Editorial

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.

I recently saw this meme online and my immediate reaction was one of sadness. Channeling my best Jerry Seinfeld, what’s the deal with letter grades anyway? For too many students …

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.

In a syndicated Associated Press article written by Karen Matthews, she reports on a debate about the necessity of teaching algebra.

As a result of losing students to magnet schools, military schools and charter schools school districts are faced with new fiscal challenges in addition to the budget cuts that were a result of the recent recession.

If you are an Instructor, or a beneficiary of Instruction, you intuitively know the importance and value of Instruction. But have you ever systematically analyzed Instruction’s strategic purpose; its top-most goal?

We have all watched enthralled at displays of coordinated teamwork, especially when each member of a sports team fulfills their individual role so well that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. At its best it looks almost effortless. That’s because no matter whether it is a high school basketball team or a professional football team or a cheerleading squad, the members all depend on each doing their job well and selflessly.  

There is much discussion on Twitter and LinkedIn about Carol Dweck’s great work on mindsets. Schools are putting up posters touting ways to develop a growth mindset. I have created a few graphics myself on building a growth mindset in students and teachers and the educator’s mindset.

First some background. When I was eleven I was given an IQ test. I must have passed since I was sent to a different kind of school, than most of my classmates. This was post-war England and someone in the British Government had woken up to the fact that Britain had lost an enormous number of men between 1914 and 1945 and urgently needed to train replacements.