Camp C-Block Introduces Blockchain Technology to Black Girls
This article discusses the work done by Project Bitmobile. Project Bitmobile hopes to educate, inform, and inspire young black women in the fields of coding, cyber security, cryptography and blockchain technology. The founder will be touring the country in an RV in the summer and fall teaching young black women about these emerging technologies through… Read More ›
Improving Teaching With Expert Feedback—From Students
This article, part of the Schools That Work series by Edutopia, describes the approach a physics teacher at Trinidad Garza Early College High School took to improve his instruction. He found, through surveys, that letting students voice their opinions on how they learn best was the key to changing his teaching practices and improving students’ understanding.… Read More ›
Teacher Inquiry Labs in South Carolina Demonstrate Personalized Learning in Action
This article discusses a hands on approach to teacher professional development. In South Carolina learning labs are part of the state-led support for personalized learning. They are educator-driven and volunteer-run. A host district highlights one personalized learning practice that they are using across the K-12 continuum and district leaders, educators and instructional coaches from across… Read More ›
Every Student Is a Mathematics Language Learner
This article discusses the benefits of explicitly teaching all students how to use mathematical language. The author, a veteran teacher, notes that while English Language Learners often need support to learn mathematical language, many other students struggle as well. The author shares one simple technique to scaffold learning called talking point cards. Any math teacher… Read More ›
Let Student Voices Ring—In and Out of School
Imagine building a bonfire in a local park—legally, of course. You start throwing in file folders filled with papers, and somehow your laptop ends up in there too. Before you know it, everything you’ve collected, catalogued, and annotated is burning in the fire. When faced with the concept of student-led classrooms, many educators visualize something… Read More ›
How an LMS Can Solve Professional Learning’s Challenges
This interview transcript looks at the role of Learning Management Software (LMS) in the delivery of professional development opportunities for educators. EdSurge staff interviewed Ken Dirkin, the Director of Online Professional Learning at Michigan Virtual, a nonprofit provider of digital learning solutions for Michigan’s K-12 schools. He discusses how LMS can deliver a personalized experience… Read More ›
A Focused Practice for Relationship Building
In this article an educator shares a simple practice to build relationships with students. The author describes the use of a 5 x 5 assessment to think deliberately about all students and make time to engage them in conversations on topics important to their lives. Improving relationships can contribute to a safe and engaging classroom… Read More ›
Allowing Students to Design Assessment Tools
As an educator, one would think that the point of every assessment would be clear to students. But if you are anything like me, sometimes we get so wrapped up in designing and creating the tools for students to use on the assessment (or in some cases, even the assessment itself), that we forget to… Read More ›
The Promises, Challenges, and Futures of Media Literacy
The Promises, Challenges, and Futures of Media Literacy addresses the “fake news” problem by evaluating the successes and failures of recent media literacy efforts. Contemporary media literacy programs–commonly organized around the five main themes of youth participation, teacher training and curricular resources, parental support, policy initiatives, and evidence base construction–have demonstrated positive outcomes, particularly in… Read More ›
5 Steps to Guarantee Your PD for PBL is on Point
This article examines ways to ensure professional development to support project-based learning (PBL) is effective. The author provides tips to provide teachers opportunities for professional development that is learner focused, engaging, and embedded in day-to-day practice. The advice is based on the work of the Buck Institute for Education, a leader in PBL. This short article… Read More ›
11 Ways Schools Can—and Should—Involve Families in SEL Programming
This resource shares ways in which schools can get families involved to make the most of Social Emotional Learning programs in schools. By inviting families and educators to work together, schools can engage families in the social-emotional development of students and build on a school-wide SEL program to aid children through their day. These easy… Read More ›
Bilingualism as a Life Experience
This article shares a general overview of the cognitive effects of speaking two languages and what that entails in the school settings. In addition, it covers the latest benefits and updates to research on bilingualism from researcher Gigi Luk and her lab the Brain.Experience.Education Lab (B.E.E. Lab). Some of the benefits of bilingual students that… Read More ›