February 12, 2020
Education Week, Vol. 39, Issue 21
Education
Letter to the Editor
Why Understanding History Matters
To the Editor:
The Jan. 8 article, "Sure, We Teach History. But Do We Know Why It's Important?" (Big Ideas special report), noted that 78 percent of educators surveyed believe the primary purpose of teaching history is "to prepare students to be active and informed citizens." The article also said that understanding the present in historical context can help us "decide on the best course of action ahead."
The Jan. 8 article, "Sure, We Teach History. But Do We Know Why It's Important?" (Big Ideas special report), noted that 78 percent of educators surveyed believe the primary purpose of teaching history is "to prepare students to be active and informed citizens." The article also said that understanding the present in historical context can help us "decide on the best course of action ahead."
School & District Management
Project
An Alaskan Village's Long Wait for a New School
Rural schools struggle to maintain adequate buildings, but the quest for a new school has been fraught for this remote Old Believer village.
Law & Courts
High Court Leans Toward Support for Religious Schools
In a case from Montana, conservative justices suggested they were inclined to rule for parents who seek to reinstate a state tax credit funding scholarships for use at religious schools.
Student Well-Being
Teachers' Union Gives Guidance for Schools on Coronavirus
The American Federation of Teachers called on the Trump administration to provide guidance to schools on how to respond to the growing threat of coronavirus, which has killed more than 900 people and sickened more than 40,000, most in China.
Federal
Trump Touts Tax-Break Plan in State of the Union Address
In his State of the Union Address, President Donald Trump urged passage of a $5 billion federal program that would provide tax-credits to cover the cost of private school scholarships.
School & District Management
Why Don't Struggling K-12 Districts Just Dissolve?
Emotions remain raw as educators and residents in a rural Wisconsin district dig for solutions after being denied the option of dissolving.
Law & Courts
Church-Run Charters? High Court Arguments Stir Discussion
There's long been debate over religious charter schools in a corner of the school choice advocacy world. A closely watched U.S. Supreme Court case shows why.
School Climate & Safety
Air Filters: A Potential Tool to Boost Learning?
A new study finds that test scores went up in some Los Angeles schools after air filters were installed to protect students from outside pollution.
Classroom Technology
How Artificial Intelligence Might Save Time
Teachers: Could you use an extra 13 hours in your work week, or for your personal life? That might be possible in the future, according to a report published last month by McKinsey & Company.
School & District Management
What the Research Says
Praise Seen as Effective Classroom-Management Tool
When teachers use more praise and fewer reprimands in the classroom, it seems to help students stay on-task and behave better, according to a new study.
Student Well-Being
Letter to the Editor
Teach Executive Function
To the Editor:
I enjoyed the article about math anxiety ("The Myth Fueling Math Anxiety," Big Ideas special report, Jan. 8, 2020). As a neuroscientist who specializes in how the core skills of executive function promote rigorous math learning, it is particularly gratifying to see EdWeek cover this topic.
I enjoyed the article about math anxiety ("The Myth Fueling Math Anxiety," Big Ideas special report, Jan. 8, 2020). As a neuroscientist who specializes in how the core skills of executive function promote rigorous math learning, it is particularly gratifying to see EdWeek cover this topic.
Student Well-Being
Letter to the Editor
The Myth of Mass Education
To the Editor:
Please stop conflating the terms "school" and "education" ("10 Uncomfortable Truths About U.S. Education," Big Ideas special report, Jan. 8, 2020). Time spent in school doesn't guarantee education. School can be a safe haven and a highly beneficial experience for children. Yet, children suffer from stressful encounters and high anxiety in school, or fail to find school rewarding or even "educational" all too often. No one is to blame. But the reality keeps coming back to haunt us.
Please stop conflating the terms "school" and "education" ("10 Uncomfortable Truths About U.S. Education," Big Ideas special report, Jan. 8, 2020). Time spent in school doesn't guarantee education. School can be a safe haven and a highly beneficial experience for children. Yet, children suffer from stressful encounters and high anxiety in school, or fail to find school rewarding or even "educational" all too often. No one is to blame. But the reality keeps coming back to haunt us.
Student Well-Being
What the Research Says
Good Principals Linked to Less Absenteeism
Effective principals can play a huge role in reducing student absenteeism, finds a study in Educational Researcher.
Assessment
Briefly Stated
Briefly Stated: Stories You May Have Missed
A collection of short news stories from this week.
Data
Number of Homeless Students Hits All-Time High
An 11-percent increase in homeless students, including many without an adult to care for them, is posing challenges for schools from coast to coast.
Data
Opinion
Does Studying Student Data Really Raise Test Scores?
Many teachers believe that analyzing student testing data can boost performance, but research suggests otherwise, writes Heather C. Hill.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
White Teachers Need Anti-Racist Therapy
Educators won’t learn how to fight against racism in a single professional development session, writes Bettina L. Love.
Equity & Diversity
White Parents Say They Value Integrated Schools. Their Actions Speak Differently
A pair of new studies find that, when given a choice, white parents tend to send their children to schools that are predominantly white.
Professional Development
Opinion
Design Thinking: The Problem With Education's Latest Trend
Design thinking is often reduced to a flashy show pony for rich schools, writes English teacher Katherine Burd. It doesn't have to be.
School & District Management
A School District in Fiscal Free-Fall Scrambles to Avoid Crash Landing
Emotions remain raw as educators and residents in a rural Wisconsin district dig for solutions after being denied the option of dissolving.
Reading & Literacy
Advocates for Science-Based Reading Instruction Worry California Plan Sends the Wrong Message
California, which has a mixed history when it comes to evidence-based reading instruction, has a plan to use federal funds for literacy programs that some say are out of sync with the science.
School & District Management
Education Is the Darling of Wealthy Philanthropists, But K-12 Is Losing Its Luster
Around the world, education is the largest recipient of philanthropic giving by a large margin, but in the United States, funders are moving away from investing in K-12 schools in favor of early childhood and higher education.
Reading & Literacy
Opinion
There Are Four Foundational Reading Skills. Why Do We Only Talk About Phonics?
Foundational reading skills are more than the sum of their parts, so we must integrate how we teach them, writes Heidi Anne E. Mesmer.
College & Workforce Readiness
Students' 'Dream Jobs' Out of Sync With Emerging Economy
A new 41-country study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development finds that students’ career expectations are stuck in the last century.