Advocates

According to a study published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 15-year-old Spanish students spend an average of 6.5 hours a week on assigned homework.

By Dr. Craig T. Follins

By David Wangaard

If you were to take your eyes off of your book for one minute, you’d notice what has happened around you. Technology is advancing at warp speed; it’s everywhere and owned by everyone. But are establishments that provide books to the public able to survive?
The answer is yes. The librarian’s value has not diminished with the forthcoming of the digital age. Libraries are adapting to these changing times, and becoming thought leaders in utilizing technology for research purposes.

Dr. Thomas Armstrong,  ASCD author of The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students, as well as, numerous other publications, sat down to discuss the intersection of education with mental health and the effects of teaching methods on the adolescent brain. Dr. Armstrong stresses the need for a better-balanced approach to education that concentrates on both the emotional brain and the reasoning mind.

Dr. Berger recently posed questions to Dr. Gustavo Lara González, ABE/GED Department Chair at Moreno Valley School District, about his journey from Mexico to the U.S. and his entrance into an educational system that not only earned him a Ph.D. but led him to become a leading Adult Learning advocate. Lara González shares a backdrop to his early student life in Mexico and how he blended his past learning into his teaching methods in the United States. Most of all, Lara González demonstrates how his hardened pursuit of a higher education and eventually teaching, led him to become a leading proponent of Adult Learning, avowing him to lessen the hurdles of his past for others.

John McLaughlin sits down to discuss recent news surrounding Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and the unfortunate tendency to pigeonhole the field of autism. McLaughlin warns against limiting therapy methods in favor of a “check box” approach made popular by insurance companies looking to set pricing and organize treatment protocols.

edCircuit Opinion
It was a very eventful year for The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, commonly referred to as FIRE. There has been a great deal of pressure on Colleges and Universities to publicly confront issues amongst the student body including race, sexual assault, gay rights and politically correct comments. Many would argue that these institutions are getting too involved, others say that they are not intervening enough.

edCircuit Opinion:
The short film “Hallelujah” by Aliza Eliazarov follows New York City students preparing for their big musical concert. These students have such a strong love for music that they have chosen lessons with their teacher, Peter Mancini, over recess. During the filming, it became evident how desperately these children needed music in their lives. “Hallelujah” follows the story of only one class in NYC. But, there are thousands more just like it across the country. The short film shines a light on the fact that these kids love what they are learning.