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.

How edtech is transforming bilingual education in the U.S.

Key points:

Millions of students within the United States public school system are non-native English speakers. As this figure continues to grow year over year, true bilingual education is becoming more vital to equitably support student success.

How do we ensure students achieve proficiency with the English language while receiving a rich and comprehensive education? One that affirms and celebrates their identities and helps them learn about and understand others?…Read More

Math is not a universal language—but it can be a universal thread

Key points:

Say what you will about the universality of numbers and symbols; I’d politely argue that it does not follow that mathematics is a universal language. The problem for many struggling math students is that often those “universal” numbers and symbols hide in surrounding contexts of unfamiliar vocabulary, settings, and narratives.

As math educators, we can help those students by finding ways to relate their classroom learning to more recognizable cultural frames of reference that are authentic to the range of experiences in the room. In the process, math can actually become a universal thread to connect many types of content and learners. Number sense and quantities are some of the very few things that tie us together in a common experience.…Read More

5 things you need to know about the science of reading

Key points:

While high-quality literacy instruction has remained a cornerstone of education leaders’ priorities, this year, the science of reading has dominated classrooms and discussions around instructional strategies.

In short, according to the National Center on Improving Literacy, the science of reading is “research, over time, from multiple fields of study using methods that confirm and disconfirm theories on how children best learn to read.”…Read More

How I’m making learning more engaging for my gifted students

Key points:

Keeping gifted students focused and engaged in learning can be challenging. They complete tasks quickly, are often motivated to dig deeper into a subject, and are prone to boredom if not sufficiently challenged. This can lead to disengagement, especially for gifted students.

To better support my gifted and talented students, I have integrated the Talents Unlimited approach into my classroom practice. The Talents Unlimited approach to education was created by Dr. Calvin Taylor, who researched the thinking skills people need to be successful in the world of work. Specifically, the Talents Unlimited model identified the following five key thinking abilities that lead to success: Productive Thinking, Communication, Forecasting, Decision Making, and Planning. Nurturing and expanding these talents can help students develop creative and problem-solving skills.…Read More

The exposure gap is blocking students’ ability to envision future careers

Key points:

Students have the aptitudes (or natural talents) for the nation’s most in-demand career fields –including healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and finance– but they are not inclined to pursue those occupations due to a profound lack of exposure, according to The 2024 State of the Future U.S. Workforce Report from tech provider YouScience, which aims to solve the skills gap crisis for students and employers.

The report includes analysis of anonymized data from more than 540,000 YouScience Aptitude & Career Discovery assessments completed by U.S. middle and high school students across all 50 states in 2023.…Read More

Barberton High School Entrusts Metrasens Advanced Detection Technology to Strengthen Security Measures

NAPERVILLE, Illinois and BARBERTON, Ohio (PRNewswire-PRWeb) —  Metrasens, a leading provider of advanced detection systems for security and safety applications, is pleased to announce its partnership with Barberton High School (BHS), the primary high school within the Barberton City School District. BHS selected Metrasens as part of its proactive approach to fortify campus security measures and uphold a safe learning environment.

With recent incidents of bomb threats targeting schools across the United States, concerns about safety in educational institutions have heightened. Recognizing the evolving challenges in maintaining a secure environment, Henry Muren, Principal of Barberton High School, emphasized the need for increased security measures. In response, BHS took proactive steps partnering with Metrasens to enhance existing security protocols and identify potential threats.

“While no bomb threats were directed at BHS during recent incidents, the administration acknowledges the rising threat and the necessity to stay ahead of potential risks,” stated Henry Muren, Principal of Barberton High School. “We are not living in the world of comfort and security, as we once did.”…Read More

Ed Tech Company SuperDville Awards Over $25,000 In Microgrants!

NEW YORK, NY – SuperDville is proud to announce the winners of it’s first  SEL for Students who Learn Differently Microgrant 2023. SuperDville is a mission driven woman and minority owned and operated company which produces a video based social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum designed to empower 7-13-year-olds with learning differences. www.superdville.com 

“The response was incredible. Everyone demonstrated a true need and presented creative ways to support or rethink their approach to social emotional learning.” “We received so many thoughtful entries that we couldn’t select just five awards, “so we ended up providing seven full site licenses!” “This is not a nice to have instruction, SuperDville is an absolute must-have instruction, which targets the one-in-five student with dyslexia or other learning differences. .”SuperDville CEO Peggy Stern said. 

The entries all demonstrated great promise for transforming the teaching and learning community in schools, which have been hit so hard throughout the pandemic. …Read More

3 strategies to support inclusive learning

Key points:

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), passed in 1975, ensures that eligible children with disabilities receive free public education along with the services they need to succeed. The IDEA act also guarantees that students with disabilities have the right to engage in the Least Restrictive Learning Environment (LRE) that best meets their individual needs.

The LRE ensures that students under IDEA are offered equitable access to education alongside their non-disabled peers. Under these requirements, special education students should be in the same classrooms as their peers to the maximum appropriate extent. The goal isn’t to make sure that special education students are in the mainstream classroom as much as possible, but to allow students to engage in a classroom setting that is the most beneficial to their academic success and development and to have equal opportunities to their peers. This requires some training for educators on how to create more inclusive classrooms.…Read More