Latest Blogs on K-12 Education Reform

Mary Beth Hertz (@mbteach on Twitter) is an elementary computer teacher in Philadelphia, PA and a regular blogger on Edutopia. You can read more of her work on her own blog at Philly-teacher.

We often see applications of digital technologies in the core subject areas like literacy, math, science and social studies, but how can digital technologies be applied in other areas? Since the days are getting warmer and swimsuit season is upon us, I figured that I'd share some resources for teaching health and wellness in the classroom.

Larry Ferlazzo (@LarryFerlazzo on Twitter) and Katie Hull Sypnieski teach at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California. Their book, The ESL/ELL Teacher's Survival Guide, will be published this summer by Jossey-Bass; this article is an excerpt. Larry also writes a popular blog for teachers and has written several other books.

Students and teacher need to develop positive and trusting relationships in an effective classroom. It is also critical that all students, especially English language learners, develop trusting and enriching relationships with each other. There are many activities which can be used for both introductory purposes and throughout the year to build and maintain positive relationships in the classroom. Some activities which work well to introduce students to each other and to the teacher can be used again at later points in the year as students' interests change and as they gain new life experiences. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, it contains several suggestions we have found successful and which could easily be adapted for use with different levels of students.

Kenneth Goldberg, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist who has worked with people of all ages for 35 years. Before starting his private practice, Dr. Goldberg served as clinical director for a children's resident treatment facility, as director of a psychiatric day-treatment program for the chronically mentally ill, and as the head of a rural mental-health center. He's the author of the new book The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers, excerpted below.

As a clinical psychologist, I don't have strong opinions about whether or not homework should be given. I have doubts about its value, but I believe in deferring educational decisions to those who teach our kids. My concern is not homework, per se, but homework policy and its effects on some kids. I believe that anywhere from 10 percent to 25 percent of all children have such serious problems completing their assignments that, on balance, the overall effect of demanding that they comply does more harm than good. In speaking to countless parents and teachers, the feedback I get is nearly universal. Everyone has a homework horror story to tell.

Mark Phillips is a columnist for the Marin Independent Journal and the The Answer Sheet. He volunteers with the California Film Institute's Educational Outreach Program and serves on the Board of the Buck Institute for Education. You can find him @MarkPSF on Twitter or on Facebook.

Among the highlights of the two weeks my wife and I recently spent exploring Bryce, Zion and other wilderness wonders of the Southwest, was watching a beaming little girl, about six or seven years old, get sworn in as a Junior Ranger by a National Park Ranger. That moment capsulized all the moments during the trip when we watched kids of all ages drinking in the trails and vistas. We were continually struck by how many happy, engaged kids we saw. This wilderness experience was clearly enriching for them and for their families. At the same time, it reminded me about the relative absence of these experiences from the lives of most kids, and about how little of this connection between children and the wilderness is cultivated by most schools.

Eric Brunsell (@brunsell on Twitter) is Assistant Professor of Science Education @ UW-Oshkosh. He is the facilitator of Edutopia's STEM group, and a regular blogger for Edutopia.

The public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards were just announced at http://www.nextgenscience.org/. Public comments on this draft will be accepted over the next three weeks. A second public draft and comment period will occur in late fall. Background information on NGSS can be found here.

Marisa Kaplan (@EdGeeks on Twitter) is a former New York City teacher. Certified in special education, her main area of expertise is in modifying curriculum and learning strategies to meet the needs of all students. Read her blog at EdGeeks.com.

What does CTT stand for? Some people think it's "creative thinkers thinking," or "cool teachers teaching." Others say it's "conflict tackling together." While CTT means all of the above, it stands for "collaborative team teaching" and refers to the idea of a co-teaching partnership.