WHAT WORKS IN EDUCATION The George Lucas Educational Foundation

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We share evidence-based K-12 learning strategies that empower you to improve education.

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School Transformation Through Arts Integration at Bates Middle School

Teacher leading a class in dance with arms outstretched

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Five Keys to Successful Social and Emotional Learning

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How to Thank a Teacher

Bill Betzen

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7th grade computer teacher, Dallas, Texas, with dropout prevention hobby.

I retired from 28 years as a child placement social worker in 2000. Most of those years were in child abuse investiations and work dedicated to spreading infant open adoption alternatives. See http://www.openadoption.org. Since then I have been teaching middle school Computer Applications. I began an active dropout prevention "hobby" in 2005 with the start of the School Archive Project. The project is popular with students and appears to be cutting dropout rates over 25%. With development that rate will improve. In 2009 it spread to 4 more schools. See http://www.studentmotivation.org.

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Areas of interest: First, accurately show dropout numbers with multi-year enrollment by grade spreadsheets on every school and school district web sites, then bring down those numbers with 10-year time-capsule and class reunion/mentoring project.