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.

Effective SEL instruction isn’t possible without this key element

Key points:

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a critical component of education today, and that’s especially true in the wake of the global pandemic, which has left many students grappling with anxiety, depression, and other social-emotional challenges. While high-quality SEL involves many elements, at its foundation is the need to establish a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for every student.

SEL is the process by which students learn the skills they need to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. These skills are essential for navigating both academic and non-academic environments successfully, and they’re critical for improving behaviors, attitudes, and educational outcomes.…Read More

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Swivl Launches Engageable, a Real-Time Attention Management Tool That Empowers Educators and Students to Navigate AI Transformation

MENLO PARK, Calif. (Newswire.com) – According to Gloria Mark, Ph.D., attention spans are declining,  averaging just 47 seconds on any screen. This is making it harder than ever for educators to develop their students’ interests in learning. Now AI is about to make that even harder by putting the cognitive challenges that used to require sustained attention a click away.  Swivl, a future-ready edtech company with a suite of reflective tools, is addressing this challenge with its latest offering,  Engageable, a real-time attention management tool with embedded mindfulness.

“AI’s impact on education will be 10x larger and faster than the internet,” said Brian Lamb, CEO and co-founder of Swivl. “We believe that creating an intentional process for how students manage their attention is a necessary part of the education community’s response to AI.”

Engageable helps users take on the attentional resistance of developing new interests in a more mindful and measured way. In the classroom, when a user starts the Pulse timer, they are prompted to take a deep breath and constructively recommit their attention in short intervals, tracking the ensuing time spent by activity. This helps build awareness of attention and how they are developing interests. Then, Engageable provides options to Recharge whenever stress or anxiety gets in the way, or to Record actions and reflections when it makes sense.…Read More

The top 6 education trends for 2023

Key points:

Teachers, we’ve made it! After a long and arduous school year filled with challenges, we have finally reached summer vacation. First, take a moment to give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. The world of education has only gotten more complicated over these last few years. Many students are still working through the effects of the pandemic, while countless schools have found themselves embroiled in political bickering. That you continued to show up for your students and deliver the best education possible demonstrates just what a champion you are.

Now that we have a little time and space to relax, it’s important to take time and reflect on the school year as a whole. What worked, what didn’t, what could be improved, and what ideas have the potential to bring positive change in the next season?…Read More

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Making the grade: How to spur achievement after NAEP declines

Key points:

  • Alarming declines in NAEP scores are prompting educators to look for ways to increase academic achievement
  • Understanding each individual student helps educators design supplemental educational programs
  • See related article: What do superintendents really think of the NAEP?

For decades, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has pursued a mission to monitor student academic performance, providing insights into educational progress and long-term trends. It’s a record of consistency that has earned NAEP scores a reputation as “the nation’s report card.”

Recently, that report card revealed some worrying trends. In May, NAEP reported that eighth grade students’ U.S History and civics scores declined significantly between 2018 and 2022. Only 13 percent of eighth graders were at or above the level that NAEP categorizes as proficient in U.S. history—and only one in five were at or above the proficiency level in civics.…Read More

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Your top 5 school-home communication challenges, solved

Key points:

Implementing a unified communication solution focused on family engagement provides school districts with multiple benefits. An intuitive, easy-to-use program can standardize communication between school and home, for example, and increase overall family engagement.

Selecting the right K-12 communications platform that supports the needs of everyone and is purpose-built to engage families can save everyone time, increase technology adoption, save money, and diminish or eliminate any confusion.…Read More

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ISTELive, Abbott Elementary, and a push for Black educator representation

Key points:

  • Black male teachers are desperately needed in U.S. schools
  • Getting more Black teachers–and Black male teachers–means suggesting education career paths early on and understanding students’ cultural experiences
  • See related article: 5 ways the homework gap is worse for students of color

Representation matters, and when students have educators who look like them, it does wonders for their learning experience. At ISTELive 23’s opening mainstage event, featured speakers sat down for a chat about the challenges around representation and getting more Black educators—particularly Black male educators—into classrooms.

Director of ISTE Certification Carmalita Seitz sat down with Joyce Abbott, the inspiration behind Abbott Elementary’s name and a recently retired educator; Tyler James Williams, 2023 Golden Globe winner for best supporting actor as teacher Gregory Eddie on Abbott Elementary; and Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development to discuss just how much representation matters for students and teachers.…Read More

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3 things Abbott Elementary gets right about new teacher engagement

Key points:

  • New teachers look at engagement differently–and Abbot Elementary is spot-on in its depictions of new and seasoned educators
  • The show also highlights student engagement and teacher support as critical parts of a new teacher’s journey
  • See related article: 5 strategies for first-year special education teachers

Abbott Elementary has been widely beloved since its conception, and for good reason. Like many current and former educators, I’ve loved watching the sitcom for the smart humor and great characters, but also for how accurately it represents so much of what I experienced during my time as a teacher, academic coach, and principal. 

There has never been a show that so successfully captures the joy of teaching while simultaneously depicting the challenges, heartaches, and relationships that come with it. One really important thing Abbott does well is highlight the major differences between how newer and more experienced teachers approach engagement, and how new teachers grow as they learn new strategies and practice their skills to increase student engagement. …Read More

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How online learning changed the post-covid era

Key points:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated the introduction of new learning technologies into the mainstream
  • Educators and students were forced to adapt to new edtech tools, which now have a permanent place in today’s classrooms

It goes without saying that the Covid-19 pandemic affected every aspect of our lives in one way or another. The world was forced to adapt to a new reality to overcome the numerous challenges and hardships brought by the virus.

The field of education was affected like no other. More specifically, online education saw massive changes and transformations that were accelerated by the pandemic. Without further ado, here’s how pre- and post-Covid education differs and how online classes changed.…Read More

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Specialized Education Services, Inc. Unveils 2023 Staff and Teacher of the Year Winners

PHILADELPHIA (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), a division of FullBloom, a premier provider of education services for K-12 students who require additional educational and positive behavioral supports to overcome challenges that impede success in a traditional school setting, today announced Kristi Hoffman as its 2023 Teacher of the Year (TOY) and Ashanti Brooks as its 2023 Staff of the Year (STOY). The designations were officially made last week as SESI celebrated Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.

SESI’s second annual STOY designation honors teachers who exemplify high-quality, evidence-based instruction and the importance of equitable education for all SESI students. New for 2023, full-time employees including social workers, behavior specialists and paraprofessionals, were eligible for nomination. The STOY program recognizes exemplary staff who demonstrate unparalleled dedication to supporting all students.

“SESI is delighted to celebrate Kristi and Ashanti, regional and campus level winners, and all nominees on the heels of this important week devoted to honoring the exceptional professionals in education,” said Dawn Thomas, president of SESI. “Our compassionate staff and teachers work tirelessly to unlock the potential of every student, a mission that has become increasingly crucial as the number of students receiving special education has grown over the past decade. Their passion for fostering student growth is evident in every classroom, therapy session and special activity.”…Read More

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