Student Success

In a classroom in New Hampshire, second-graders pull out iPads to film themselves discussing the characters of a book they are reading. Such video selfies increase students’ understanding of the story’s characters and how those characters resolve problems, says Amy Riley, who teaches at Stratham Memorial School in School Administrative Unit 16 in Exeter. “The […]

Lunch shaming is the sort of term that never existed until this past spring, when it was seemingly everywhere. It refers to cafeteria policies advocates say punish students who are unable to pay for their meal, such as by taking the lunch away, or having them stand in a separate line from their peers for […]

Across the country, youngsters in all grades are connecting with senior citizens on projects that transcend community outreach to provide students with true curricular value. While doing research for National History Day, students in Tea McCaulla’s Florida high school stumbled upon Women’s Airforce Service Pilots and Letters from Home, a book by World War II […]

In his previous book, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character, journalist Paul Tough looked at how non-cognitive personal qualities like perseverance, self-control and conscientiousness play a critical role in children’s success. Now, in the follow-up to that book, Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why (2016, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Tough […]

There’s a new tool in the battle against student depression, anxiety and suicide—the in-school wellness center. Palos Verdes High School in California opened its on-campus wellness center in December 2016. “The idea is to create spaces that don’t look or feel like schools” says Don Austin, superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula USD. “The physical space […]

Building principals, assistant principals and other school administrators engage frequently with students in conversations to address inappropriate behavior. The goal of these interactions is not only to provide consequences, but also to help students to avoid the initiation of similar infractions in the future. School administrators are in an ideal position—when setting consequences—to help students […]