LexiaTalks

With in-classroom learning on hold for many schools throughout the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators, students, and parents have been adjusting to the often-referenced “new normal.” In education, navigating the transition to e-learning has been a significant component of this adjustment—and because moving from the classroom to the cloud is by no means a one-size-fits-all process, instructors and administrators must take care to avoid common remote learning pitfalls as they develop effective approaches that work for them and their students. 

To view the original blog, visit: Avoid These 5 Common E-Learning Pitfalls

A recent New York Times article began by presenting a familiar scenario: A young girl, newly equipped with an iPad, was eager to begin online learning after her public school had been shuttered due to the COVID-19 crisis.

To view the original blog, visit: Online Learning: Accessible to All?

As schools across the United States close for weeks—and potentially months—to slow the spread of COVID-19, communities are scrambling to reimagine education. Are districts prepared to move to online learning? How will virtual classrooms work for very young students? How will grade-level expectations be communicated and assessed? 

To view the original blog, visit: Let Teachers Lead: Our Teachers Know What Their Students Need

In school districts across the United States, the COVID-19 outbreak has pushed teaching and learning from the classroom to the computer practically overnight.

To view the original blog, visit: Switching to E-Learning? Don’t Leave Equity Behind

Suddenly, the world has changed. With schools across the United States closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers and students have been left wondering how to cope with the loss of structure, community, and support provided by the K-12 system.

To view the original blog, visit: A Self-Care Guide for Teachers and Students

Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. In the face of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, organizations of all types are being forced to rapidly reevaluate and restructure the way they conduct business during a public health emergency. Like other business leaders, school administrators must think critically about how each decision they make may impact students, parents, and surrounding communities.

To view the original blog, visit: Classroom to Cloud: 3 Factors to Consider When Transitioning to Remote Learning

In 2019, Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg captured the world’s attention with her eloquent environmental activism. But although Thunberg's fight against climate change certainly makes her stand out from the crowd, she is by no means the only youth activist out there. As noted in a CNN list of young environmental activists, Mari Copeny of Flint, Michigan, sent a letter about her city's water crisis to then-President Barack Obama in 2016 that was written powerfully enough to prompt Obama to fly to Flint and assess the situation personally. Arguably the most impressive part of the story is the fact that Mari was just 9 years old at the time.

To view the original blog, visit: How Can We Help Foster Greta Thunberg's Drive in All Students?

Where do the billions of dollars allocated for K-12 education in the United States each year actually end up?

A new mandate borne of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) aims to answer this question by requiring the addition of state-by-state data points to each state’s annual report card. With this improved insight, parents, teachers, policymakers, and other interested parties will theoretically be able to more accurately "follow the money." 

To view the original blog, visit: New ESSA Provision Aims to Boost School Funding Transparency

Once an optional, preschool-like addition to elementary school programs, kindergarten has come a long way. For years, most kindergarten classes offered a half-day introduction to life in school, with plenty of time for free play, snacks, and even naps. Today, however, parents have a hard time finding anything other than the full-day option, let alone one that comes stocked with blocks, nap time, and unstructured lesson plans. In fact, more than 75 percent of all kindergartners now attend full-day programs, according to a 2015 study by nonprofit research group Child Trends.

To view the original blog, visit: Full-Day Kindergarten: Pros, Cons, and State Requirements

Students from around the ages of 11 to 16 are learning how to think critically and analyze information with greater depth, and teachers must determine how to effectively assess middle and high school students' learning in a way that acknowledges both their developmental strengths and challenges.

To view the original blog, visit: How to Make Assessments Meaningful for Middle and High School Students