A child’s natural curiosity about how society works can serve as a powerful springboard for civic learning. As a parent and social sciences educator, I believe it’s our responsibility to help children develop an understanding of social issues along with the roles and responsibilities of being an active participant in our nation’s democracy. Equipping my …
4 Ways to Turn Curiosity into a Springboard for Civic Learning Read More »
Impact Florida, a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization, and Proving Ground, an initiative of the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) at Harvard University, have launched a cadre of educators and researchers across four Florida districts to address the pressing challenges their most vulnerable students face as they return to school amid the coronavirus pandemic. Leaders …
When we talk about access to technology in education, we usually think of iPads and Chromebooks, and the myriad of applications and programs that schools use to engage and support students. But as schools and districts shifted to blended or completely virtual models of teaching and learning in response to COVID-19, a new equity issue …
Internet Connectivity & COVID: K-12 Education’s Latest Equity Issue Read More »
Professional learning has long been a pain point in education, typically characterized by teachers spending hours in sit-and-get sessions with no guarantee of lasting improvement to their teaching practice. Not to mention the time-consuming elements of traveling to a district location or the frustration teachers can face of being restricted to specific course offerings due …
Teachers Continue To Seek Out Opportunities To Learn From One Another Read More »
The reach of our schools goes far beyond academics, as we have witnessed more during this global pandemic than ever before. Florida was an early national leader in ramping up distance learning options for students, and sharing the lessons learned from that experience will help ensure that all students are able to receive a high-quality …
Experiences During COVID Highlight Need for Stronger Social-Emotional Supports Read More »
Throughout May and June you’ve been hearing from Florida teachers in a series of Insight posts with recommendations for summer learning focused on their area of expertise. With today’s Insight post, we wrap up this series but will continue to highlight and support Florida’s teachers. Stay tuned for a new series launching soon! Creativity: …
Creativity: Weaving Learning into Projects at Home by Christie Bassett Read More »
This summer is going to be unlike any summer we’ve ever seen. There is so much going on in our daily lives, but we’ve got more time on our hands so I can’t think of a better time to write. I LOVE writing, however, in my twenty years as an educator I have found that it is a passion many of my students lack. Sadly, most children are exposed to writing in a way that has tainted their view of it. “Let’s write for fun,” said no one, ever! Yet, writing for fun is exactly what I’m proposing. Writing can bring words alive so that they can dance across your brain, encompass your heart and captivate your soul.
Parents around the nation are finding themselves with a new title: assistant teacher. While some may be thrilled to potentially fulfill a missed calling of being an educator, others, admittedly, may feel a little unsure of how to teach their children, particularly in the area of mathematics. I’ve found that by seeking out opportunities to have math conversations, cleverly disguised as family dialogue, math seems much less intimidating and so much more applicable.
I began teaching Astronomy in 1997 and have always believed the goal is to not only teach the wonders of the Universe, but to allow students to learn new technologies, collaborate in a work-place like environment, and express their own creativity in the process of doing so. Even with the social distancing and distance learning we are experiencing, it presents an opportunity for us to look up and tap into an interest that your kids may have and that you may learn together.
It’s National Teacher Appreciation Week again, but this year feels a whole lot different. Parents everywhere (this one included) are hitting the wall trying to recreate the elements of a productive learning environment that existed in our children’s schools just a few months ago. As we attempt to successfully navigate the matrix of information and …
