From Harvard University: https://cepr.harvard.edu/news/scary-truth-about-how-far-behind-american-kids-have-fallen Students of all ages still haven’t made up the ground they lost during the pandemic. Sometimes, panics are overblown. Sometimes, older generations are just freaking out about the youngins, as they have since time immemorial. That’s not the case, unfortunately, with kids’ learning right now, more than four years after the pandemic shuttered classrooms and disrupted the lives of millions of children. The effects were seen almost immediately, as students’ performance in reading and math began to dip far below pre-pandemic norms, worrying educators and families around … [Read more...]
Fed up With Screens, Parents Are Demanding a Return To Pen and Paper in the Classroom
Not so very long ago, school districts and education leaders told us that technology in the classroom was essential to the success of our students. “An iPad on every desk” became the new “chicken in every pot” slogan, as experts tried to convince us that technology could be a panacea for the nation’s test scores. Well, they convinced us. And now some parents are working to extract their children from this technological bill of goods that we were sold. According to NBC News, parents like Julie Frumin and Emily Cherkin strongly believe that the heavy presence of technology in the classroom – particularly through Chromebooks and iPads – is harming their children, so much so that they took … [Read more...]
Private school observations
This was posted on Facebook by a teacher in private school. We are cross-posting the original. Ask these same questions in your home and see what happens. Carol silva denSosrpot4ma95ucl25 l15h5t :P7a257yMlM3751 14ua70a5i 5157mg · I teach at a $15,000/year private academy. Last Tuesday, I gave my 6th graders a simple quiz: Why is the ocean blue but water in a cup is clear? Twenty-four students. Not one of them could answer. These parents are paying for excellence. We're delivering expensive memorization. I've been in this classroom for 12 years. The parents who send their kids here are successful. They pay $15,000 a year because … [Read more...]
We Gave Students Laptops and Took Away Their Brains
From The Free Press. Decades of data show a clear pattern: The more schools digitize, the worse students perform. By Jared Cooney Horvath When people think about excessive technology in schools, their minds usually go to phones. But according to a new book from neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, we’re overlooking the true culprits: the laptops sitting on students’ desks. In “The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning—and How to Help Them Thrive Again,” Horvath explains why consuming information through screens leads to falling performance, fractured attention, and the slow erosion of rigorous thought. We’re proud to publish an exclusive, adapted … [Read more...]
Empower Students Through Ownership: How School-Wide Projects Ignite Confidence and Engagement
Today Emily, at www.mightymoms.net shares her newest article When students are given meaningful roles in shaping their school’s initiatives, something powerful happens: engagement soars, confidence strengthens, and learning feels real. Educators who create structures where students own parts of school-wide projects — whether creative showcases, communications teams, or community events — see classrooms transform into ecosystems of agency and collaboration. Quick Takeaways Student ownership turns passive participation into active leadership. Real-world collaboration, like managing school events or designing communications, develops vital life and career … [Read more...]
AI Agents Will Shape Every Aspect Of Education In 2025
From an article at Forbes Artificial Intelligence has been at the forefront of educational technology and innovation discussions these past two years and will likely continue to be so for the foreseeable future. To discern what may be coming in 2025, I asked several education innovators who had shaped stories in 2024 for their takes on what they see as being just over the horizon. One theme that stood out was the rise of AI Agents. The Rise Of AI Agents In this context, the sense of “agent” is the difference between using a tool to accomplish something yourself and asking someone to do something for you. Imagine that you are trying to solve a mathematics program. The tool approach … [Read more...]
Cell-Phone Free Classrooms Will Unleash Student Success?
The original article was published at Real Clear Wire Amid the many battles over how to improve American schools, it’s often forgotten that what’s taught in the classroom is but one component of ensuring that students receive a high-quality education; it’s also important to remove barriers to children’s learning. And the idea to remove one major impediment – cell phones in K-12 schools – has gained significant traction over the past year, most recently in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In July, Gov. Glenn Youngkin released an executive order addressing cell phones in K-12 classrooms – directing state officials to work with stakeholders such as parents, students, teachers, and … [Read more...]
Stepping into the World of Teaching: A Guide for Aspiring Educators
Today's guest article by Emily Graham at MightyMom's. Emily shares her perspective on considering teaching as a career and avocation. Teaching is a profession that offers the unique opportunity to shape futures and ignite the sparks of knowledge and creativity in young minds. If you have ever considered stepping into the classroom as an educator, know that the journey requires a blend of passion, preparation, and adaptability. Preparing to become a teacher involves more than just acquiring the necessary academic qualifications; it encompasses gaining practical experience, developing crucial skills, and continually adapting to new educational methods and technologies. In this article, … [Read more...]
Cultivating Wellness: A Teacher’s Guide to Thriving in and out of the Classroom
This article is brought to you by Emily Graham Teachers carry the significant responsibility of nurturing young minds, often at the expense of their own wellness. Balancing the demands of the educational environment requires more than just dedication to teaching; it involves actively pursuing personal health and vitality. This guide offers practical strategies to help you, the educator, maintain your well-being amid the challenges of your profession. Mindfulness Techniques for Educators Incorporating mindfulness techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises into your daily routine can significantly reduce stress. These practices help clear your mind and foster a state of … [Read more...]
Do phones belong in school?
Do cell phones help or hinder education (k-12)? Do cell phones help or hurt social skills? Do cell phones cause distraction and loss of focus? Today we bring you an article published in The Harvard Gazzette by Anna Lamb Bans may help protect classroom focus, but districts need to stay mindful of students’ sense of connection, experts say Students around the world are being separated from their phones. In 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 77 percent of U.S. schools had moved to prohibit cellphones for nonacademic purposes. In September 2018, French lawmakers outlawed cellphone use for schoolchildren under the age of 15. In China, phones were … [Read more...]
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