Three key trends in robotics education
Robots are hugely popular with kids. Want proof? Four of the 20 best-selling toys on Amazon during the 2018 holiday season were robots, robotics kits, or other electronic…
schools
8 ways to ensure tech readiness this school year
Summer isn't quite over, but now that August has claimed its place on our calendars, many educators are getting ready to welcome students back to school in the…
Learn to fight fake news in your classrooms and schools
In the 1930s, Upton Sinclair was one of the most prominent writers in the United States. But no amount of fame could protect him, when he ran for…
4 ways school leadership encourages proficient readers
At a time when schools are held accountable to the highest level of standards, strong school leadership is critical for success. Fortunately, researchers have been exploring the school…
3 districts that battled malware–and won–with endpoint security
It's not exactly a secret that most educational institutions are vulnerable to data breaches and security hacks. All it takes is one attack to freeze school operations and…
3 keys to cultivating the maker mindset
When we dreamed of starting construction on a space where teachers and students alike could cultivate a maker mindset, our goals went beyond creating a dedicated makerspace. We…
Rigor and joy: SEL and academics go hand-in-hand
Demographics McMinnville School District serves 6,800 students across 9 schools Biggest challenge We are a Title 1 school in rural Oregon with over 60 percent of our students…
Using your LMS for teaching and professional learning
Picture this: You roll out a new learning management system (LMS) for students, but all of your professional learning is either hosted on a different platform or conducted…
3 ways to find time for personalized learning
When schools think about incorporating personalized learning, it may seem intuitive to consider resources like specific technologies or professional development plans. But there’s another critical resource that too…
10 signs you’re doing SEL right
Teachers, school counselors, and school leaders impact student social-emotional learning (SEL) to the degree that they transform each student’s mindset by empowering the self of the student.SEL is…
Why should schools change?
The transformation of our schools--from the outdated model that focuses on rote learning of content and short-term preparation for tests, to one of deeper learning that prepares students…
How we turned around our new teacher retention
Gaston County Schools, located in North Carolina, is the 10th-largest district in the state. We have a very diverse, economically challenged population in our school system, with roughly…
How STEM learning invigorates classrooms
eSchool News (eSN) recently spoke with Vince Bertram, the chief executive officer of Project Lead The Way
3 things edtech can’t do
We’re swimming in a world of technologies that have huge implications for the future of schooling. Computers live in teachers and students’ pockets, the Internet makes information and…
Can audiobooks be the great equalizer for students with learning differences?
Low reading ability is a major contributor to learning inequality in our schools. An estimated 26 million students have learning differences, including tens of thousands of students with…
Transform your staff lounge to support teacher wellbeing
According to a study done by the University of Missouri, 93% of teachers are experiencing high levels of work-related stress. Mindfulness has already been proven to boost the…
Why K-12 accounts payable teams should embrace automation
Across the country, K-12 schools are embracing technology to strengthen learning and engagement inside the classroom. But while technology has an ever-increasing presence in the classroom, the opposite…
How should we define SEL in schools?
We are often asked for the definition of social-emotional learning (SEL). One common and useful SEL definition is the process of learning to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving…
5 things to avoid saying to students suffering from anxiety
Currently, schools are being inundated with cases of anxiety in young adults. Although the dramatic increase in attention being paid to the illness has been beneficial to those…
Explore student agency, storytelling, and more at SXSW EDU 2019
Student agency is a form of personalized learning that encourages students to take initiative when it comes to their own learning experiences in the classroom. Therefore, students get…
5 things standing between K-12 schools and innovation
Sustaining and scaling innovation is one of the top hurdles K-12 district leaders face as they strive to bring new and bold ideas to education, according to a…
How to instill an entrepreneurial mindset district-wide
As the superintendent of a large urban high school district, I have the opportunity to help identify and implement innovative programs that help prepare our students for success.
Looking for a way to lower suspensions and reduce bullying?
Suspension has been a commonly used disciplinary method in schools for decades. Unfortunately, it also has no positive impact on students. What’s worse, these same children often develop a…
The 14 most innovative SEL districts, part 2
In this article, we will be highlighting districts that have shown tremendous commitment to the well being of their students and staff. These 14 districts are being recognized…
How SEL inspired a transformation in my school
When I accepted the position as principal at Langley Elementary in Washington, D.C., I had two objectives in mind: one, to empower teachers who truly care about supporting…
Family tech nights can narrow the digital divide
When we talk about digital equity, the conversation often focuses on providing opportunities for all students to learn in an increasingly connected world. We talk about devices and…
Here’s how teachers think SEL can truly help students
A resounding majority of administrators, teachers, and parents say they believe social and emotional learning (SEL) is just as important as academic learning. SEL is the process that…
Here’s a must-do for E-rate applicants
Calling all E-rate coordinators--there is one important step you can take now to ensure a smooth process when the E-rate filing window opens in 2019. The FY2019 application…
4 keys to building an equitable STEM program
This year in schools across the nation, approximately 136,000 students took advanced placement (AP) computer science, a 31 percent increase from last year. This group included a record…
Video: How edtech connects
At SXSW EDU 2018, The Christensen Institute’s Director of Education Research, Julia Freeland Fisher, reveals innovative schools that are creating learning models that strengthen teacher-student relationships, and emerging…
5 ways to optimize learning spaces for student success
As we address the challenges of a highly competitive world, we must enable students to learn and generate new ideas by moving away from the “old school” classroom.…
4 examples of engaging vision-impaired students in STEM
STEM learning is a cornerstone of education in today's K-12 schools, but STEM classrooms often aren't all that inspiring to students who are blind or have low vision.…
8 ways I practiced mindfulness this year
Mindfulness has become a buzzword in schools over the past few years. Many schools have hired mindfulness professionals to work with their students and faculty. According to scientist…
The 2 stages of successful early STEM education revisited
I have been in education for 18 years and my strongest belief is that all children deserve a fresh start when they begin each school year. My classroom…
The other gap that schools aren’t talking about—relationships
The NAEP scores released in April set off a flurry of headlines about the sobering state of achievement gaps across the nation. The general consensus? Despite pockets of…
Video: How edtech connects
At SXSW EDU 2018, The Christensen Institute’s Director of Education Research, Julia Freeland Fisher, reveals innovative schools that are creating ... Read more
Mapping the universe of edtech that connects
I’m excited to share a tool that my colleagues and I have been working on for the past few years: ... Read more
The other gap that schools aren’t talking about—relationships
The NAEP scores released in April set off a flurry of headlines about the sobering state of achievement gaps across ... Read more
SEL should be an easy sell for U.S. schools and districts
In light of tragic events that have put a spotlight on school safety issues, it’s more important than ever to understand the value of students’ social and emotional…
It’s time to change our learning model
As a 22-year-old first-year teacher, I was introduced to one of the biggest challenges within our schools. While setting up my classroom, my principal came by to deliver…