By Ruben Paquian, Texas Observer (from August 2, 2018)
About two-thirds of Texas high schools are not following a state law that mandates giving all eligible students the opportunity to register to vote, according to a new report. That means hundreds of thousands of potential voters have been left off the rolls.
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By Chris Berdik, The Hechinger Report (from July 30, 2018)
HUNTER, N.D. — On windswept fields outside Fargo, North Dakota, a bold experiment in education has begun. In a lone building flanked by farmland, the Northern Cass School District is heading into year two of a three-year journey to abolish grade levels. By the fall of 2020, all Northern Cass students will plot their own academic courses to high school graduation, while sticking with same-age peers for things like gym class and field trips.
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By Laura Pappano, The New York Times (from August 2, 2018)
They are, of course, super connected. But on their terms. Which is why college-bound iGens (Gen Zers, if you prefer) present a challenge to the grown-ups on campus eager to reach and teach them.
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By Anna Mae Tempus, Edutopia (from July 31, 2018)
Whether they involve angry words from a student, an assessment that results in an average grade of D, or collaboration with a colleague gone wrong, there are moments that knock early-career teachers like me flat.
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By Mila Tewell, Global Online Academy (from June 28, 2018)
The most powerful activism is the most personal. Both research and current events suggest that today's teenagers have deep investment in social justice and the skills and tools to advocate for the issues they care about. How do we as as educators help students tap into that personal connection?
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By Thomas G. Burish, Inside Higher Ed (from July 31, 2018)
Truth. Kindness. Dignity. Courage. Hope. They are not fields in which you can earn a degree. They are not things you would normally list under "other experience" on your résumé. And they do not necessarily represent subjects covered in college courses.
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By Bari Walsh, Usable Knowledge (from July 17, 2018)
Is your child's summer starting to feel a bit too much like the rest of the year — filled with skill-building camps, sports obligations, and lots of structure? Or maybe you're worried that your kid's summer doesn't look enough like that — and that you're putting her at a disadvantage that colleges will surely notice (even if she's still in grade school).
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By Michael Nachbar, Global Online Academy (from January 2, 2018)
This is a vibrant and exciting time to be in education. Continuing to conduct business as usual is a shrinking option for our schools as other sectors more nimbly embrace change and innovation. Additionally, the number of schools and teachers actually doing this work is increasing, creating a network of individuals and institutions pushing one another to new heights. Here are ten predictions for 2018 based on inspiring examples we've seen building momentum in our schools.
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By Anya Kamenetz, Mind/Shift (from June 9, 2018)
Alexandra Lange's interest in school design started in her childhood, when she read Little House on the Prairie, with its indelible depiction of Laura's one-room schoolhouse in Wisconsin. Today, she's an architecture and design critic. Her new book, The Design of Childhood, considers the physical spaces where our children learn and grow: from the living room rug crowded with toys, to the streets, welcoming or dangerous, to classrooms, bright and new or dilapidated.
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By Katrina Schwartz, Mind/Shift (from March 5, 2018)
Girls and boys have always grown up with cultural and societal stereotypes swirling around them. Despite the unparalleled access to opportunities that young women have today compared with the past, many are still absorbing strong messages about how they should look, act and be. For girls, many of the most powerful influences come from the media, but young girls could find relief among the real people in their lives. Social media has changed the game, requiring educators and parents to also change strategies to help girls navigate complicated waters.
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By Sean Cavanagh, Education Week (from June 27, 2018)
The title of the session on the ISTE conference's second day was even more provocative than the headline of this post would suggest. "The Textbook Is Extinct! Now What?" was the posted description. In truth, the panel discussion at the sprawling tech conference was much less conclusive on that point, offering several reminders why printed texts may be likely to live with vigor in K-12 districts for years to come—despite several factors that are leading schools to become less reliant on them.
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By Thomas Fordham Institute (from May 31, 2018)
Regardless of where you stand on the debate currently raging over school discipline, one thing seems certain: Self-discipline is far better than the externally imposed kind. Over the years, Catholic schools have been particularly committed to the formation of sound character, including the acquisition of self-discipline. But how well has that worked? We wanted to know whether students in Catholic school actually exhibit more self-discipline than their peers—and if so, what those schools can teach other public and private schools about how it can be fostered.
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By RAND Corporation
The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative, designed and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was a multiyear effort to dramatically improve student outcomes by increasing students' access to effective teaching.
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By Jean M. Twenge, The Washington Post (from June 29, 2018)
For many people, leisure time now means screen time. Mom's on social media, Dad's surfing the Web, sister is texting friends, and brother is playing a multiplayer shooting game like Fortnite. But are they addicted? In June, the World Health Organization announced that "gaming disorder" would be included in its disease classification manual, reigniting debates over whether an activity engaged in by so many could be classified as a disorder.
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By Elizabeth A. Harris, The New York Times (from June 18, 2018)
NEW YORK — Some of New York City's most prestigious private girls schools have begun opening their doors to transgender students. The Brearley School on Manhattan's Upper East Side, which is among the most academically rigorous institutions in the city, announced Monday that all applicants who consider themselves female are welcome to apply. And if students no longer identify as female after they enroll, they can continue on at the school.
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