Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated biweekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education.
On the heels of Critical Race Theory, which is still being debated across the country, comes a discussion of how to address the January 6th insurrection with students. MPR News writes “Teachers at culture-war front lines with Jan. 6 education”.
I am not sure when we decided that we needed to “frame” discussions a certain way for students, but the reality is that we are in the business of educating students. This means that if an event happens, then it needs to be discussed. Ignoring the photos, videos, and stories from January 6th does nothing for our student citizens, who will soon participate in the democratic process themselves.
It is vital that educators speak of what is and not what people think should be. January 6th happened. It was real. It was an attack on the democratic process with citizens attempting to stop the electoral process by rampaging through the Capitol building. People were injured and/or killed. These are facts. Avoiding these facts does nothing for our future, and simply inhibits the conversations that need to take place to understand why this happened and what should change because of it.
Professional Learning and Inspiration
To Play Is to Learn
Karen D’Souza writes “when it comes to early childhood education, child’s play may well be serious business.” Mounting research continues to show the importance of play in learning for children. Play can help heal trauma and stress (hello, pandemic) and close achievement gaps. Early childhood is the time to learn how to learn, developing important executive functioning skills that transfer to the traditional academic classroom. In addition, recess time is crucial for children to re-balance and expel bundles of energy to remain calmer and ready to learn. D’Souze notes “what children learn through play, teachers say, they are far more likely to remember. Engagement is the secret sauce.”
Flexible Grouping in the Classroom
Jessica Hockett, Ph.D. and Kristina Doubet, Ph.D. define flexible grouping as organizing “students intentionally and fluidly for different learning experiences over a relatively short timeframe (e.g., two weeks).” Some benefits include diverse groups, task-specific assignments, and increased collaboration. The grouping planner is an excellent visual to help teachers plan how to utilize flexible grouping in upcoming units.
Fresh Voices in Education
The Educator’s Room lists the nine fresh voices in education you need to hear in 2022. From Deidre Fogarty, founder of Black Girls Teach, to Erica Wortherly, from Teach Whole, to other emerging bloggers and activists, this list is worth a look to keep your ideas fresh and passion alive during what may be yet another challenging year.
Education News and Research
Harvard has made the SAT and ACT optional through 2026, in “a landmark development for a fast-spreading movement that aims to limit the role of the standardized exams in college admissions.” Colleges began waiving test scores during the pandemic and it seems this trend is likely to stick around. Of course, students have the option to submit test scores but colleges are stating that it is no longer a must-have for competitive admissions.
Joel Vallett shares research on the influence of policy entrepreneurs in policy legislation, noting that the “influence of a policy entrepreneur was the most important factor in the law’s adoption by state legislatures.” Research suggests lawmakers rely on policy entrepreneurs as experts who push forward policy agendas. Policy entrepreneurs are not only policy experts but also operate within networks that advocate for change.
Meredith Whye explains the obstacles to recruiting diverse early childhood teachers. Many states mandate aspiring teachers to complete a semester-long full-time internship without pay. This is difficult for those who have to work through college—taking a semester off to work for free is simply not an option for much of the nation’s teachers. Early childhood teachers also receive some of the lowest pay in the profession and grapple with high-testing fees. Policy needs to be created to address these barriers and increase the diversity of the field.
The Latest Articles from Educate.
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3 Insights from Colin Powell’s Philosophy for Success by Joshua Clements
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About the Editor
Jennifer Osborne is currently an Educational Leadership Policy Ph.D. student at Texas Tech University. She is an experienced educator with graduate degrees in Educational Leadership and Guidance and Counseling. Jennifer has taught in five countries across a wide variety of classrooms and schools. She is passionate about authentic education for students and personalized professional learning for teachers.
Read her Educator’s Bio at Jennifer Osborne Writes.