TRENDING  //  Choosing Classroom Technology: 7 Key Factors to Consider  //  5 Ways to make your eSports program successful

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.

Waterbury Public Schools Partners with BloomBoard to Address Teacher Retention Crisis

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

Building a Successful Certification Program at Your Institution

In a world where competition for jobs, pay increases, and academic success continues to increase, certifications offer hope because they are a credible, third-party assessment of one’s skill and knowledge for a given subject. According to a study conducted across the state of Florida, those who earn certifications while in school are more likely to have a higher GPA, are more likely to graduate, are more likely to enroll in a post-secondary program, and are less likely to drop out. Furthermore, once the candidate is in the workforce, certification improves a candidate’s marketability and earning power, with some professionals making up to 7% more than their non-certified colleagues.

Building a certification program from the ground up often involves significant legwork from educators and administrators. Get advice below on the best ways to build a successful certification program at your school.

Research Funding Options

One of the common issues faced by many educators is a lack of funding. Asking for additional budget to grow or increase resources in your classroom can be a frustrating process.…Read More

Powerful strategies to motivate girls in STEM

The history of STEM is filled with amazing women who revolutionized our understanding of science. Take Grace Hopper, one of the first computer programmers who went on to become a rear admiral in the United States Navy. Chien-Shiung Wu was a renowned physicist who helped crack the secrets of nuclear physics. Alice Ball saved countless lives by developing a treatment for leprosy, while Ynés Mexía gave us a better understanding of the many plants which make up our environment. The list goes on, and only grows more extraordinary!

Unfortunately, women only make up 28 percent of the STEM workforce. This is because many young girls have struggled to engage with STEM while in school. The reasons for this are numerous, from forced stereotypes to a lack of role models.

As a result, many young women are missing their chance to pursue STEM in higher education, and the world is poorer for it. So, how can educators take steps to correct this imbalance?…Read More

1 2

To help young students read, acceleration beats remediation

Due to the pandemic, many students have fallen behind grade-level expectations. Educators are trying to get students caught up in the most efficient way possible. It may feel like we’re so far behind that we’ll never catch up, but by focusing on teaching students what they’ve missed while continuing on with grade-level material, I believe we can help close the learning gaps created over the past two years.

Despite teachers’ natural inclination to slow down when students are struggling, our district is taking a different approach to literacy. Instead of focusing on remediation, we are diving into acceleration. With the limited district data gathered over the past two years, analysis shows that we can’t slow down in order to get students caught up to grade-level reading. We have to continue on our path forward; otherwise they’ll be catching up until they get their diploma. Here’s how we’re implementing reading acceleration for our students.

Mastery Is Not Bound to Time…Read More

1 2

3 keys to supporting students during a mental health crisis

A January 2022 study published in JAMA Pediatrics confirmed what many educators, administrators, and support staff already knew: School closures, disrupted learning, and a pandemic year have coalesced to create an alarming mental health crisis among teenagers.

The study found that up to 60 percent of students are experiencing “strong distress,” including anxiety and depression. The results echoed a recent American Psychological Association (APA) report, which found that more than 80 percent of teenagers experienced “more intense stress” during the pandemic.

In other words, as Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, notes, “Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide — and rates have increased over the past decade.”…Read More

1 2