National literacy rates remain at an all-time low, and many schools are shifting to more core phonics curricula for their existing ELA programs. During the edLeader Panel “A Revolution in PK-2 Literacy: Invest in Prevention and Do Less Intervention,” three pathfinding school leaders revealed how to revolutionize your district.
One thing is sure: There’s no shortage of initiatives addressing learning and teaching issues. Yet often, they don’t stick. Good intentions tend to get caught in the adopt, attack, and abandon model.
New teachers face unique challenges, and their success largely depends on the structure and systems schools have in place for their support. Three academic leaders shared their strategies and advice in the edLeader Panel “How to Smooth the Transition and Speed the Effectiveness of Beginning Teachers.”
In classrooms and workplaces, the biggest enemy of productivity and safety is distraction. During the edLeader Panel “The Skills List | Case 74: Distraction as a Workplace Hazard,” Kevin Baird, Chairman of the Global Center for College and Career Readiness, talked with Ruth Brus, Vice President of Learning Services at Meteor Education, and Levi Belnap of Merlyn Mind, about managing the biggest cause of distractions in the classroom.
During the edLeader Panel “Mastering the Art of Building Your Ed Leadership Network,” a distinguished panel of educators and industry veterans engaged in a thought-provoking discussion centered around leveraging personal networks to maximize educational outcomes in their respective districts.
In the edLeader Panel “From CDs to AI: Congressional Briefing on 20 Years of Speak Up Research,” Dr. Julie A. Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow and the founder of the heralded Speak Up Research Project, along with a panel of students, had a conversation about decades of trends and the latest shifts in digital learning today.
If schools and communities only had to worry about youth smoking now, they would be winning, according to Amy Taylor, Chief of Community Engagement for Truth Initiative. Only about 2.3% of the youth population smoked in 2021 compared to 23% in 2000. Unfortunately, though, right before the pandemic, 27% of youth were vaping, and that fight is ongoing.
Improving schools requires an intentional, continuous process. To give learners the best possible learning experiences, leaders must strategically map out plans that engage multiple stakeholders in driving change.
Kevin Baird, Chairman of the Global Center for College and Career Readiness, and Ruth Brus, National Faculty at the Center and Vice President of Learning Services at Meteor Education, explored these questions in the edLeader Panel “Best Leadership Practices: Managing Devices and Technology for Distraction-Free Learning.”
As the demand for STEM skills grows, so too does the question of if and why we need it in the classroom. During the edLeader Panel “Implementing Successful PBL + STEM Initiatives,” Jorge Valenzuela, education leadership coach, author, and Lifelong Learning Defined podcast host, talked with Superintendent of Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District (MI) Mark Whelton and STEM Facilitator at The Oakwood School (NC) Christopher Young about how to bring project-based learning+ and STEM to schools.