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How to elevate climate literacy for future scientists

Key points:

A majority of teenagers want to learn about climate change in school

New Jersey became the first state to implement comprehensive climate instruction across all grades and subjects

The climate crisis is undermining decades of progress in global health and poverty reduction. We look to our next generation of planetary heroes for solutions, but are we educating them in climate literacy?

Climate-literate people understand the principles of Earth’s evolving climate system, the complex interconnections, the influence of humans, and scientific approaches to mitigation. They make informed and responsible decisions on actions that may affect climate, and communicate about climate change in a meaningful way.…Read More

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How to reimagine teacher leadership

Key points:

Teacher-leaders are an integral–but under-utilized–part of a school

School leaders can secure teacher buy-in around new initiatives through teacher-leaders

The typical leadership structure in a school is quite rigid, with administrators and teachers filling their roles separately. In this model, teacher skills are only utilized inside of the classroom, leaving teacher leadership potential on the table.

Because this is true in almost any school building, it is time for administrators to reimagine teacher leader roles and leverage teacher leadership, specifically at the grade level or in content teams. Many schools have positions such as “Lead Teacher” or “Content Team Leader,” which is a great starting point. The next step is transforming these established positions, or creating similar models, and implementing them across your school. This should lead to actionable steps taken by these teacher-leaders, and the loosening of the reins by administrators.…Read More

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Specialized Education Services, Inc. Unveils 2023 Staff and Teacher of the Year Winners

PHILADELPHIA (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), a division of FullBloom, a premier provider of education services for K-12 students who require additional educational and positive behavioral supports to overcome challenges that impede success in a traditional school setting, today announced Kristi Hoffman as its 2023 Teacher of the Year (TOY) and Ashanti Brooks as its 2023 Staff of the Year (STOY). The designations were officially made last week as SESI celebrated Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.

SESI’s second annual STOY designation honors teachers who exemplify high-quality, evidence-based instruction and the importance of equitable education for all SESI students. New for 2023, full-time employees including social workers, behavior specialists and paraprofessionals, were eligible for nomination. The STOY program recognizes exemplary staff who demonstrate unparalleled dedication to supporting all students.

“SESI is delighted to celebrate Kristi and Ashanti, regional and campus level winners, and all nominees on the heels of this important week devoted to honoring the exceptional professionals in education,” said Dawn Thomas, president of SESI. “Our compassionate staff and teachers work tirelessly to unlock the potential of every student, a mission that has become increasingly crucial as the number of students receiving special education has grown over the past decade. Their passion for fostering student growth is evident in every classroom, therapy session and special activity.”…Read More

Kidwind Celebrates Top Renewable Energy Innovations From Students At The 2023 National Kidwind Challenge

Boulder, Colo. – Being one of the best was the goal of each of the 80 teams while competing at the 2023 National KidWind Challenge in Boulder. Over the course of the three-day event, these highly skilled students were tested on their knowledge of renewable energy, their design and problem-solving skills, and their wind turbines’ energy output by a team of renewable energy educators and industry professionals. The top-performing teams are:

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

THS Wind Breakers from Tabb High School in Yorktown, Va.
Mauston Gummy Bears from Mauston High School in Mauston, Wis.
The Quilt Blockers from Darlington High School in Darlington, Wis.

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)…Read More

3 essential tools to make elementary science easier

Key points:

Interactivity and engaging resources can make science more approachable

Elementary school teachers need easy-to-use science tools that will grab students’ attention

During my time as a kindergarten teacher, I learned three major lessons about our youngest learners’ relationship to science. Specifically, I learned that elementary school students are predisposed to being excited to learn about their world, are naturally curious about how the world of nature works, and benefit highly from learning about the STEM/STEAM-related professions they might someday consider pursuing.

My current role as a PreK-12 science curriculum specialist affords me the opportunity to work alongside a variety of elementary school teachers as they plan engaging lessons and activities for their students. Often, I hear that science is set aside for various reasons. While I recognize the critical importance of developing math and literacy mastery, we must ensure our elementary level learners are well-rounded and prepared with the scientific skills needed for future success. So, I see it as part of my role to provide the teachers I serve with easy-to-use resources and instructional supports they need to easily “sneak” scientific concepts into their lesson.…Read More

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4 ways to use ChatGPT in your STEM classroom

Key points:

ChatGPT isn’t a tool to be feared–it can contribute greatly to STEM learning

AI tools aren’t going away, and harnessing their capabilities is important

“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.” – John Dewey

Back in 2007 when I was teaching Algebra I at the local middle school, the biggest question for mathematics teachers on our campus was whether students could use their calculators while doing classwork and on standardized tests. A few years later, the discussion changed to an argument about the pros and cons of using a Desmos calculator on their classroom iPads. Using Desmos was seen as being particularly egregious, as educators feared that students may have access to the internet and may surf the web while they should be learning or during summative assessments. …Read More

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Why connected laptops are a pathway to digital liberation

Key points:

Digital classrooms–and their remote students–are here to stay

School facilities face unprecedented demand for broadband across education sites

The introduction of always-connected PCs and Chromebooks continues to be the catalyst for digitally liberating many students. Now is an especially exciting time to turn to this idea as PC and Chromebook battery life innovation, as well as performance, speed, audio, and video enhancement, is finally getting to the level needed to handle the digital criteria and learning throughout a school day and beyond.

Hotspots were heralded as the rescue, but often without weighing the pros and cons, especially in relevance to long-term solutions. What’s been overlooked is the substantial amount of learning time wasted just to leverage hotspots for learning. Connected laptops are a streamlined solution as the connection is built in, flexible and fitting into the ever-changing education system without the disruption of time.…Read More

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How to make secure K-12 digital transformation a reality

Key points:

More students and educators are connecting personal devices to school networks

This makes network security–an already underfunded area–even more critical

The pandemic was a massive shift for school districts across the country, and even as we move out of it, we’re still feeling the impact. On the technical side, it prompted quick transformation to enable virtual schooling–and these changes were made as districts were already challenged by legacy technology, reduced budgets and understaffing. Existing problems were exacerbated.

In parallel, we’ve seen a rise in ransomware and other cyberattacks in the education sector. What’s needed is a digital transformation strategy that also prioritizes security.…Read More

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ParentSquare Announces 2023-24 Advisory Council Members

Santa Barbara, CA — ParentSquare Inc., the leading provider of school-home community engagement solutions for K-12, today announced the members of its 2023-24 ParentSquare Advisory Council. The Advisory Council members help inform the company’s future development plans for the ParentSquare platform and serve as a peer-to-peer forum for discussing best practices and pressing issues in school communications and family engagement.

The ParentSquare Advisory Council is an invitation-only group, comprised of K-12 communications, technology, and administrative leaders who use ParentSquare. The size of the council has grown from 14 members in the 2022-23 academic year to 18 members for the coming year. New and returning members include:

● Jason Borgen, Chief Technology Officer for Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Calif.)…Read More

The importance of teaching generative AI

Key points:

Textbooks alone won’t help students build critical durable skills

AI tools have great potential to generate creative ideas and tackle complex problems

The era of the textbook isn’t dead, but it’s important to start looking forwards rather than backwards when addressing education for school children. Whether we like it or not, it is becoming increasingly clear that generative AI will play a pivotal role in shaping the future and, with the workforce demanding greater expertise in AI, it is crucial to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in this rapidly-evolving landscape.

School leaders must recognize the importance of incorporating generative AI education into curriculums to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.…Read More

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