Essential Teaching and Learning

By Scott B. Freiberger   (C) 2021 Scott B. Freiberger For many students, these past few years have been far beyond banal (an austere advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General should be a clarion call to inform us all).   Disconnected from daily school life and largely separated by screens, it’s imperative for students, especially in buildings, to build a basic sense of belonging, keep kindness in their consciousness, and encounter intercultural connections.   Tens of terrific tenets, such as establishing self-efficacy, augmenting self-awareness, setting great goals, co-acting, co-functioning, cooperating, and collaborating, need to be mindfully modeled and explicitly instructed. Research [also] affirms that access to interconnected resources will further improve school climate…[and] student equity .   Here are five concepts to cultivate a compassionate school culture via a largely mental health lens.   1. Highlight Health, Safety, and Clear Communication in ...

Photo credit: (C) 2019 Scott Freiberger By Scott B. Freiberger With the advent of new technologies being infused in school curricula, educators and school leaders are beginning to rethink all facets of data in the classroom. New, innovative methods of data collection are continually being developed, which offers new options for ongoing formative, culminating summative, and alternative assessments.   Yet what precisely do nouveau research-based instructional strategies entail?   Although challenges in curricula design may arise due to advanced technology integration, schools are nonetheless embracing the future.   Here are five emerging trends for 21 st -century classrooms. 1. App Innovation and Gamification As a result of the recent explosion in education-related apps, educators can decipher students’ interests, academic passions, and “trouble spots” more readily and in real-time to differentiate and fine-tune instruction.  MIT App Inventor, for exam...