Category: Preschool and Primary

October 22, 2021

If I had one teaching tool at my disposal in a classroom besides pencils, papers, and books, it would be an educational robot. A robot is the single most engaging learning tool I’ve used with students. It appeals to children […]

October 5, 2021

Five years ago, we had about 900 students in our K-5 elementary school, with roughly 40 percent of them either eligible for free or reduced lunch. Being in a geographic area that’s challenged by generational poverty and other socioeconomic issues, […]

September 8, 2021

There is an oft-cited parable in children’s mental health about two individuals fishing on the banks of a river. In the midst of their outing, they notice a child in the middle of the river, struggling to stay afloat and […]

June 22, 2021

The clock is ticking in Washington, D.C. By the end of 2023, workers who teach the littlest learners in the nation’s capital will be required to have advanced credentials in early childhood education. For some teachers, this feels like pressure. […]

June 9, 2021

Lexia Learning, a Cambium Learning Group company, announced today that Florida’s Commissioner of Education has approved Lexia Core5 Reading (Core5) as curriculum in elementary intervention courses. Lexia PowerUp Literacy (PowerUp) has also been approved for intervention courses in grades six […]

June 7, 2021

Math. Social studies. Science. There’s no shortage of important topics the U.S. education system imparts on our youth. And yet, there is a set of skills that’s not given enough attention in the classroom: Executive functioning. Executive functioning is the […]

June 3, 2021

Identified by EDUCAUSE as a top strategic technology, active learning classrooms (ALCs) go beyond just outfitting learning spaces with technology. These engaging, dynamic spaces provide new pedagogical opportunities, support active learning, and help students develop relevant skills. In 2020, the […]

April 15, 2021

For early learners, nothing beats in-class learning. Having a teacher in close proximity to assess the needs of their students is critical for growth. 2020 threw a wrench in that format, forcing students and teachers to communicate digitally. While the […]

April 7, 2021

School-based interventions that target students with, or at risk of, academic difficulties in kindergarten to grade 6 have positive effects on reading and mathematics, according to an article published in Campbell Systematic Reviews. The review analyzed evidence from 205 studies, […]

January 19, 2021

Before the pandemic snarled daily routines around the world, Aria Jones’ 3- and 4-year-old students had a reliable schedule down pat in their Washington, D.C., preschool. They’d have breakfast at 8 a.m., come together for a morning meeting and then […]

January 14, 2021

Along with Dolly Parton, good weather, well-stocked toilet paper aisles and the “stop video” function on Zoom, the pandemic has brought a newfound appreciation—reverence, even—for early childhood educators. Families, fellow educators and the general public have begun to see just […]

December 21, 2020

“Circle time” conjures an image of children sitting close together, cross-legged, on a brightly colored rug as a teacher guides them through the day’s routines and lessons. The kids might be asked to describe what the weather is like, verbalize […]

December 14, 2020

The Social Institute today announced that it has expanded its pioneering social-emotional learning curriculum to meet the needs of fourth grade students, available beginning in January of 2021. The developmentally appropriate lessons come after requests from schools, and will focus […]

November 4, 2020

We know early childhood is prime time for teaching new skills, ideas, and languages. But are kindergartners ready for computational thinking, problem solving, and coding? Our team took a trip to West Bend, Wisconsin, to visit a district that presented […]

September 29, 2020

As social distancing ramped up last spring, many after-school programs moved from in-person to providing online activities in efforts to keep kids engaged. As of early April, three out of four after-school programs were not operating on a normal schedule. […]

September 22, 2020

Students will likely experience 2 to 4 months of learning loss as a result of COVID-19 disruptions, especially in grades K-2, according to a new report. The findings from Illuminate Education highlight a need for additional instructional support this fall. […]

September 2, 2020

This is the Coronavirus Schools Briefing, a guide to the seismic changes in U.S. education that are taking place during the pandemic. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. Today, we’re looking at the implications of New York […]

August 6, 2020

When it comes to social distancing and mask protocols in schools, getting compliance from the youngest students may be one of the greatest challenges. Elementary students are often curious, restless and lack boundaries by nature, so discouraging them from touching […]

August 6, 2020

Vulnerable populations already considered at-risk prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic are now stretched even thinner by job losses, illness, lack of access to affordable healthcare, disruptions to the academic year and lack of access to resources that […]

June 26, 2020

American parents spend more time and money on their children than ever — and that was before the pandemic. Now, with remote school ending for the summer and a far-from-normal fall expected, parenting is becoming only more demanding. It’s not […]