Restorative justice is put to the test in schools
Restorative-justice programs may fall short of expectations, according to two different studies of schools in Pittsburgh and Maine, both conducted by the RAND Corporation. In Pittsburgh, middle schools that applied restorative-justice practices saw a decline in academic achievement and in Maine, the study showed how difficult it was to implement the approach.
Full Story: The Hechinger Report
Middle school expands project-based learning
A public middle school in Massachusetts expanded a project-based learning program to seventh-grade students after a pilot program for sixth-graders showed increased engagement and motivation. A program evaluation also showed that students have been absent less often and are taking fewer trips to the school nurse.
Full Story: The Hechinger Report
Schools work to help twice-exceptional students
About 6% of students in the US are said to be twice exceptional because they are academically gifted but have a disability such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia or autism. Some school districts are taking steps to better support this student population, including in Montgomery County, Md., where elementary-school students who are twice exceptional can learn in self-contained classes.
Full Story: The Hechinger Report
How SEL can help students become able to learn
Social and emotional learning is not a new concept, but it has gotten more attention since it has been backed up by research, says Christina Cipriano, director of research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In this interview, she shares how SEL can support students’ “availability to learn.”
Full Story: EdSurge
Can tech suggest ways to boost student engagement?
Researchers at the University of Montreal are investigating whether artificial-intelligence-based predictions about student engagement can improve outcomes in the classroom. They are examining the Classcraft platform in the US and 160 other countries where educators receive data that allows them to adjust their teaching practices to engage students more effectively.
Full Story: Education Week (tiered subscription model)
Audrey Altmann is an editorial assistant at SmartBrief.
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