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2 Reasons Colleges Need Athletes as Minority Mentors

When it comes to getting more minorities into college, and then graduating them, there are a lot of different ideas out there. Stronger high school recruiting, better guidance programs for first-generation students, and more minority faculty members are just a few of the ways to make college campuses more diverse to the benefit and success of everyone. Having strong minority role models as mentors is another, and perhaps the most powerful idea of them all. Successful people who look like the students a particular college or university is trying to graduate, and who come from a similar background, can leave …

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The Implications of Universal Preschool

President Obama has been vocal about his belief that a publicly-funded universal preschool initiative is necessary to give American children an academic advantage before ever setting foot in a Kindergarten classroom. A poll conducted by the bipartisan team of Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies found that 70 percent of respondents were in full support of a universal preschool plan as long as it did not contribute to the national deficit. Sixty percent of the Republicans polled supported the plan, despite its close ties with the Democratic Chief. It is clear that average Americans, despite party affiliation, are supportive of …

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3 Reasons Teaching Just Might Be Your Calling

Take a second and think about it: Why do you want to be a teacher? The answer, whatever it may be, outlines the reason you are called to teach. A calling implies a deep-seated belief that teaching is the only profession that makes sense for you to pursue, but it is much broader than that.

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School Security: Just Smoke and Mirrors?

In theory, parents and educators would do anything to keep students safe, whether those students are pre-Kindergartners or wrapping up a college career. Nothing is too outlandish or over-the-top when it comes to protecting our kids and young adults. Metal detectors, security cameras, more police presence in school hallways, gated campuses – they all work toward the end goal of sheltering students and their educators and protecting the most vulnerable of our citizens. Emotions aside though – how much does school security really increase actual safety? And do school security efforts actually hinder the learning experience? It sounds good to …

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Ask An Expert: Teachers Are Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse

Question: I am a third-grade teacher who works in a suburb outside of Philadelphia, PA. Based on several signs and a gut feeling, I suspect that one of my outgoing students is experiencing child abuse. I plan to report my suspicions through the proper channels, but my question is: can I be sued by the child’s parents if I am wrong? Helen S. Answer: Helen, don’t be so hard on yourself. Parents who abuse their children go to great lengths to cover up their crime and convince everyone else that all is well. Child abuse and child neglect are issues …

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Peering Past the ‘Pixie Dust’ of Technology

How schools can ensure that technology is used effectively to transform teaching and learning By Jill Hobson When it comes to technology use in schools, a persisting tendency exists to believe that infusing classrooms with new technology will miraculously change teaching and learning. Unfortunately, education technology isn’t like Tinker Bell’s pixie dust.  Sprinkling it in classrooms won’t magically transform instruction. The novelty of new technology simply doesn’t change instruction by itself. Teachers must have guidance and direction, as well as a model for effective edtech use, in order to truly transform teaching and learning. Today, many administrators expect technology to …

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Student and Teacher Records: What are the Privacy Rules?

By Matthew Lynch Personal histories and records exist for every student who attends, and every teacher who teaches, at a school.  This history, in the form of school records, test scores and the opinion of teachers and mentors, can have a huge impact on a student’s future. In some cases, it is on the basis of these assessments about an individual’s potential and overall disposition that life-changing decisions are made about them. These histories could determine what colleges they attend, the privileges that they are allowed, or even the jobs that may eventually be able to attain. It’s important, then, …

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Tools for Eliminating Racism in the Classroom

By Matthew Lynch Despite legislative changes that have made schools accessible to everyone, the mindsets of individuals who attend or work in schools have been slower to adapt and change.  Racism, often thought to be eradicated from K-12 classrooms, is still alive and well, even in the most progressive districts. What can teachers do to erase racism once and for all? For young students One effective way to address racism when talking to elementary students is to follow the curriculum of the Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children that was developed by the National Association for the Education of …

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5 Fascinating Statistics About High School Dropouts in America

Considering the flack the United States educational system gets for its underperformance, you might think that the high school dropout rate would be a cause for concern. However, the reality of our high school graduation rates would actually surprise you. Here are some fascinating statistics about high school dropouts in the United States. The numbers have fallen across all demographics. In 1972, the government started tracking the dropout rates specifically for Hispanic students because this group has consistently highest percentages of students who do not get their high school diploma. Back then, over one-third of all Hispanic students dropped out. …

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10 online tools for better student research

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.** A guest column by Antonio Tooley The biggest responsibility of any teacher is to equip students with the tools that they can use in everyday life. The content is of course important, but with information so easily accessible, it is more helpful to them in the end if they have critical thinking, analytic ability, and …

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