Topic: Teaching & Learning
Reading for Engagement: How an emphasis on literacy can motivate students and transform school culture—and results
When we look at most middle and high school classrooms, it turns out that the problems students face in reading for understanding are not driven by any innate inability to learn on their part but by teaching in ways that do not foster critical thinking, reading and writing as central... Read the full article >
Don't Panic: Fostering Student Engagement with Engineering Design
I told them Asterick’s Theme Park* wanted students to help design a new attraction that would be built in the footprint of the formerly popular and now defunct “Vertigo” ride. I gave them a letter from Asterick’s CEO, dimensions and budgets. In groups, they had adopted various hats–engineer, historian, physicist... Read the full article >
Weaving Key Elements of Student Engagement into the Fabric of Schools
In the context of our work on dropout prevention, we have seen the essential role student engagement plays.[1] It seems common sense that the more students are engaged, the more they will see the relevance of their experiences, feel connected to their school experiences and develop more positive attitudes and attributes,... Read the full article >
A Recipe for Student Engagement
The meals do not always (or ever) turn out like the picture, but the accomplishment of completing the challenge plus the joy of creating and blending something new while also learning is stimulating and fun. Much like culinary arts, teaching has and continues to evolve. “Education is experiencing a transformative... Read the full article >
Flip the Paradigm (Video 3)
View “Flip The Paradigm,” the third in the three part Education Advantage video series. The Education Advantage video series: Part 1: The Poverty Paradigm Part 2: Separate But Not Equal Part 3: Flip the Paradigm... Read the full article >
The Poverty Paradigm (Video 1)
Why do kids have to go to school at the same time everyday? Why do they have to leave school at the same time every day? Why do they have to sit in classrooms in rows for 45 minutes having the exact same homework, the exact same lesson as 29 other kids?... Read the full article >
Suggested Reading
U.S. Census Report on Poverty The Census Bureau provides poverty data from several household surveys and programs. Here you can find poverty estimates, learn about these surveys and programs, and get guidance on how to choose the right estimate for your needs. Poverty thresholds by year are available here. 10... Read the full article >
The Great Escape: Poverty’s Impact on Education in America
Sociologists have studied the household structure of students from impoverished backgrounds and how their families' needs to focus on immediate basic needs such as food and shelter have put them at a tremendous disadvantage as it inhibits their ability to prioritize education given that the benefits are longer term and... Read the full article >
What Matters Now: Addressing the Nation’s Equity Challenges
Every day across the country, students encounter wide and troubling variations in their school experiences. Some schools and school systems thrive by applying the latest learning science research and using evolving technologies. Others, frequently located in communities of poverty or concentrated minority demographics, sort students and pass them along using... Read the full article >
The (Dys)function of Empathy – Activating the Right Type of Empathy to Increase Equity in the Classroom
“Another type of teacher empathy I saw was one that sought to understand the ‘why’ behind success and failure and then invested in the student accordingly. The teachers who used it were driven to understand each student as an individual so that equitable accommodations could be made. It wasn’t always comfortable... Read the full article >