Blog

Shelley Paul and Jill Gough had heard that doodling while taking notes could help improve memory and concept retention, but as instructional coaches they were reluctant to bring the idea to teachers without trying it out themselves first. To give it a fair shot, Paul tried sketching all her notes from a two-day conference. By the end, her drawings had improved and she was convinced the approach could work for kids, too. “It causes you to listen at a different level,” said Jill Gough,...

By Lynsdey Bonomolo, October 28, 2021, For Ed Source With students across California returning to classrooms earlier this autumn, it’s become undeniable that the ongoing pandemic is exacerbating systemic issues that long pre-date Covid-19 . As in many similar districts, Black students in Los Angeles County schools face unique and serious equity barriers, and many teachers are not equipped to address the disparity in access to opportunities that are obvious in their own classes. [Please click...

By Judith L. Pace and Wayne Journell, EdSource, November 2, 2021 I n Texas, teachers who once taught controversial issues in history and politics are now afraid to do so . Political attacks on school board members across the country also threaten those in California . State laws banning critical race theory in schools are censoring educators and the curriculum. Does this mean the time has passed when teachers can engage students in open discussion of controversial issues, which we know is a...

Trauma-informed teaching isn’t just about reaching students who have a history of adverse childhood experiences and may have specific learning needs as a result. It’s also about managing the emotional reactions that both students and teachers may have when sensitive topics are introduced into the classroom. AN APPROACH TO TEACHING STUDENTS ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES When teaching the history of the Americas, excessive empathy for Indigenous peoples often impedes inquiry and learning. This...

Sharpen announces a free emotional wellness toolkit for educators.

By Turnaround For Children, October 28, 2021 After 17 years of teaching, 3rd grade teacher Lindsay Kiernan is getting to know her students like never before. “Having that sense of belonging and attachment are the building blocks to healthy developmental relationships, they’re what every child needs to be successful in the classroom,” she said. “This has become my number one priority.” Ms. Kiernan teaches at P.S. 340 in the Bronx, a school that partnered with Turnaround for Children to pilot...

Established in 2006 by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo, American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books. Dr. Jean Mendoza joined AICL as a co-editor in 2016. Please visit the website by clicking here, https://americanindiansinchild.../best-books.html?m=1 American Indians in Children's Literature is used by Native and non-Native parents, librarians, teachers, editors, professors, and students. It is...

Throughout the past year, the United States has undergone a reckoning on the issue of race in America, and racial justice and racial inequity are at the forefront of public discourse. This focus on racial justice and racial inequity has spurred the question: How do we talk to young people, specifically high school students, about race in the classroom? Teaching about race and social justice can create more empathy among students by getting them to think from a perspective different from...

Have no fear, the dads are here! Michael LaFitte Jr. said he was one of several parents who felt compelled to take action after nearly two dozen students got arrested, suspended, or expelled within three days at Southwood High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, according to Good Morning America . Wanting to find a way to stop the violence, LaFitte Jr. sat down with four other dads in his office and came up with the idea to start a crisis intervention team at their kids' school called " Dads on...

BOISE, Idaho — There is a new high school in Boise for pregnant and parenting teenagers. Cardinal Academy Public Charter School is located on the Salvation Army's recently completed Booth Campus on Emerald Avenue. Cardinal Academy is a free public charter school that offers these students in 9th-12th grade, ages 14-21, the opportunity to get their education and get the support they need to parent while they receive their diploma. "Cardinal is such an amazing resource because they have...

Over the course of 15 years of research, I and my team at Sharpen have created a comprehensive system to help school districts accomplish all of the recommendations released in yesterday's report from Dept of Ed; including: enhancing mental health literacy, reducing stigma about mental disorders, implementing evidence-based prevention practices and establishing an Integrated Framework of social, emotional and behavioral health support.

By Jessica Grose, The New York Times, October 20, 2021 I have heard from many readers and friends that their kids are struggling to adjust to in-person schooling this year. For the little ones, there’s more separation anxiety, which means more tears at drop-off, and struggles to even get out the door. For older children and teens, I’m hearing that some previously motivated kids are less engaged. Perhaps they fell behind during remote learning and feel discouraged now that they’re back in the...