When it looks like the U.S. has the answers to the pandemic, COVID-19 keeps changing the questions. Parents and teachers must now contend with the Delta variant as millions of students starting or preparing to go back to school. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona says he is paying attention not just as a federal official but also as a father. “I want to make sure that when my children return to school, I’m sending…
Writing papers is par for the course for every student, which means that research is, too. Research helps restore and protect memory and enhances mathematic and problem-solving skills, as well as preparing the mind for a better understanding of concepts and theories. With the vast amount of questionably sourced information on the Internet, it’s hard to know where to turn for quality online research. That’s where these academic search engines come in. Check out our…
No one wants to raise kids to be followers who are unable to make their own decisions. In fact, when Claire Lerner, child development and parenting expert, asks parents if they want to raise kids who know what they want and can problem solve on their own, every single person raises a hand. But teaching kids to think for themselves can be easier said than done. It’s not just a skill that starts in elementary…
Back-to-school organization and shopping is exciting for your kids, but choosing cute school supplies isn’t the only thing you have to think about. As a parent, you have to plan lunches for your picky eater, figure out how to organize the endless amounts of paperwork that comes your way during the school year and pinpoint clever ideas to streamline your morning routine. If you’re feeling stressed about all of these little details, the best way…
Remote school and work have blurred the lines between work and home. How does this shape the debate over technology and homework? Does e-Learning count as homework, since kids complete it all at home? When staring down a backlog of missing assignments, it doesn’t seem like it. Screen fatigue, eye strain, and a growing aversion to technology cast an interesting angle on the debate: how has technology affected the way we view homework? Pros Of…
The 2020-2021 school year was unlike any other. Millions of students spent part — or most — of the year learning remotely. After months physically away from teachers, classmates and a traditional school day structure, some kids may need some time to adjust when it comes to tackling the start of a “normal” school year this fall. Here are some practical tips from educators, administrators and counselors to help students adjust to school. 1. Know…
The recent shift toward social-emotional learning (SEL)–accelerated by the shift to remote teaching and learning and the isolation of a global pandemic–is, of course, a wonderful thing. If nothing else, it’s a nod to the idea that students are first people. Emotion drives us as human beings–our brains literally, for example. Emotion enhances our ability to form vivid memories of even trivial events. Norepinephrine (NE), a neuromodulator released during emotional arousal, plays a central role…
It’s still August, but the 2021-22 school year has started for some students around the country, even as coronavirus cases are rising sharply in places with low vaccination rates and contentious debates about masks in schools are escalating. Despite strong hopes that the new school year would mark a return to full-time, in-school learning normalcy after more than a year of unprecedented pandemic disruptions, school district leaders are facing new challenges to achieving that goal.…
We’ve heard a great deal about teachers and their struggles through the Covid-19 pandemic, but one group of school personnel that has gotten little attention is school nurses. Even before the pandemic began in 2020, school nurses played a critical role in schools, often serving as primary health-care providers for many students — but covid-19 has made their role much harder. School nurses have been quietly doing their jobs throughout the pandemic to try to…
It can take years for a public school district to conceive, design and build a new school — but here’s a story about the incredibly fast creation of what could be America’s coolest new high school. It started a few months ago, when a friend asked Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, if he wanted to open a new public high school. He wasn’t asking for himself but, rather, on behalf…
