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.

3 essential tools to make elementary science easier

Key points:

  • Interactivity and engaging resources can make science more approachable
  • Elementary school teachers need easy-to-use science tools that will grab students’ attention

During my time as a kindergarten teacher, I learned three major lessons about our youngest learners’ relationship to science. Specifically, I learned that elementary school students are predisposed to being excited to learn about their world, are naturally curious about how the world of nature works, and benefit highly from learning about the STEM/STEAM-related professions they might someday consider pursuing.  

My current role as a PreK-12 science curriculum specialist affords me the opportunity to work alongside a variety of elementary school teachers as they plan engaging lessons and activities for their students. Often, I hear that science is set aside for various reasons. While I recognize the critical importance of developing math and literacy mastery, we must ensure our elementary level learners are well-rounded and prepared with the scientific skills needed for future success. So, I see it as part of my role to provide the teachers I serve with easy-to-use resources and instructional supports they need to easily “sneak” scientific concepts into their lesson.…Read More

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6 keys to effective tutoring

Key points:

  • For tutoring to work, students have to show up
  • Finding a curriculum designed for tutoring is important to program success

As educators continue to work to accelerate learning for students following the pandemic, many are turning to tutoring to provide support. Tutoring is one of the most effective math interventions available for students, but the quality of tutoring varies widely.

Here are six keys to ensuring your students are receiving the best tutoring available.…Read More

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Edthena Announces Winner of the 2023 Teacher Leader Impact Award 

SAN FRANCISCO – To kick off Teacher Appreciation Week, Edthena is announced Megan Schlagel of St. Vrain Valley Schools in Longmont, Colo. as the winner of its 2023 Teacher Leader Impact Award which recognizes standout teachers nationwide. Schlagel, a high school math teacher at Niwot High School, was nominated by an administrator at her school for having an impact in her classroom and beyond through her dedication to lifelong learning and the continuous improvement of her teaching practices. 

“Megan truly exemplifies what it means to be a teacher leader,” said Adam Geller, founder and CEO of Edthena. “In addition to the impact she has with her students, Megan is passionate about supporting her fellow high school teachers and continuing her own professional learning. We are proud to recognize her hard work and dedication.”

As part of the award’s nomination process, school-level administrators were asked to detail how a nominee continually improves as well as the positive impacts of the nominee’s teaching and lifelong learning. …Read More

10 reasons we love teachers

My second-grade teacher made me love Ramona Quimby.
I’ve never forgotten my multiplication tables, thanks to my fourth-grade teacher.
My fifth-grade teacher taught me to confidently project my voice (much to my husband’s chagrin when I’m on video calls!).
My sixth-grade teacher inspired me to be a fast typist and gave me independent reading time so I could accomplish my goal of finishing Gone with the Wind.
My high school Algebra II teacher made me believe I was, in fact, really good at math.
My English literature teacher inspired me to write a book.
My Humanities teachers inspired me to travel the world.

Just seven days a year to celebrate teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week is hardly sufficient.  After all, they celebrate our students’ wins and teach them lessons through their mistakes every day of the school year. Let’s reflect on 10 reasons we love teachers…

  1. A Lifetime of Influence

    Growing up in a small town and attending a school with approximately 25 classmates from pre-school through eighth grade, I had a couple of teachers twice and interacted with all the teachers in the building regularly. Whatever the length of interaction, it can go a long way for students, like artist Dean Thompson. Dean shared his teacher’s valuable guidance: “Robert Dominiak was an art teacher who was a mentor to me. He taught me how to look at things with a different perspective, and he helped me put together a portfolio when I applied to the Art Institute of Chicago. With his help I received my degree from there, and I’m still in contact with him to this day.”…Read More

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    Poor math scores could be a result of student burnout

    With math scores falling globally, top high school math students point to academic burnout as a key factor. Among their recommended solutions to boost math performance? Tackle the root cause of burnout, get diversion through non-academic activities, and make STEM classes more applicable to everyday life.

    That’s the finding of a survey of 16- to 18-year-olds in the U.S. and U.K. conducted in March by Philadelphia-based Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). The survey gathered responses from 1,000 11th and 12th grade students from across the U.S. and sixth form students in England and Wales, as well as some of their teachers, to get their insights on the impact events of the last three years have had on math performance. The students queried are participants in this year’s MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge), an annual internet-based, intensive math modeling contest organized by SIAM.

    “The poll shows that even top students have been struggling with school-related pressures, with 83 percent saying that they have experienced or somewhat experienced academic burnout in the last two years, and 32 percent saying their anxiety over math has increased,” said Dr. Karen Bliss, Senior Manager of Education and Outreach at SIAM. “Yet, rather than following the downward math performance trend, the majority still did well in math, with 35 percent landing even better math grades than previous years and 55 percent maintaining their average.”…Read More

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    How a middle school teacher grew students’ math scores despite pandemic challenges

    This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

    As a senior at Indianapolis’ Ben Davis High School, Jacob Gregory enrolled in an Exploratory Teaching program. He thought of it as an easy way to leave school for a few hours, but it ended up sparking “an unknown interest in teaching,” he said. 

    Today, the sixth grade math and science teacher at McKinley Elementary School is a quiet rock star. The school’s sixth grade growth scores in math are at nearly 58 percent, meaning more than half of the students met their individual growth targets on the state’s ILEARN test.…Read More

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    What do superintendents really think of the NAEP?

    Last October, newspapers around the country reported the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. And just like in previous years, the headlines weren’t positive. This time, though, it was even worse than usual. It was the first time students took these biennial assessments since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and based on the results, it was quite clear our country’s students had suffered greatly. Results had dropped in both reading and math in nearly every state in the nation. But beyond that, what did the tests prove?  

    Not much, according to the many superintendents I’ve spoken with. My organization, the Institute for Education Innovation, recently hosted a conclave of innovative educators, along with business and nonprofit leaders in the education field, to discuss some of the thorniest topics in education today. NAEP was among them.  

    It can be tough for school superintendents to publicly criticize this nationwide assessment, which has been congressionally mandated for decades, but behind closed doors, they had a lot to say. One participant even used the words “tar and feather” when talking about the people who came up with this assessment system—in jest, of course. But the fact is, feelings around NAEP are strong. …Read More

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    Pennsylvania School Reports Student Growth in Mathematics Despite National Trends

    ST. PAUL, MINN. (PRWEB) — Sourcewell, a trusted advisor to education leaders, announces that  North Star Central Elementary School in Boswell, Pennsylvania—home to more than 350 pre-K–4 students—is seeing significant growth in students’ math scores, despite  national trends.

    “At North Star, we are focused on improving the math skills of all of our students, not just those who need additional support and intervention,” said Renee Lepley, Principal at North Star Central Elementary School. “Thanks to the teamwork of our teachers and staff, we are building not just our students’ confidence in the classroom, but ensuring a strong foundation for success.”

    At the end of 2022, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released results on students’ reading and math performance nationwide. On average, fourth-grade students’ math scores decreased by five points, and eighth-grade students’ math scores decreased by eight points. Both averages marked the  largest score declines since the initial assessments in 1990—more than 30 years ago.…Read More

    Mathletics Announces US Winners of 2023 ‘World Math Day’

    NEW YORK – On March 8, 2023, 296,090 students from around the world took part in ‘World Math Day’, an online annual event that fosters a love of math in students and boosts their engagement in the subject.

    Nationwide, there’s growing concern around students’ math performance. According to the latest report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), fourth- and eighth-grade students’ math scores declined in both grades in most states—marking the largest score decline since the initial assessments in 1990. This can lead to anxiety around math and can even change students’ approaches to learning the subject. A study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests math-anxious students choose less-effective study methods. World Math Day provides opportunities and fun activities for students to engage with math and grow their confidence.

    “World Math Day brings out the absolute best in students,” said Sheila Robitaille, Professional Learning Specialist at Mathletics. “This year’s celebration of all-things-math was no different, and our entire team is in awe of the accomplishments of this year’s top individuals and schools and all the other participants. A big congratulations to all!”…Read More

    How a major MD district boosted middle math achievement

    Improving math achievement has long been a sticking point for U.S. schools, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic’s negative impact on learning. Now, one Maryland school district is seeing substantial improvements in grades 6-8 math scores.

    A new impact study at Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) found that students in grades 6 to 8 who used Speak Agent Math+Language outperformed their peers who did not use the program. Students who completed 10 Speak Agent learning activities experienced a 10 percent higher mean score than their peers on the PGCPS Math Benchmark assessments.

    In addition, multilingual learners experienced a 17-point (five percent) higher mean score on the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs test, in addition to a higher math score. This is the first large-scale study to find a positive, independent effect at a 99.9% confidence level for both Math and English language proficiency scores, as measured by third-party assessments, caused by a single education technology program.…Read More

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