Reversing Generational Poverty
Courtland MIlloy writes for the Washington Post that, despite DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s (EEP board member) tough road to reform, her commitment for equal education for all is inspiring. Milloy comments on a commentary written by Rhee, in which she wrote, "I believe we can solve the problems of urban education in our lifetimes and actualize education's power to reverse generational poverty."
Staff Picks: Online Learning, DIY, Edtech & Funding
Tom Picks “Better Online Learning” Tom says, “I’m proud of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (where I’m a director) for promoting quality online learning. This blog outlines 8 ways that online learning is different and 6 things states can do to make it better.” Karen Picks…
Student Chooses Online Learning to Succeed
For some kids, an online school is their school of choice. That was true for Emily Boucher, the 2012 valedictorian of the Wisconsin Virtual Academy. Her hometown newspaper recently called her, "Burlington's 'Other' Valedictorian."
School Hacks As Professional Learning: Transforming Schools, One Leader at a Time
School Retool is a new transformational professional development cohort that is making its way to regions around the country. School Retool is a partnership between the design firm IDEO, the Stanford d.School and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.
5 Ways to Build Student Agency in the Digital Age
As educators and parents, we have to re-visit how our students spend their time. We need to increase their opportunities for unstructured play, independent thinking, creative expression, and meaningful contribution. We need to help them build their sense of agency.
Viva! Blended Learning
Michele Robinson, superintendent, on Odyssey Charter Schools: "We knew there was a large population of parents who were looking for alternatives, but who didn't have the experience, knowledge or resources to [home school]. We wanted to reach that population."
Flipping Florida: The New Employment Bargain
The only thing at stake is the future of American. Two big dramas involving teachers and testing are at play in education. My last post discussed the $350m federal grant program that is likely to lock in another decade of bubble sheet tests rather than a forward leaning framework open to the flood of keystroke data telling us more than we ever knew about achievement, motivation, and learning modality.
New Language Arts Apps from edshelf
Let’s say you give your students a writing assignment. It could be a fictional story, a book summary, or, in our example below, a persuasive essay. Here are a series of mobile apps that your students can use for this assignment.
It’s Time to Reimagine Writing Instruction
Educators are excited about the shift to CCSS with the new emphasis on college and career-readiness, but there’s another reason to be excited as well - writing and writing instruction.
Public School Kids in Pennsylvania Getting Short-Changed
After all, underfunding promising innovations hurts real children and real teachers. Blunting online public schools to a shadow of their full potential limits the potential of girls and boys with a broad range of talents, challenges, and backgrounds who find their fit in an exciting new type of public school. That short-changes us all.