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Take a deep breath: NYC schools will spend $31,434 per student
New York City schools are spending more while enrolling fewer students, reports Kristina Watrobski for Crisis in the Classroom. Since...
Joanne Jacobs
Aug 1, 20232 min read
3 comments


Out-of-control students, overwhelmed teachers
Student misbehavior is driving teachers crazy -- and out of teaching write Leslie Bienen, a health policy consultant, and Christina...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 5, 20232 min read
7 comments


My students are 'broken kids I cannot fix'
Teachers on Reddit are sharing horror stories of their students' emotional, social and academic melt downs, screen addictions and apathy....
Joanne Jacobs
May 18, 20232 min read
2 comments

Without the jargon, 'social-emotional learning' means ...
Social-emotional learning means "teaching kids to be nice to one another and to be nice to themselves," Liz Mikitarian, a retired...
Joanne Jacobs
Apr 4, 20233 min read
1 comment


Back in the USA
We returned from Barcelona last night, so I'm a bit jet-lagged -- and where was my breakfast buffet this morning? -- but the blog is...
Joanne Jacobs
Mar 31, 20231 min read
3 comments
Happy days: Connect, care about others, cope
Happy people are kind to others and to themselves, says Laurie Santos. The Yale psychology professor is offering a free, six-week course,...
Joanne Jacobs
Jan 28, 20232 min read
1 comment


Move it and lose the blues
Exercise and sports -- at least one hour three times a week -- are a natural anti-depressant for teenagers, according to an analysis of...
Joanne Jacobs
Jan 9, 20231 min read
1 comment


Is SEL a 'Trojan horse' for identity politics?
Social-emotional learning (SEL) can mean the sort of things teachers have taught for generations: Count to ten to calm down, take turns,...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 27, 20222 min read
1 comment


Without phones, school is calmer and students are listening, talking
Banning cell phones transformed a Philadelphia high school, reports Kristen A. Graham in the Inquirer. Students were ignoring teachers --...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 24, 20222 min read
1 comment


Learning builds resilience
It's a mistake to put "social-emotional learning" ahead of academic learning, writes Eva Moskowitz, who created the high-performing...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 19, 20221 min read
2 comments


'The child is not the creature of the state'
Parents aren't perfect. Some are very imperfect indeed. But they have the right to "direct the upbringing and education" of their...
Joanne Jacobs
Aug 31, 20222 min read
2 comments


Out the classroom door, but still teaching
While there’s little evidence of a “Big Quit” in education there may be a Significant Shift in how teachers see their options, writes...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 16, 20223 min read
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Second wave of learning loss is coming in ’23-24
Students learned a lot less in remote classes, test scores show. “The achievement loss is far greater than most educators and parents...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 13, 20221 min read
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Young males in trouble
We are failing our young men, argues podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey. That’s the one commonality in the vast majority of mass shootings....
Joanne Jacobs
May 26, 20221 min read
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Teaching kids to share crayons isn’t intrusive
Teaching social and emotional skills — done properly — is an essential part of teaching, argues Fordham intern Nathaniel Grossman. It’s...
Joanne Jacobs
May 12, 20221 min read
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Is social-emotional learning a Trojan horse?
While social-emotional learning sounds “positive and uncontroversial” in theory, “in practice, SEL serves as a delivery mechanism for...
Joanne Jacobs
May 5, 20222 min read
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Look lively: Big Brother is watching
A Chinese high school installed cameras that monitor students’ facial expressions, reports Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times. Artificial...
Joanne Jacobs
Jul 22, 20182 min read
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How restorative justice can work
Students talk at the peace table at a San Jose Montessori school Restorative justice can make schools safer, if it’s done well, writes...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 28, 20182 min read
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Catholic schools teach self-control
Catholic schools build self-discipline, concludes a Fordham study. Students in Catholic schools were compared to public-school students...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 21, 20181 min read
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Kids build ‘growth mindset,’ lose self-control skills
“As they progress through school, students are getting better at believing they can master challenging subjects, but they are getting...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 21, 20181 min read
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