With 22 of the 26 school districts in Northcentral Technical College's area of Wisconsin expressing a need for middle school and high school technology teachers, the college has partnered with Marian University to train more educators. The teacher candidates will be drawn from NTC's technology programs, including architectural design, automotive, diesel, electromechanical, graphic communications, mechanical […]
Something as simple and as inexpensive as a few minutes of deep breathing can help children better control their emotions—and their behavior. But this only works if students practice mindfulness daily, and at McKinley-Brighton Elementary School in Syracuse, New York, they do—for 30 minutes at the start of each day of summer school. "When you […]
A student success program at West Valley School District #208 in Yakima, Washington, provides additional support for learners from pre-K through high school graduation. The initiative includes five steps: Collaborations between childcare and district kindergarten teachers that prepare children to start school Small group exercises with a whole-child focus Reading and math interventions in grades […]
In his new book What School Could Be, innovation expert Ted Dintersmith profiles schools that focus on innovation and "real" learning, rather than endlessly drilling on formulas and definitions that don't matter in today's world. Our archaic model of education trains kids for a world that no longer exists, and accelerating advances in technology are eliminating millions of […]
Personalized learning for students has long been a priority in K12 education, but for some reason, some districts haven't applied this same approach to teachers. For years, PD has been completely one-dimensional. Teachers sit in district- and state-mandated PowerPoint-driven seminars that fail to encourage collaboration or authentic engagement in the material. Often, teachers leave feeling […]
When Amy Arbogash took the reins of the technology department at Verona Area School District in Wisconsin in 2017, it was in the middle of a multiyear shift to personalized instruction. Students were developing their own learning plans during the rollout of a 1-to-1 iPad program. That is why the district gave Arbogash the title […]
Play is not a luxury; it is a necessity. In many districts across the United States, recess in elementary school is being questioned, reduced and even eliminated to increase instructional time. Students need ample time for recess and brain breaks to help them to develop social competencies and attention to learning.
North Clackamas School District Superintendent Matthew Utterback minds the gap. That is, the gap between white students and everyone else. That's why the 2017 National School Superintendent of the Year takes special pride in the details of his Oregon district's 18 percent graduation rate increase. "There's now no gap between graduation rates for students of […]
Developers of equity programs offer the following tips for success: You need it first—Equity PD gets the best results when leaders—from superintendents to school board members to principals—are trained before their staff. Dialogue, collaboration and role-play—Kids don't love PowerPoints or lectures, and neither do educators. PD that gets teachers talking, collaborating and even role-playing seems […]
Effective professional development helps educators better address the rapidly evolving needs of students. But with limited budgets and teacher time, how can PD be served up effectively, and integrated and tracked? Education leaders share their best practices for ensuring that professional learning time is well-spent, focused, shared and rewarded. 1. Offer various formats. Just as […]
