When kids at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School act up, they aren’t sent straight to the principal’s office. Instead, many students at the high-poverty school in Nashville go to the mindfulness room. The serene space is awash in sunlight and brimming with plants. There are yoga mats, toys, a lounging nook and soothing music drifting out of a desk speaker. In this room, teacher Riki Rattner, who is also trained as a yoga instructor, helps…
Since the large bulk of schoolwork involves reading and writing, students who are learning with dyslexia often experience anxiety around schooling, especially when called on to read aloud or when they are expected to read or write large amounts of material. Many report feeling low self-esteem and believing that they are unintelligent or will never have the skills to succeed. Even when the proper diagnosis is handed down and intervention works, school life continues to…
Climate change, also known as global warming, has received much attention. It is also a source of much controversy. Yet while debate continues about how to best understand and manage our changing climate, scientists agree that it does have an impact. In fact, one of the essential principles of teaching climate change to students is the message that it has consequences for the earth and human lives. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…
For many families, reading is a pleasurable activity when kids are young, but then as kids get older, they start to hate reading. Parents are more aware than ever that strong reading skills are fundamental to academic success. Teachers also feel pressure to make sure students are reading on or above grade level, often with their evaluations and salaries hanging in the balance. On top of it all, kids may be quick to claim they…
Teachers can know their content backwards and forwards, and they probably put hours into their lesson plans. But if motivating students hasn’t been taken into account by parents and teachers, learning won’t happen. According to a new working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, a multidisciplinary research collaborative housed at Harvard University, childhood experiences may make motivation harder for some students. The paper takes a look at the machinery of motivation:…
When it comes to taking the ISEE, there are some crucial differences between the paper test and the online version. Check out this list of FAQs and answers to find out more. What is the difference between the ISEE and ISEE Online? The ISEE and ISEE Online offer the same high standards for admission assessment. The ISEE Online modality provides schools and families even greater choices and flexibility. The only difference between taking the paper-pencil…
Whether you’re a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or muggle still hoping your Hogwarts letter will arrive by owl, it is undeniable that Harry Potter has had a lasting impact throughout the world. Quidditch is no longer just a game of fantasy. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is more than a textbook to pick up in Diagon Alley. Hogwarts is no longer a place you can only dream of visiting. Let’s take a look…
Studies about the Ten Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have shown that most people have experienced one of these traumas in childhood, such as being abused, having a parent who is incarcerated, or experiencing homelessness. The trauma one experiences in childhood can affect adult mental and physical health in later years, especially if a person has multiple ACEs. While the harm can have lasting impacts, health professionals have identified ways to mitigate the effects by nurturing…
There are lots of benefits to using podcasts in the classroom. They’re free, you can find them on nearly every topic, and their popularity only seems to grow from year to year. We’ve put together a list of our favorite podcasts for the classroom. Use the grade recommendations as a guide, and age them up or down as needed. Some content in these podcasts can be mature, so always preview the episodes before you share…
We all know that libraries are wonderful for checking out books, but the number of non-book related items that libraries now stock may surprise you. Your library may let you borrow toys, clothing, electronics, and so much more. Here are just some examples of what it’s possible to borrow from US libraries: Books CDs and DVDs Musical instruments Expensive event clothing Gardening materials Laptops, video projectors, and digital cameras Electronics chargers Reading glasses Bicycles, scooters,…
