What does it mean to educate the whole child?
Educators almost universally recognize the importance of educating the whole child, but how they define the practice varies, according to a survey by EdSurge Research. Most educators — 72% — define whole child learning as related to producing “better learning outcomes across academic and non-academic areas.”
Full Story: EdSurge
Do teachers have skills to support SEL?
Some research has shown that supporting social and emotional learning can improve grades and outcomes for students. However, an Education Week survey finds that teachers may not have the necessary skills to support this effort, with 43% reporting they struggle to identify ways to help students who face problems outside of school.
Full Story: Education Week (tiered subscription model)
Lessons learned from pioneering pre-K program
Georgia’s prekindergarten program — the first universal, state-funded program in the US — has led to modest academic gains for students, data shows. Now, researchers and others are considering ways to improve the program — and others like it nationwide — including a greater focus on primary grades to build upon gains made in prekindergarten.
Full Story: Education Dive
Can music help students heal from trauma?
Tabitha Wheeler, a social worker at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, Minn., said music helps students who have experienced childhood trauma. Joey Cienian, the high school’s director of educational programming, said the teachers are able to connect with students over music and get a better understanding of what those students need.
Full Story: KQED-TV/FM (San Francisco)
Microcredentials poised to take off, report says
At least 10 states have started microcredential pilot programs for teachers, according to a report sponsored by the nonprofit Digital Promise. Barnett Berry, CEO of the Center for Teaching Quality and co-author of the report, says the pieces are in place for microcredentials to become a potential game changer in education.
Full Story: EdSurge
Audrey Altmann is an editorial assistant at SmartBrief.
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