer between her third and fourth grade years. Sitting at her family’s kitchen table in Dallas while her mother prepared dinner, she printed the arithmetic over and over in a yellow, spiral-bound notebook. When she started at a new school in the fall of 2012, she breezed through the timed math tests.

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An Inclusive Approach to Designing Learning and Employment Records

Digital Promise

What is a Learning and Employment Record (LER) and how might we design them to create equitable and inclusive systems of work? How might we ensure we include workers and learners in the development of these emerging systems throughout the design process? At Digital Promise, the Adult Learning, Marketplace, and Learning and Employment Innovations teams have been collaborating on research about LERs—digital records of an individual’s skills, credentials, diplomas, and employment history.

History 116
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Disrupting Your Practice

A Principal's Reflections

Last week I shared the news that Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms: Preparing Learners for Their Future was published a year ago. While I am proud of all the books that I have been honored to write, this one was a bit more special. For starters, it represented my first major publication that veered away from a leadership focus. Since a great deal of my time as of late has been in the role of a coach, I wanted to share insight that has been gleaned through visits to numerous schools and count

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9 Ways to Recognize and Appreciate Teachers

Education Elements

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Although we at Education Elements believe that teachers should be celebrated on any day that ends in a “y”, we also are excited to join in the Nationwide celebrations next week. As a former teacher, a little “thank you” went a long way, a gifted morning coffee fueled me to empower my students through testing season, and a card highlighting my impact reminded me of my “why.”.

Education 100
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Education Needs a Reset. We Can Start by Listening to Our Teachers.

ED Surge

Depending on how you look at it, Ed Secretary Miguel Cardona’s assertion that “we’re closer to a reset in education than ever before” is either a beacon of hope at the end of a long, dark tunnel, or the opening of a new front in an increasingly polarizing culture war. Because my work as CEO of the national Breakthrough Collaborative involves middle-schoolers with college aspirations and college students who aspire to become advocates and teachers, I’m always inclined to take the optimistic view.

Education 141
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Black women are uniquely burdened by student debt, report finds

The Hechinger Report

While Brittani Williams was busy working toward her bachelor’s degree, the student loan debt she was quickly accruing rarely crossed her mind. Her focus was on her coursework. A first-generation student, Williams relied on loans to fund her college and hopefully, help change the course of her family’s lives. After she had her degree in hand, it was time to start paying.

Economics 123
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Path to Digital Equity: Why We Need to Address the Digital Divide with Solutions Around Adoption

Digital Promise

Imagine creating conditions where every learner and community can fully access and leverage the technology needed for full participation in learning, the economy, and society at large. Simultaneously, every learner and community is equipped with connected devices, learning content, digital literacy skills, technical support, and a reliable, high-speed internet connection.

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The Ever-Evolving Leadership Lens

A Principal's Reflections

Good leadership is, quite frankly, good leadership. The tenants have remained the same for centuries. What’s changed is the environment in which one leads, and this impacts the lens that is, or should be, used to drive change. Employing well-known and research-based strategies within a current context is a hallmark of influential leaders. I am of the opinion that being able to adapt in a way that results in improvement across various dynamics is what it is all about.

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Resources for Teachers and Instructional Coaches – April 2022

Edthena

Spring is in full swing, and whether you’re conducting an end-of-year teacher self-reflection or thinking about giving effective feedback, we’ve got the latest reads for you. This edition of noted and notable content for educators includes three popular education articles about supporting teacher and coach growth. Here are our top picks for the Apr. 2022 reads you shouldn’t miss.

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Grading for Equity: One School’s Approach to Increasing Student Ownership and Success

Education Elements

This school year, Portland Public Schools (PPS) launched a multi-year strategic plan for educational equity, inclusion, and excellence with the core belief that the student experience needs to be reimagined. PPS’ district-wide focus spotlighted the middle school experience, where data revealed – regardless of metric – that students are not being adequately prepared for high school and beyond.

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Students Have Different Thinking Speeds. Inclusive Teaching Means Realizing That.

ED Surge

Many classroom environments favor a certain kind of thinker, usually the students who are quick to recall a fact when the instructor asks a question. But that’s not the only type of mind, and it’s not even always the best kind of mind for learning. “Research has shown that shy learners—the ones who sit in the back and they don’t really say anything—they can be slower learners, but they’re actually the most flexible and they can be the most creative problem solvers,” says Barbara Oakley, a profes

Teaching 135
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PROOF POINTS: Study finds guaranteed free tuition lures low-income students

The Hechinger Report

Low-income students who were offered an upfront guarantee of free tuition at the University of Michigan were far more likely to apply and enroll than students who were told they would likely qualify for free tuition. Credit: Oleg Albinsky/Getty Images. What is the best way to help more bright low-income students attend elite colleges? Typically, we tell these prospective college students to fill out forms to see how much financial aid they can get.

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It’s in the Design: Learning and Employment Records for Greater Equity

Digital Promise

Learning and Employment Records (LERs) are comprehensive digital records of an individual’s skills, competencies, credentials, and employment history that may be able to show a complete picture of an individual’s education and work experiences. LERs have the potential to highlight verified skills, reduce hiring biases, and match people to employment opportunities.

EdTech 96
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Practical Tips for Online Student Engagement

MPSA

By James Steur, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Since the spread of COVID-19, many universities recognize that online teaching is here to stay. However, the online teaching environment poses its own set of unique challenges around the instructor’s teaching presence and keeping students motivated. The session, “Online Courses & Student Engagement,” represented a wide variety of backgrounds from community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and research universities to

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Not a Tech Expert? Not a Problem. How Principals Can Choose the Best Edtech for Teachers

Edthena

Principals wear a lot of hats but ‘tech expert’ isn’t always one of them. So how can school leaders help roll out the best and right edtech for teachers in their building? According to Monica Burns, ClassTechTips.com founder, school leaders don’t need to know the ins and outs of every app on the market to support edtech for teachers. In this PLtogether Lounge Talk with Edthena founder and CEO Adam Geller, the two talked about best practices for strong classroom technology integration and usage.

EdTech 98
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Top 10 Teacher Superpowers that Put the Marvel Superheroes to Shame

Education Elements

If you’ve ever watched a superhero movie, you’ve probably wondered which superpower you would like to embody. Super strength or super flexibility? Invisibility or the power to fly? It may surprise you to learn that superheroes live among us and go about their lives, often unnoticed. If you look closely, however, you may spot them shopping at the grocery store, taking their pets for a stroll in the park, or, most commonly, shopping for treasures in the $1 bins at Target.

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Why I'm Still Bullish About the State of Edtech

ED Surge

In the next few days, thousands of edtech entrepreneurs, investors, educators and policymakers will flood a hotel in San Diego to attend the Mecca of Education Innovation Optimism known as ASU GSV. So now is the perfect time to reflect on the state of edtech. I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural ASU GSV back in 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. It was a modest two-day affair: maybe 350 attendees in sweaty overcrowded rooms, a few speeches by CEOs and academics.

EdTech 126
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Middle school science teachers often have shaky scientific knowledge

The Hechinger Report

Middle school science teacher Kent Heckenlively has spent part of his time teaching, well, not science. This story also appeared in USA Today. A prominent anti-vaccine campaigner, Heckenlively made world news in 2017 when he was denied entry to Australia for a lecture tour to encourage parents to stop vaccinating their children, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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Want to Shape the Future? Support Emerging Scholars!

Digital Promise

The post Want to Shape the Future? Support Emerging Scholars! appeared first on Digital Promise.

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Hard History in Syracuse City Schools

C3 Teachers

I recently zoomed with Nick S tamoulacatos, Supervisor of Social Studies at Syracuse City School District and one of the writers on the article “Countering the Past of Least Resistance” in that latest Social Education. We talked about Syracuse City Schools inquiry initiative and the inquiry loop featured in the article. Can you give me a little background about Syracuse’s relationship with C3 teachers?

History 52
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How Arkansas Teacher Corps Used Edthena to Boost Teaching Fellow Retention

Edthena

The Arkansas Teacher Corps was recently awarded the annual Outstanding Team Award for 2021. The recognition came from the University of Arkansas Staff Senate. The Arkansas Teacher Corps (ATC) partners the University of Arkansas with the Arkansas Department of Education and Arkansas public school districts to recruit, train, license, and support Arkansan teachers.

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How Student Choice Helped Me Grow Out of My Perfectionism

Education Elements

I am a recovering perfectionist. As a kid, I always colored within the lines of my coloring book; not because I wanted to follow the rules, but because I enjoyed precision. As a teacher, I bought a laser level tool so that my posters would all be hung at the exact same height. Perfectionism can bring a sense of pride, especially when applied to a tangible outcome.

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Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs Would Help Students at My Community College

ED Surge

At the end of March, I had the honor of representing the Community College of Aurora and providing testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development. The hearing , titled “Skill, Upskill, and Reskill: Analyzing New Investments in Workforce Development,” provided an opportunity for our country’s leaders to hear firsthand from educators, researchers and business leaders regarding the impact of coll

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Simulating student mental health for teachers

The Hechinger Report

Editor’s note: This story led off this week’s Future of Learning newsletter, which is delivered free to subscribers’ inboxes every other Wednesday with trends and top stories about education innovation. Subscribe today! Adolescent mental health had been declining in the decade before the pandemic. The last two years have only worsened what many advocates and experts say is a mental health crisis among teens.

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Transforming Education through the Ingenuity of Communities

Digital Promise

The post Transforming Education through the Ingenuity of Communities appeared first on Digital Promise.

Education 114
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What is Earth Day?

Rockin Resources - Social Studies

Looking to celebrate Earth Day in your classroom this year? I did a little research for you and now you can share some facts along with a free download activity in the free album – What is Earth Day? We all know Aesop’s fable, The Ants & the Grasshopper, where a family of ants bustles. The post What is Earth Day? appeared first on Rockin Resources.

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AI for Teachers (AI Business)

Edthena

There are many AI applications to use in the classroom with students, but how can AI for teachers help the educators themselves? The Edthena AI Coach platform is being called “the AI solution to coach teachers.” This article from AI Business, a platform dedicated to artificial intelligence and its real-world applications, named how the AI Coach platform will transform teachers’ professional learning.

EdTech 98
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Personalizing Learning: Getting it Right

Education Elements

I can’t remember how many times I have been asked “Am I doing it right?” I’ve heard this question so many times in my support of over 150 schools as they implement personalized learning that I no longer count. Teachers and leaders want to know, am I “doing” personalized learning right.

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Edtech Is Looking to Build Tools to Foster Student Engagement. Can That Scale?

ED Surge

Finding community is a vulnerable, difficult experience—especially as a student. It requires not only feeling comfortable with your peers, but also trusting them enough to be able to ask questions and learn without fear of judgment. I’ve been lucky—I found my first community during freshman year of undergrad. Sitting in the common room at 2 a.m., panicking together with fellow students the night before an exam, we forged lasting bonds.

EdTech 118
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How one city closed the digital divide for nearly all its students

The Hechinger Report

OAKLAND, Calif. — After schools went remote in 2020, Jessica Ramos spent hours that spring and summer sitting on a bench in front of her local Oakland Public Library branch in the vibrant and diverse Dimond District. Ramos would connect to the library’s Wi-Fi — sometimes on her cellphone, sometimes using her family’s only laptop — to complete assignments and submit essays or tests for her classes at Skyline High School.

K-12 105
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Bring Powerful Maker Learning Experiences to Learners

Digital Promise

In 2021, six educators representing community-based organizations, libraries, public schools, and the Digital Promise Maker Learning team embarked on a journey to increase opportunities for virtual and remote maker learning. The insights from this experience are valuable to all who wish to engage in powerful maker learning. This blog post is the beginning of a series sharing our Maker Learning team’s experience designing this professional learning opportunity.

Library 67
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AP Macro / AP Micro Exam Prep Suggestions

Michelle Wood

It’s time to start thinking about getting your students prepared for the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exams! I have a few exam prep suggestions for you. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis – AP Economics Live Review If you are not familiar with the St. Louis Fed’s resources for teaching economics, you should definitely check them out: St.

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Fixing Classroom Problems? Coaches Actually Just Need to Use Expansive Listening

Edthena

Expansive listening is listening with curiosity and compassion. Instructional coach Nita Creekmore uses expansive listening as the key to empowering teachers. Teachers need more than solutions; they need to be listened to. Are you coaching teachers without making a connection? It might be time to try expansive listening. In our recent conversation with Nita Creekmore, founder of Love Teach Bless , the experienced instructional coach talked about how coaches can really show teachers they’re liste