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“Teachers, we need you to stay in the classroom; please don’t tweet anything that could get you fired,” read a tweet posted on Twitter, now known as X, by “An Anonymous Teacher Speaks.” The account — a pandemic artifact spotlighting teacher voices run by shea martin — is the focus of an article from 2020 featured in this month’s “Back in Time” section.
The comment sounds eerily contemporary. A half-decade later and stark cuts and the tense political moment have done little to fix these problems cataloged by martin: Teachers and early child care providers still have society’s problems put on their shoulders, though important structures underneath them are embattled. For instance, see this month’s story about library hot spot programs.
But interestingly, declining satisfaction with American schools may reflect political stratification, per this month’s popular story about the clash between how adults think about education in the country overall and their own children’s education.
And in other ways, long-standing challenges remain the most pressing, as schools try to navigate morally complicated edtech services and boost student engagement. Last month, readers sought insight on those themes.
— Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge reporter |
- Wi-Fi Hot Spot Lending Program Scrapped, Leaving Libraries Scrambling
A long-standing federal program intended to help rural and urban communities more easily access Wi-Fi has been cut, leaving schools and libraries to consider alternatives for their hot spot lending programs. Librarians and educators worry some kids will be left in the digital dark, according to reporting from Lauren Coffey.
- Parents Think Their Kids Are Getting a Good Education. The Public Disagrees.
There’s a mismatch: Recent polling shows that U.S. adults are mostly pessimistic about the quality of K-12 education — except when it comes to their own children. EdSurge reporter Nadia Tamez-Robledo asked education experts what’s behind this apparent contradiction. It may reveal something surprising about the role of education in politics, Tamez-Robledo found.
- What Do We Know About the Edtech Services That Watch Students?
Companies that use AI to monitor student messages through school tech tools are controversial. Studies have increasingly raised potential issues with these services. Some students, families and experts have concerns about the trade-offs these practices bring. Some spoke to EdSurge reporter Daniel Mollenkamp about their apprehensions.
- I Was an ‘A Student’ — Until I Realized Grades Don’t Measure Learning
For some, letter grades are clearly a bad idea that ultimately obstructs student growth. Voices of Change fellow Nikita Khetan explored how mastery-based systems shift the focus from chasing points to building skills in an essay for EdSurge. By emphasizing feedback and the chance to try again, Khetan argues, schools can move beyond outdated grading practices and support students in developing confidence and a genuine love of learning.
- The Stricter the Cellphone Policy, the Happier the Teacher, Research Finds
A massive experiment has been underway in recent years, as an increasing number of schools and states have changed their device policies to reflect a growing concern around how cellphones interfere with student focus and learning. Now, preliminary findings from a national survey of more than 20,000 public school educators offer insights into the effect of these guardrails. What did it find? Strict cellphone policies led to happy teachers and, those teachers argue, more engaged students, reported Emily Tate Sullivan. |
⏪ BACK IN TIME
The most popular article this time last year:
Despite Historic Funding, Early Childhood Educators Continue to Struggle, Report Finds
Last year, in spite of the money flowing to early childhood education, early childhood providers struggled. Providers were having a hard time paying those who look after and help America’s children develop in their early years, reported Emily Tate Sullivan. These days, with deep cuts to Head Start, in some ways the story has only gotten more dire.
The most popular article five years ago:
‘This Job Is Impossible:’ Frustrated Teachers Share What America’s Classrooms Are Really Like
During the pandemic, teachers worried for their lives. But they also felt pressured to keep quiet, as the world around them seemed to descend into chaos. That’s why a social media account that archived their worries while preserving teacher anonymity, known as “An Anonymous Teacher Speaks,” struck a chord. Stephen Noonoo, at the time an editor for EdSurge, conducted an interview with the educator and researcher behind that social media account. |
The following is brought to you by |
Curriculum Specialist | CodeHS | Chicago, IL
As a Curriculum Specialist at CodeHS, you’ll help support the development and maintenance of engaging, high-quality computer science curriculum for middle and high school students.
School Membership Specialist | IXL Learning | Raleigh, NC
IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by millions of people globally, is seeking an upbeat, customer-focused, and analytical individual to join the School Membership team. |
EdSurge is an editorially independent project of ISTE+ASCD
reporting on the powerful forces, fascinating people
and innovative practices shaping teaching and learning. |
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