Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
It is easy, as an educator, to get stuck in a rut. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to avoid at some point or another during the school year.
Throughout my 17 years of teaching, I’ve found myself asking questions like, “Is my instruction still engaging and fun?” and “Am I really helping my students become independent thinkers?”
I’ve even found myself feeling hesitant at times to use new technology. It can be time-consuming and, in some cases, intimidating.…Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – The PLtogether resource site powered by Edthena now features more than 75 video interviews with education experts. Educators can access the free, on-demand “Lounge Talks” video series to hear about and learn effective strategies for a number of timely topics ranging from professional development to teacher wellness.
“Created as part of our commitment to video-powered professional learning, PLtogether helps educators learn from some of the most-respected researchers and thought leaders in education,” said Adam Geller, founder and CEO of Edthena. “The dozens of videos featured on the site provide educators with tactical, bite-sized advice on many of the topics that will matter most to them this school year and beyond.”
The recent PLtogether videos have covered a number of important topics, including:…Read More
BOSTON, /PRNewswire/ – As students and teachers nationwide head back to school, learning technology company HMH today announced major enhancements to Ed, HMH’s connected teaching and learning platform, that will offer an even more streamlined experience to empower educators and engage students. Seamless integrations with Google Classroom and Clever, as well as refinements and new features to many of HMH’s core, supplemental and intervention solutions and professional learning services, provide powerful connected teaching and learning experiences that drive positive outcomes—all from one platform.
“At HMH, we know that an innovative, connected approach is what educators need to make the most of their time and resources and meet all students where they are,” said Greg Collins, SVP of Platform at HMH. “This back-to-school, a streamlined Ed experience will equip students, teachers and administrators with powerful integrations like Google Classroom and Clever, enhanced embedded assessment, joint solutions like Amira + Saxon Phonics & Spelling and evolve the overall HMH platform experience.”
Critical Integrations…Read More
WATERBURY CONN. & PITTSBURGH (PRWEB) — Waterbury Public Schools and BloomBoard today announce a partnership to create Waterbury U. This innovative initiative addresses the current teacher retention crisis while supporting the unique needs of all students. Waterbury U offers educators on-the-job professional learning opportunities to prepare, promote and advance them in their professional journey. The program allows educators to earn graduate credit, which can lead to a full master’s degree and salary advancement. In addition, Waterbury Public Schools will cover all costs associated with participation for up to 800 staff members.
“This partnership gives our hard-working educators a voice and a choice in their learning,” stated Dr. Verna Ruffin, Superintendent of Waterbury Public Schools. “I see BloomBoard as a partner in helping us grow our own talent, including the number of paraprofessionals who aspire to become teachers or aspire to be better paraprofessionals. An effective and happy teacher is paramount to ensuring student success. Therefore, supporting teachers with Waterbury U is the key to supporting the unique needs of all students.”
A recent CT Insider article reported anywhere from 1,200 to 1,600 current open teaching positions throughout Connecticut. Therefore, this program aims to provide a special incentive that encourages current education staff to stay within the district while encouraging new teachers and staff to join the school community.…Read More
BOSTON – During the 2021-22 school year, Lexia® Learning, a Cambium Learning® Group company, supported over 200,000 students and teachers throughout Massachusetts with instructional and professional learning programs. Hundreds of schools, ranging from Boston Public to the small coastal town of Ipswich and the diverse city of Brockton, used Lexia’s literacy offerings to help learners read and speak with confidence.
More than 166,600 students across 939 schools used Lexia® Core5® Reading (Core5) to drive progress in their literacy learning during the school year. Core5 provides students in prekindergarten through fifth grade with explicit, systematic instruction through personalized learning paths in six areas of reading. Progress reports revealed significant results. Among students meeting usage targets, the percentage working on skills two or more grades below their grade level was reduced from 18% to 4%. The percentage working on or above grade level increased from 48% to 87%.
Massachusetts educators also used Lexia products to expand their teaching skills. More than 1,500 teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators participated in professional learning sessions provided by the Lexia LETRS ® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) suite of programs. Lexia LETRS provides educators with deep knowledge and develops their expertise in literacy and language instruction based on the science of reading. Almost all the respondents (94%) in Lexia’s feedback survey said that the programs enhanced their ability to use research-based practices. More importantly, 95% said they’d be able to apply the skills and concepts they’d learned.…Read More
BOSTON (June 29, 2022) – Cicero School District 99 in Illinois has adopted Lexia LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional learning programs for its teachers and administrators. Offered by Lexia® Learning, a Cambium Learning® Group company, LETRS provides educators with the deep knowledge required to be literacy and language experts in the science of reading.
Developed by Dr. Louisa Moats and leaders in the field of literacy, the LETRS Suite provides practical support with tools that are available 24/7—online and in print. It also offers professional learning sessions led by national LETRS experts. These sessions provide classroom application examples of the learning and refine and extend participants’ understanding of the content.
Cicero SD 99 began rolling out LETRS in the second part of 2021. The district implemented two professional learning programs:…Read More
Many people envision artificial intelligence’s (AI) role in education with a sci-fi twist, but in reality, AI is already embedded in promising new tools that address student learning, real-time feedback, and continuous professional development (PD).
AI-powered learning tools can offer students immediate feedback and a customized learning experience. And when used in PD, time-strapped educators can better reflect on their instructional practices and target areas for improvement.
Edthena, a provider of video-powered PD tools, is harnessing AI in its new AI Coach platform. The solution helps schools and districts give teachers access to supportive coaching to improve teaching effectiveness. AI Coach uses artificial intelligence to guide teachers through coaching cycles aligned to common growth areas.…Read More
SAN FRANCISCO (February 10, 2022) – Edthena is revolutionizing teacher professional learning with the AI Coach™ platform. This first-of-its-kind solution helps schools and districts provide all teachers with supportive coaching in order to improve teaching effectiveness. The AI Coach platform uses artificial intelligence to guide teachers through coaching cycles aligned to common growth areas.
While working inside the AI Coach platform, teachers have a conversation with Edie, their virtual coach. Edie asks teachers about their professional goals, and then teachers analyze and reflect on videos of their classroom instruction by adding time-stamped comments.
Edie takes a guide-on-the-side approach to help teachers summarize the evidence found during video analysis and develop action plans to increase impact with their students. As part of their conversation with Edie, teachers develop a short-term goal, identify a strategy for change, and commit to a timeline for implementation. This evidence-based process enables teachers to receive many of the benefits of instructional coaching even if an in-person coach is not available.…Read More
It’s one thing to attend a professional learning or instructional coaching session—but taking what you’ve learned and putting it into action is another. Most often, it’s the experiences built upon collaboration, reflection, and active change that make the biggest difference.
My time as a classroom educator helped me realize a passion for helping fellow teachers learn and grow. It inspired a mission to transform professional learning into something that’s focused on teacher collaboration, learning and follow-through.
With this in mind, I compiled the following tips for getting the most out of professional learning and coaching sessions.…Read More
BOSTON (Dec. 1, 2021) –– The Kansas State Board of Education is providing statewide access to LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional learning for educators in prekindergarten through third grade to individuals entering the early education field. Offered by Lexia® Learning, a Cambium Learning® Group company, the LETRS professional learning experience provides the research, depth of knowledge, and abilities for teaching literacy skills to a wide range of students in grades PreK-5.
The Kansas State Board of Education will support the literacy-focused professional learning program over the next three years. “The state’s goal is to address literacy learning gaps that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lexia Learning President, Nick Gaehde. “We will be helping Kansas educators accelerate early literacy learning so students who suffered from the disruption to their learning can quickly recover.”
LETRS is a comprehensive professional learning solution that deepens educator knowledge and expertise in the Science of Reading. The program provides practical support with tools that are available 24/7—online and print. LETRS also offers in-person consulting services and ongoing support throughout the school year with strategies specific to instruction. Educators can choose from the following foundational literacy professional learning programs:…Read More