Palm Springs USD helps English language learners find success with an extended instructional program that allows students to practice their English skills before or after school, on Saturdays and during breaks. It could be a recipe for other districts. The three-year-old program targets newcomers, long-term ELLs and students who qualify as early advanced or advanced […]
Here are tips from Eric Antuna, coordinator of English learner programs for Palm Springs USD, and Mandy Gonzales, a district ELL teacher: 1. Find people. Palm Springs USD's program is possible because a core group of about a dozen teachers and faculty are committed to helping students before or after school, on Saturdays and during […]
Deeper learning doesn't have to be expensive, says Stephanie Wood-Garnett, vice president of policy to practice at the Alliance for Excellent Education, a national advocacy group for at-risk students. "Deeper learning is not about buying things, but deeper learning done well could allow us to think more effectively or differently on how to enhance the […]
Every morning, principals in the West Bridgewater School District in Massachusetts get on the PA system to lead students through a few minutes of mindful breathing exercises.
Certified strength and conditioning coaches bring athletic and legal benefits Strength and conditioning—or what some call strength training—continues to gain in popularity at high schools and colleges. Recent studies have confirmed its importance in long-term fitness and health, including strengthening bones, muscles, and tendons, as well as decreasing the likelihood of injury. Federal guidelines recommend […]
Seeking alternatives to expensive professional development that takes teachers out of their classrooms and requires substitutes, Madison County Public Schools in Virginia developed a solution. Teachers want relevant professional development to be available when they have time. They want choice and immediate feedback. The district needs effective PD that is incorporated into classrooms. As director […]
The road hasn't always been easy, but Atlanta Public Schools has a proud history of bringing communities together to address academic and social challenges. The road hasn't always been easy, but Atlanta Public Schools has a proud history of bringing communities together to address academic and social challenges. We've made great strides as a district, […]
"Lights, device, action!" This is what's going on at New Rochelle High School, about 20 miles north of New York City, where students use smartphones and tablets to create short movies based on classic works of literature. The school's writing and filmmaking program, which heavily employs mobile devices, works in conjunction with the English high […]
With the U.S. Department of Education doling out billions of dollars to promote diversity and to support low-income schools in 2017, administrators across the country are also working to better serve students of all backgrounds, abilities and interests. Two annual conferences this spring—the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the National Science Teachers […]
Editor's note: DA's new HR column will appear quarterly There is a kind of professional development that we rarely see but that many of us in school leadership could use. Some would call it coaching or mentoring, but what I'm describing is more specific—individualized instruction in an alternative setting off campus. I had just such […]
