A national group that seeks to curb chronic absenteeism is sounding an alarm after finding that the number of chronically absent students continued to surge even as pandemic closings abated. The organization, Attendance Works, believes that the number of students missing at least 18 days of school a year doubled to 16 million in 2021-22 from 8 million students before the pandemic. If correct, this means that one out of every three public school children…
It’s no surprise that loud, unwanted sounds can be disruptive and even damaging to ears. However, even background noise like the air conditioning running, the refrigerator humming and delivery vans idling outside can be cause for concern. According to Nina Kraus, a neurobiology professor at Northwestern University who studies sound, ongoing noises that people claim to “tune out” are unlikely to harm ears, but they can still have a profound effect on the brain. Repeated…
There’s no doubt that grammar can be a challenging topic for kids to get excited about. But with the right tools and techniques, it’s possible to make learning grammar fun and engaging for kids. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips on how to get kids interested in grammar. By following these simple tips, you can help your child develop a strong understanding of the principles and improve their writing skills. 1. Start with…
When teacher Brandon Graves in Louisville, Kentucky, talks with his elementary school students about the attacks of September 11th, 2001, he tells them where he was that day — in Washington, D.C., a freshman at Howard University, where he could smell smoke from the Pentagon. Teaching K-12 students about the attacks on September 11th has always been difficult, but time has brought a new challenge: students today have no memories of that day. So how…
It started with a fourth grade read-aloud book. It ended with a fifth grade class who had become what Bierbaum Elementary School teacher Jennifer Osborn described as a family. What happened in between was an unplanned, student-driven experiment, testing a practice educators call looping, or moving students from one grade to the next with the same teacher. In January 2021, Osborn’s Saint Louis County students had just finished a semester of remote and hybrid learning…
Back to school time is here, and some students may struggle with the transition from summer to school. Here are our 5 top study tips that can make all the difference. 1. Make the time. If you’ve already got a full plate, finding room for study time is going to be a challenge. But in order to get the most out of school, you’re going to have to take the time to reinforce what you…
Contrary to common belief, therapy dogs have a very different job from service dogs. Therapy dog services are beneficial not just for people teams visit in hospitals and nursing homes but also for students. While service dogs are dedicated to a specific owner, therapy dogs have a much broader role to play, helping people feel and stay calm. Therapy dogs can be used at an elementary level all the way through college. So, what exactly…
As instructors, we learn a lot about our students by their physical presence in a face-to-face course, from their dress to their demeanor. Students also learn a lot about us this way, but that information is lost in an online class. The art of hospitality can fill the gap. Thus, it is important to invite students in to online classes right at the beginning to foster a learning environment. Here are some strategies for making…
Scientists have proven that students learn better when EdTech is involved. If used right, it enhances their involvement, increases their confidence, and better enables them to reproduce the material they learn during assessments. So why are some educators still against technology in the classroom? Better yet, what can we do about it? Here are 4 reasons educators may be against technology in the classroom. 1. Educators don’t see it as necessary. Many of the educators…
It may be a misconception regarding personality traits that the more verbal, outgoing classroom extroverts maintain superior classroom or academic ability. While introverts are not at a cognitive deficit when compared to extroverts, the personality type may pose obstacles for instructors who value regular classroom engagement. Here are five brief ways that instructors may be able to better support the personalities and enhance engagement of student introverts in the classroom setting. 1. Build in peer-support…
