Today's computer charging stations not only provide power, they also allow teachers to effortlessly transport an entire classroom's laptops and tablets. Some stationary platforms have cart attachments to make them mobile, while others can be stacked or mounted on various surfaces to save space. —Steven Blackburn SIM32 Cart Spectrum Industries Inc. Thirty-two 15.6-inch tablets fit […]
Children from 19 El Paso ISD schools now engage in social-emotional activities at nearly two dozen new playgrounds, thanks in part to districtwide communication. CHALLENGE: In 2016, El Paso ISD wanted to transform its most deteriorated playgrounds into fun, safe environments. "We knew that playtime was an excellent opportunity for our students to interact with […]
When hiring teachers, districts are more likely to select better candidates if they use screening tools designed to align closely with actual classroom experiences and expectations, according to a recent study of Los Angeles USD undertaken by CALDER, an education policy arm of the American Institutes for Research. A hiring process that reflects specific classroom […]
Educators and school administrators want touchscreen panels and projectors that not only display content, but support audience participation during presentations. Multiple users can now mirror their device's screen onto displays and stream presented content onto their phones, tablets or computers. Routers allow the transfer of content from a presentation system to multiple devices within a […]
In Florida's Collier County Public Schools, educators' use of social media to connect with parents and the broader community started with "a coalition of the willing" says Greg Turchetta, executive director of communications and community development. "Resistance is at every turn. We started with school administrative teams and school accounts." Once the administrators became comfortable […]
Math instruction continues to move further into digital territory, but many lessons still depend on hands-on activities and nondigital materials, such as textbooks. Schools choose computer-based and online curricula because they can provide more engaging ways for students to learn—from playing games and watching instructional videos to creating graphs and drawing shapes digitally. These programs […]
The New School Rules: 6 Vital Practices for Thriving and Responsive Schools Corwin Administrators can learn organizational and management strategies in this book about pursuing education reform. The New School Rules describes effective ways to build team trust and to lead faculty without micromanaging. Authors talk about positive decision-making practices and discuss the importance of […]
Paraeducators constitute more than one-quarter of the instructional staff in U.S. schools and districts. They play a critical role, from providing behavior support to teaching both academic and social and emotional skills to students. Despite their important work, training opportunities for paraeducators are limited. Due to reduced contract hours, paraeducators are not often included in […]
Finding innovative ways to make math matter to students is key to improving competency in all grades. At Ridgewood Community High School outside Chicago, students are building a home on campus. The project, part of a Geometry and Construction class, reflects administrators' efforts to make math relevant through real-world applications. "Our thought was, 'It's not […]
