Matt Zalaznick

VOICE-ACTIVATED Q&A—Students in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township in Indiana ask Alexa questions about what they’re studying. For safety reasons, the IT team has connected the device to a specialized Wi-Fi network.
Uncategorized

Voice-activated technology sounds better in education

As voice-activated devices transition from homes to classrooms, dozens of teachers now lead spelling practice, present history lessons and interact with their students in new ways.

Instructional technology

10 ways to use voice-activated devices in the classroom

Experts and educators offer tips on how to use Alexa, Google Home and other voice-activated devices in the classroom. These suggestions cover instructional uses and security: Allow students to ask […]
Instructional technology

Safety and privacy do’s and don’ts with voice-activated technology

Safety and privacy of students and their data remains a key concern when teachers bring Alexa, Google Home and other voice-activated devices into the classrooms. Teachers also have to consider […]
Special education

What makes a great transition for students in special ed?

There are successful transition plans and then there are successful transitions for special education students.

SPECIAL EDUCATION SUCCESS—A student (right) from Cleveland County Schools works with an employee at a fabric company. The North Carolina district’s Future Ready Occupational Course of Study program prepares special needs students for life after high school, with access to on-the-job experiences and related training in soft and hard skills.
Special education

Moving forward with college and careers in special education

Transition planning for special education students has evolved so that the activities students participate in now mirror more closely mainstream college- and career-prep programs.
PD

Organizations offer PD for special ed transition planning

Many teachers—even seasoned special education teachers—haven’t studied transition planning through university coursework or through other professional development.
MATH & READING CONNECTIONS—Students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools learn math from teachers who receive extensive PD in providing rigorous instruction to English language learners. The North Carolina district’s math and language teachers also now collaborate more closely to develop lessons.
STEM

Language adds up for ELLs in K12 math instruction

Charlotte “Nadja” Trez, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ executive director of ELL Services, firmly believes in maintaining rigorous math standards for all ELL students, and embedding language lessons in math instruction.

Leadership

Superintendents offer education forecasts for 2019

Four superintendents look ahead to 2019 in education, and forecast where public schools will make the most progress and where they will fall short. These district leaders discussed a range of topics, including assessment, accountability and flipped learning.
Curriculum and Instruction

Teachers drive their own PD in Edcamp movement

If today’s students are expected to direct their own learning, teachers have to be prepared to do the same. One of the best ways to do that is to let […]
Student Conduct

Creating an anti-truancy environment in schools

A Missouri district is actively looking for warning signs of truancy. Teachers and other educators in Liberty Public Schools are asked to take quick action if, for instance, a student […]
Curriculum and Instruction

Do teacher prep programs lack rigor?

A National Council onTeacherQuality report citing a lack of rigor and grade inflation in teacher preparation courses is being disputed by the organization that represents college and university education programs. […]
Administration and Management

How schools are tackling truancy

District leaders across the country are broadening and personalizing their approaches to attendance because the old way of sending truants and their families to court often fails to bring students […]
Student Success

Community colleges offer a ‘human bridge’ to higher ed

Under a statewide program first funded in 2013, Vermont students can leave public high schools before their senior year to enroll full-time in college. They can then graduate from high […]
College & Career

Evolution of early-college high schools

Ninth graders in North Carolina take all their classes on the campus of a major state university. Early-college high school students in Connecticut can gain an inside track to one […]
Administration and Management

Schools overcoming homeless hurdles

A homeless student in Delaware last year spent about three hours a day riding back and forth to school in taxi cabsÑat a cost to the Delmar School District of […]
Social Media

On alert, online

Only a handful of school districts attempt rigorous, round-the-clock monitoring of social media traffic to spot threats against their schools or students. Leaders in these districts say the extra level […]
Administration and Management

Social media monitoring raises thorny legal questions

Laws in different states provide varied leeway when it comes to monitoring students’ public and private social media activity. Under an Illinois law that was passed last year, district administrators […]
Administration and Management

Schools create inclusive climates for transgender students

As transgender students win sturdier legal protections from state and federal laws, more district leaders have given members of this growing population rights to choose the names they’ll respond to […]
At-Risk

Districts of Distinction: Paving new paths to success

From early-learning to entrepreneurship to the environment, innovative instruction propels students to meet more rigorous standards and graduate high school better prepared for their next steps in life. The 30 […]
Administration and Management

School neuroscience unleashes students' brain power

Educational neuroscience empowers teachers with new insights into how all students learn and holds promise for enhancing special ed, but myths and exaggerations sprouting up around the burgeoning field could […]