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Tag: technology

School libraries help to bridge digital divide

School libraries help to bridge digital divide

February 13, 2019 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My love of reading was instilled in me by my mother, who is an avid reader, but my elementary school librarian was the person who opened my eyes to the wide world that was within my grasp through the library. I still remember the first time I read Shel Silverstein’s collection of fanciful children’s poems, […]

10 educational apps for the modern family

10 educational apps for the modern family

September 17, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Sometimes, it’s hard to believe the iPhone was introduced only 11 years ago. Whether you are an Apple fan or a Samsung fan or have any one of the many other brands, smartphones and, to a lesser degree, tablets, have made profound changes on our daily lives. They put the world at our fingertips. But […]

Flipped learning can have several benefits for students

Flipped learning can have several benefits for students

May 3, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Homework is almost always a struggle at my house, especially when it’s math. I try to help my fifth-grade son but am thrown back into a time warp to my own elementary and middle school mathematics challenges. With both of us floundering, homework time is less than pleasant. I recently learned that some sixth-grade teachers […]

4 apps to help your child learn a new language

4 apps to help your child learn a new language

January 31, 2018 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, Middle Years

When my mother was a little girl, she lived a poor, challenging life in Puerto Rico. But when she turned 7, my grandmother – who I call Ita – packed up their few belongings, and moved my mother and her sister to New York. They had no money and they didn’t speak English. Children of […]

Children and Technology: How parents can help navigate them through the Digital Age

Children and Technology: How parents can help navigate them through the Digital Age

December 6, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years, Uncategorized

There’s been a great deal of discussion in social, educational, and professional circles about the benefits and challenges of children (of all ages) using technology. I began paying more attention to the different points of view when I took a look at my children’s holiday wish lists. Written at the top were smartphones, laptops, and […]

Bored of the radio? 7 podcasts to listen to with your kids on the ride to school

Bored of the radio? 7 podcasts to listen to with your kids on the ride to school

September 25, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

Podcasts have become part of my daily routine. I wake up, brush my teeth, pour myself a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats and download a podcast for my commute to work. It sure beats listening to radio commercials, and – if I can sift through the hundreds of thousands available to find a good one […]

What’s a MOOC…and should your high-schooler consider enrolling in one?

What’s a MOOC…and should your high-schooler consider enrolling in one?

September 12, 2017 | Posted in: High School

Odd acronym, awesome concept. MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses. MOOCs are free online courses available for anyone to enroll in. They’re an affordable and flexible way to learn new skills, advance a career and partake in quality educational experiences at scale. David Cormier, an educational researcher and MOOC early adopter, defines a MOOC as more […]

Bridging the STEM gender gap

Bridging the STEM gender gap

March 16, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Today, although to a lesser degree than in the past, women remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce, with the greatest disparities occurring in engineering, computer science and the physical sciences. According to a 2016 report by the National Science Foundation, female students’ achievement and participation in science and math in grades K-12 was on par […]

Reducing family screen time is easier than it seems

Reducing family screen time is easier than it seems

February 10, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

For Nicole, a mom of two children, ages 4 and 8, the start of 2017 was an opportunity to tackle a growing problem in her house: family screen time. For parents raising children in today’s digital age, it can seem daunting to set limits on screen time and technology. “This year, in order to actually […]

Schools embrace makerspaces and parents can, too

Schools embrace makerspaces and parents can, too

February 7, 2017 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My seven-year-old loves tape. I have gotten into the habit of buying a roll, or two (OK, sometimes three), whenever I’m at the store. He has created cars out of wooden blocks, a bridge stretching from the back of a living room chair to a nearby desk and a small cardboard house for his Lego […]