Parents

edCircuit Opinion
The Scientific American article For Children With Autism, Multiple Languages May Be A Boon raises an important point about the impacts of language education on children with autism.  In the United States, bilingual families with children on the autism spectrum have traditionally been advised to raise those children speaking only English.  But according to new research, this advice “only intensifies the alienation experienced by these children” by isolating them from their families, who may not speak English at home.

edCircuit Opinion:
Walk into any public school today and what do you see? Most likely groups of desks for students to sit, shelves filled with books intended to strengthen their imagination and support their pursuit of learning, or hopefully a room filled with computers. We’ve entered the 21st century, and technology is more prevalent now more than ever before. It’s common to see a child sitting quietly, playing the latest popular game on their iPad. Or teens (and adults!), completely consumed by their smartphones.

edCircuit Opinion:
My most memorable course in college was not because of its gripping content, but because of its length. Every Monday and Tuesday at 9 am, I sat in my chair for four hours and listened to my professor regurgitate information. Immediately following this class, I had another which was three hours long. While I cannot recall all that I learned, I do remember how I felt every time I reached the halfway point.

As July comes to a close, thousands of families swarm to the nearest stores and begin to cross items off of their college checklist. For those who need reminding, no one college dorm room is alike. But, according to CENGAGE Learning’s 2015 Student Engagement Insights survey, many of these students have more in common than you think. When asked, “what are your goals after college?” 80% of college students responded that they want a “good job/better job”. Is this attainable for recent college grads?
Forbes warns that it may not be.

Those of us in education business are often focused on managing the clock, the budget and the demands of an industry and clientele (students and teachers) desperately looking for smart technologies that provide student-centered learning opportunities and high levels of engagement.

by Sgt. Thomas Rich
This post, Understanding Cyberbullying Through Immersion: Educate, Empower, Engage, was originally published in SEEN Magazine.
Today’s technology has taken on a life of its own. Words such as “tweet,” “hashtag,” “snap” and “follow” have become integrated into our daily vocabulary. Every day there seems to be a new social media platform that kids are using, whether it’s Twitter, Snapchat, Yik Yak or Facebook.

Discover essential social media guidelines for special education teachers to help students with special needs stay safe, connected, and supported online.

John McLaughlin joins me to discuss the notion that schools should be training all teachers to work and understand students who are on the Autism Spectrum. McLaughlin also discusses what questions teachers should be asking about Autism to better inform the understanding and approach with both students and parents.

Mike Anderson, frequent contributor to edCircuit and known as The Well Balanced Teacher, spent time with Dr. Berger at the ASCD conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Anderson discussed what occurs when students have more choices about their learning, stating that they find ways of learning that matches their personal needs. The result, says Anderson, is that students are more engaged in their work, building skills and work habits that will serve them well in school and beyond.