Here are a few of the education stories we've bookmarked recently.
How students are adjusting to being back at school after 18 months of remote learning
As students nationwide return to the classroom this school year, The Washington Post takes a look at what this transition looks like for children, teens, parents, and teachers in the D.C. area. One teacher created a new book corner in her classroom when she realized that many students hadn’t touched actual books during the pandemic. “This year, I really wanted [students] to have that experience of physically checking books out. The smell of the books, I love it in my classroom.”
For English Learners to Thrive, Community and Culture are Necessary
In this EdSurge piece, César Moreno, a first-year Biology and Chemistry teacher at San Francisco International High School, shares his experiences and insights into how he helps students participate and learn in meaningful ways in the classroom, regardless of their familiarity with English. “Being able to let students work in their native languages while learning English has been tremendously affirming to me as a previously designated English learner.”
Middle and High School Students Need Social-Emotional Learning, Too. Are They Getting It?
New polling from the EdWeek Research Center in September reveal that attitudes towards the importance of emphasizing social-emotional learning for students in middle school and high school are shifting, with a little more than half (53%) of district leaders saying that “a lot of focus is placed on social-emotional learning for students in grades 9-12, and 56% said the same for grades 6-8.” EdWeek also asked students for their views, revealing that many feel they could use more guidance answering big questions around identity.
The Power of a Diverse Classroom Library
In case you missed it, Superintendent Dr. M. Ann Levett and Harvard-trained surgeon and author Oneeka Williams joined Michael Haggen, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Scholastic Literacy Pro® & Collections, Scholastic Education Solutions, for a conversation about leveraging diverse classroom libraries to elevate engagement and achievement for all students.
How educators can help all students reach for the stars in STEAM
Duriya Aziz, SVP and publisher for Scholastic International, explores how books empowering girls in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) benefit all students. She notes, “Literature carries within it the potential to offer readers a realistic, authentic reflection of their own lives and experiences, which makes it possible for them to see themselves as part of the larger human experience. Reading then, not only becomes a means of self-belief and self-affirmation, it also becomes a reaffirmation of our place in the world for those who may not otherwise have a voice—it’s a means of encouraging agency.”
