In an increasingly technological world, it is no surprise that our systems of education focus on training young thinkers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or as they are known together: STEM. STEM has become a leading buzzword on the resumes of up and coming professionals, guiding how educators and employers prioritize the development of these practical, technological skills. Studies show that STEM [...]
Drum majors, is the band ready? The inquisition echoes across the field. Friday night lights shimmer off the bells of horns, your elbows ache at attention. In just a few moments, you will get the command to raise your instrument and set off on the sub-ten minute journey known as the field show. A coordinated movement of some 100+ students, all in matching [...]
I’ve always been drawn to the allure of a long book. In middle school, I remember lugging around a hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, proudly turning startled heads as I thumped the book to my desk during break time. I took a certain pride in wading through these long books, feeling that there was something to be [...]
The best part of story time was when the teacher finished reading a page aloud and rotated the book, revealing to an eager class the wide, glossy pages of illustrations illuminating what we’d just heard. John Locke understood this when he argued that pictures were essential to a child’s comprehension of a story as for children, showing is always better than telling.[1] By [...]
In this mediascape, the forms literature can take varies wildly. Whether you want to pop in some headphones and listen to hours of someone reading you a story or if you want to simply pull an ebook up on your smartphone on the train, you can enjoy books from the comfort of anywhere. The dissemination of literature like this seems to be a [...]
Humanities vs. STEM If you’re on any secondary education campus that offers degrees in both humanities and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) studies, then you are bound to come across the ongoing debate of the value of which field of study is more ‘valuable.’ You might even hear a group of STEM students during finals bemoaning all the cramming and memorization for [...]
It’s often said, ‘it takes a village to raise a child,’ and when it comes to their academic achievement, the saying certainly stands strong. For a student trying to succeed in school, it takes more than just a great school system or dedicated teacher to reach success; it requires the intervention and involvement of a child’s caretakers and community for them to reach [...]
What is Policing in Educational Institutions? With the presence of violence in educational settings a constant and lurking threat, police in schools have been a common presence across the country, specifically since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting.[1] Massachusetts began the trend across the nation with the passing of the Gun Violence Reduction Act in regard to the shooting, mandating that all [...]
From an early age, it is vital to anyone’s psychological growth to have the ability to understand others' mental states, and the understanding that others have differing beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are different from one’s own. This is the basis of social interaction and is known as theory of mind—in psychological terms.[1] To develop empathy and foster an empowering classroom, the [...]
What is Multicultural Literature? Culture is everything—it’s how we define ourselves and perceive the world in our own, idiosyncratic ways, and it’s an essential part of one’s identity during childhood. It’s also during the first three years of childhood[1] when one’s foundations for literacy is laid in place, as well as the development of their self-concept including a sense of their own culture [...]