Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Frog Street Pre-K Curriculum Linked to Improved School Readiness

DALLAS (PRWEB) — Frog Street, an early childhood education company designed around the latest science in early brain development, has announced the results of a study conducted by the  Johns Hopkins School of Education evaluating the efficacy of the Frog Street Pre-K curriculum with students in Texas. The study found that using  Frog Street Pre-K curriculum was associated with positive gains in critical early learning domains and increased kindergarten readiness. Frog Street provides a bilingual pre-K curriculum organized into five subjects, five skill-content areas and supports for social-emotional development.

“Ensuring that children are prepared for kindergarten is crucial for their future academic success,” emphasized Jessica Bobo, Head of Product at Frog Street Press and a former Texas early childhood educator and leader. “The data speaks for itself: our students are developing a love for learning and building a strong academic foundation that will serve them well for years to come.”

The study analyzed approximately 78,000 Pre-K students from 316 school districts in Texas who were instructed using Frog Street Pre-K curriculum as their primary curriculum during the 2021-2022 academic year, compared to students who used a different Pre-K curriculum. The researchers assessed the performance of both sets of students in areas like reading, writing, language, health, and mathematics domains using the CIRCLE assessment from fall 2021 to spring 2022. Key findings include:…Read More

Whitney Brothers® Introduces 36-inch High Curve In and Curve Out Cabinets In The Nature View Collection

Keene, NH – Acclaimed children’s furniture brand Whitney Brothers® today introduced two new 36-inch high curved cabinets in the Nature View Collection, its innovative line of biophiliainspired furniture for Early Learning environments.

The curve-in and curve-out cabinets join the Nature View Serenity series, an assortment of 36-inch high straight and curved divider panels, storage cabinets, and activity centers depicting a brilliant forest image that intentionally draws the attention of children and fundamentally changes how they engage a space. The 36-high Serenity items also coordinate seamlessly with all other pieces in the brand’s award winning biophilia-inspired Nature View Collection, an industry first in Early Learning furniture.

Scientific studies support that biophilic design helps to reduce stress, enhance creativity, focus clarity of thought and improve well-being, benefits that can foster a child’s deep connection to their learning environment and set a positive trajectory for future learning outcomes. The Nature View Collection by Whitney Brothers® now encompasses 73 separate furniture pieces that have earned multiple design awards from Interior Design magazine, Spaces4Learning, GOOD DESIGN™, Architizer A+ and Teacher’s Choice Award.…Read More

 Learning Without Tears Scores Big in 2023 EdTech Awards

Cabin John MD – Early learning leader, Learning Without Tears, is now among EdTech’s best and brightest, following the announcement of this year’s EdTech “Cool Tool” Awards. The company had a particularly strong showing in the 2023 EdTech Awards, where its Phonics, Reading, and MeÔ was a finalist in the Literacy/Reading Solution category and the company’s Get Set for SchoolÒ won its category and was named the “Best Early Childhood/Kindergarten-Readiness Solution.”Adding to an already-strong showing, Learning Without Tears was also recognized as a company “Setting a Trend,” where it was named a finalist in the EdTech Trendsetter Awards.    

“We are proud that our learning solutions were recognized as among the best in EdTech,” explained Learning Without Tears CEO Terry Nealon. “Since its inception, Learning Without Tears has been an innovator, and we are proud that we continue to set the trend of more effective learning solutions technology. The most important recognition, of course, comes from teachers and students, when they see effective learning and skills development with both Get Set for School, and Phonics, Reading, and Me. We are all proud of the innovative work our development teams did to create – and continuously improve – these breakthrough learning programs.” 

Celebrating its 13th year, the US-based EdTech Awards program is the world’s largest recognition program for education technology, recognizing the strongest EdTech solutions. Finalists for The EdTech Awards 2023 have been announced to a worldwide audience of educators, technologists, students, parents, and policymakers interested in building a better future for learners and leaders in the education and workforce sectors. The annual program shines a spotlight on cool tools, inspiring leaders and innovative trendsetters across the K-12, Higher Education, and Skills and Workforce sectors. …Read More

Equity and Access at the Core of Learning Without Tears’ Breakthrough Literacy Program, Phonics, Reading, and Me™

Cabin John MD – Early learning leader, Learning Without Tears, today affirmed that equity and access are at the core of Phonics, Reading, and Me™—its K–3 supplemental literacy program designed to help students learn the skills they need to become proficient readers. While the content itself provides multicultural access through decodable texts and small group activities, Phonics, Reading, and Me also benefits from artificial intelligence-driven speech recognition technology powered by SoapBox Labs, the first company in the world to achieve independent certification for identifying and mitigating racial bias in AI design. This certification was awarded by Digital Promise, a non-profit established by the US Congress in 2011 to develop research, practice, and technologies to drive education equity, in partnership with the EdTech Equity Project.

“From the start, Phonics, Reading, and Me was designed to be different,” explained Learning Without Tears Chief Executive Officer, Terry Nealon. “In both content and technology and professional learning and support, Phonics, Reading, and Me raises the bar on delivering bias-free and equitable access learning for all students. This is at the core of Learning Without Tears’ commitment to delivering breakthrough learning programs.”

Partnering with SoapBox since June of 2022, Phonics, Reading, and Me leverages this AI technology to accurately capture data on skills proficiency—regardless of children’s race, background, or ethnicity. This data drives personalized pathing within the system: offering scaffolds and opportunities to stretch so all students progress along the skills sequence together. The data from child-specific, accurate speech technology from SoapBox coupled with Learning Without Tears’ activities and proprietary pathing formulas drive efficacy and empowers young learners with the essential literacy skills they need to access grade level text.…Read More

The Ohio Department of Education Creates a Credential for the State’s Early Learning Teachers

ATLANTA – Cox Campus, the online learning community of the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School, has been selected by the Ohio Department of Education (DOE) to create a customized early learning credential to transform teaching practices and child literacy outcomes throughout Ohio.

“Our partnership with the Ohio Department of Education is a significant step toward providing early learning educators with free evidenced-based courses and resources that will help the teachers build a language-centered and culturally responsive foundation for every child,” said Dr. Ryan Lee-James, Chief Academic Officer of the Rollins Center. “Early learning teachers are among the first to plant the seed of literacy with our young children. This credential builds the knowledge, skills and agency each teacher needs to build relationships of care that make way for deep reading brain construction, paving the path to opportunity and a life of self-determination.”

Cox Campus will provide three levels of credentials for Ohio teachers: emergent literacy aware (5 hours), emergent literacy informed (10 hours) and emergent literacy competent (15 hours).…Read More

5 ways to create a stellar online elementary learning program

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 4th most-read story focuses on creating an online elementary program.

Elementary education is the foundation for early learning, providing students with the skills and community they need for future success in school and life. Thanks to today’s technology, helping them start on the right foot is easier than ever – especially with online learning opportunities.

Online learning has become a growing trend among K-12 students, including elementary students. In fact, we successfully launched our own online elementary schools, which grew by 10,000 students over the past four years.…Read More

Whitney Brothers® Introduces Nature View Mobile Book Browser

Keene, NH, – Award winning children’s furniture brand Whitney Brothers® today introduced the Nature View Mobile Book Browser, an imaginative interpretation of a standard book display for Early Learning environments that features a stunning waterfall image on the front and dry erase marker board on the back.

The exclusive design combines utility with beauty to entice children to pick a book and sit down by the serene brook for a peaceful read. The front features four graduated display shelves with a lip that provides stable book display and maximum front cover visibility. The back includes a dry erase marker board for drawing, writing, lessons or whatever the classroom activity entails. The browser is mounted on four heavy duty non-marking lockable casters and coordinates with all other furniture pieces in the
company’s award-winning biophilia-inspired Nature View Collection, an industry first in Early Learning furniture.

Scientific studies show that biophilic design helps to reduce stress, enhance creativity, focus clarity of thought and improve well-being, benefits that can foster a child’s deep connection to their learning environment and set a positive trajectory for future learning outcomes. The Nature View Collection by Whitney Brothers® now encompasses 35 separate furniture pieces that have earned product design
awards from Interior Design magazine, Spaces4Learning, GOOD DESIGN™ and Teacher’s Choice Award.…Read More

Whitney Brothers® Nature View Writing Center Earns Platinum Spaces4Learning 2022 New Product Award

Keene, NH, July 29, 2022 – Acclaimed Early Learning furniture brand Whitney Brothers® today announced its new Nature View Writing Center received the Platinum 2022 Spaces4Learning New Product Award, one of the most widely recognized awards for product innovation in the educational products market.

The inventive design of the Nature View Writing Center accommodates social distancing and activity workspace in Early Learning environments, a nod to the impact of covid-19 on student desk design. The vibrant woodland scene on the desk’s clear back panel brings the calm of nature indoors and creates a comforting personalized activity space for young children that also provides important visibility for adult supervision. Notably, the 2022 award marks the company’s third consecutive win and fourth in the last six years, vaulting it to the level of a few select brands.

Now in its seventh year, the Spaces4Learning New Product Award program honors manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are judged for their ability to enhance learning environments. The contest judges are members of the publication’s Editorial Advisory Board, a panel of executives and professionals from leading industry vendors, industry associations, and architecture firms.…Read More

5 steps to an engaging online elementary program

Elementary education is the foundation for early learning, providing students with the skills and community they need for future success in school and life. Thanks to today’s technology, helping them start on the right foot is easier than ever – especially with online learning opportunities.

Online learning has become a growing trend among K-12 students, including elementary students. In fact, we successfully launched our own online elementary schools, which grew by 10,000 students over the past four years.

If you are a school or district leader looking to build an online elementary program, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are five steps that helped our teams successfully build and maintain an online elementary program that drives student and parent engagement:…Read More

SEL shines on Sesame Street

A new partnership between Sesame Workshop and Discovery Education leverages social and emotional development and learning for a whole-child approach that will target early learners in grades PreK-2.

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street, and Discovery Education‘s K-12 digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. The new Sesame Workshop-branded early learner channel will include high-quality video content; lesson plans and educator resources; interactive games and activities for kids; and family partnership supports–all focused on a whole-child approach.

Incorporating social and emotional competencies into early learning is critical, and it’s especially important for children who are entering preschool for the first time–they are “pandemic babies” who likely missed group early learning opportunities due to social distancing and pandemic policies.…Read More