Education

It’s an exciting time in post-secondary education in the United States. After resting on our collective laurels for several decades, test data from the late 1990s and early 2000s revealed the test scores of students from Europe and Asia had surpassed those of students in the U.S. They made the most gains in STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This galvanized educators in the U.S. into action. Initiatives were

The Mood Makes the Class In an article published in 2014 in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology entitled “Pathways From Teacher Depression and Child-Care Quality to Child Behavioral Problems” researchers describe a clear relationship between depression in preschool teachers and emerging behavioral issues displayed by their students. Teachers, parents, and professional child service workers generally recognize that children play out the emotional issues present in the adults with

In 1949, the non-profit organization Mental Health America (MHA) held the first Mental Health Awareness Month, which is also called Mental Health Month. The goal of Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) is the same as the overall organizational goal of MHA: to raise awareness about the needs of people living with mental illness and promote the general mental health and well-being of all Americans. Before we discuss this year’s MHAM

What Is Homeschooling? One question that every parent has to answer sooner or later is this: how am I going to best prepare my child for a successful life? Every parent has a slightly different answer to this question, but almost unanimously, parents and experts alike agree that a solid education is the best foundation for a fulfilling adulthood. This leads to another question: what kind of school is best

A New Trend in Education: Early College High Schools Early College High School. At first read, this combination of words seems like a contradiction in terms. Traditionally speaking, college and high school are two separate segments of education. There has always been a small percentage of advanced students who begin college far earlier than most students. It’s not unheard of for prodigies to begin college classes by age fourteen. For

From Social Theory to Educational Method Social Constructionism is a theory of sociology that has exerted an enormous influence on the development of modern education. Social Constructionism, also known as Social Constructivism, comes from the ideas of a Russian psychologist named Lev Vygotsky who lived and worked during the end of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries. Though he died before his work became widely known in

You’re going to hear from your teenager’s school a lot during the middle and high school years. Some of the communication will be good news, some will be no-so-great news, and most of it will be pedestrian PTA-meeting type stuff. But sometimes you get that call. The one where you find out another parent called the school to complain about your teen’s behavior. No parent wants that call, but it

What is Place-Based Education? Parents, teachers, school leaders, and public policy makers have their hands full keeping up with the latest trends in education. It’s a complex process. First, creative thinkers propose new ideas for better serving our students. Second, teachers apply these theoretical models in the classroom. Third, school leaders learn about the success or failure of these new approaches from teachers. Next, they compare reports against class grades

Every Child Has a Story One thing teachers learn very quickly when they step into the classroom is that every child under their care has a slightly different approach to learning. While many students respond well to traditional teaching methods, others don’t. Although sensitive and creative teachers have always found fresh and interesting ways to bring academic material to their students, research in the 1980s led to a general rethinking

Charter Schools: A Viable Option for Families  As most parents know, education is the key to getting ahead in life. Whether that means taking an accelerated academic path that involves college, graduate school and pursuing a professional occupation, taking a vocational path that involves learning a skill and pursuing a technical occupation, or finishing high school and striking off to start a business or join a company and get on-the-job