School libraries readjust; A looming child care crisis

Plus: How to lead schools in a pandemic

No. 458 | 11/19/20 | Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by New York City is closing school doors and switching to remote learning after the city reached a 3-percent COVID-19 positivity rate. Some states, including California, are keeping schools closed even when infection rates are similarly low. Others in the Midwest are keeping them open despite dangerous transmission rates.   The inconsistency is befuddling, and the uncoordinated approaches are sharply impacting students and communities. One issue? A lack of a nation-wide plan that could get all districts on the same page, says epidemiologist Benjamin Linas. Such a plan is possible, he argues, and might involve mask mandates, clear social distancing guidelines when six feet of space is not possible, thresholds for opening and closings, and robust testing and contact tracing. It may take additional community measures to keep things safe.   "No district should employ school closures as the first intervention when Covid-19 cases rise," writes Linas. "School closures must be one component of a larger strategy that seeks to generally reduce mobility and social interaction." 💻 REMOTE POSSIBILITIES    BOOK SMART: The limitations imposed by COVID-19 have not fundamentally changed the role of school librarians. But how they execute their vision undoubtedly has. At a time when plucking books off shelves is untenable, librarians are changing reader habits, acquiring digital offerings and even stepping into classrooms. And some of these changes may stick around long after the pandemic ends.    CHILD CARE SCARE: Surveys conducted since the pandemic began find that two in five child care providers believe they will shut down permanently before the new year, in the absence of additional federal relief. We talked with three providers to understand the dire straits they're in. According to one: even a short-term closure to contain an outbreak could do her in.    HABITS OF HIGHLY-EFFECTIVE SCHOOL LEADERS: School leadership doesn't look like it did before the pandemic. But leaders can still have a big impact on the culture of their community. The difference now is intentionality and a flexible approach. Former principal Simon Rodberg spoke with several peers for their tips. Among them: model for staff that struggle is OK.     Sponsored by Netex MICRO DON'TS: Creating a microlearning program is not as easy as chopping existing content into bite-sized pieces and putting everything on YouTube. Sumedh Kasare of Netex tell us five things organizations should avoid when implementing microlearning to ensure that your users are getting the most out of their time. 🗓️GOINGS ON   SUPPORTING SAFE SPACES During remote learning, edtech has supported instruction with a wide range of tools and platforms. But does it also support student safety online? Join a panel of industry experts to learn more about what tech companies can do to bolster student safety and well-being. Sign up today.   MISSED ME? SEE YOU AT ISTE20! EdSurge reporters and editors will be leading several sessions at the upcoming ISTE 2020 conference, taking place virtually Nov. 29 - Dec. 5. Register today. A live EdSurge Podcast taping with José Vilson, co-founder and executive director of #EduColor and NYC math teacher, on inclusive teaching in a time of social unrest and political polarization An interactive discussion, led by two EdSurge reporters, about some of the ways educators have been forced to experiment during the pandemic—and what should stick around long-term. And a primer to how you can write and share your own stories on EdSurge.  The following is a message from our sponsor The K-12 Guide to Evaluating a Learning Management Platform Selecting a learning management platform that aligns with district goals and initiatives is no easy assignment. Save yourself time and avoid headaches by downloading this essential guide that presents 13 must-haves when choosing a digital learning management platform. Get the guide. 🎧 ON THE PODCAST   LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC SEMESTER: This stressful and disrupted semester is leading professors to rethink how they teach, and helping students learn about themselves. But are there things that will stick even after the health emergency ends? Hear views from six campuses on the latest installment of our Pandemic Campus Diaries series.   🏫 ALL SCHOOL PLANTING SEEDS: Support for early childhood education is growing, but a lack of policy expertise may soon slow its momentum. To counter this, academics have a strategy for planting relevant policy programs at universities across the country. One part of the plan: developing open-access course materials to make it easy for professors to teach lessons, and even entire classes, about early childhood policy.    Sponsored by AI Explorations THE REAL THING: The new reality is artificial…intelligence. AI has become a regular fixture of our everyday lives, and it now pervades all areas of academic study. As educators prepare students for this reality, here are 5 steps to help you integrate AI into your curriculum.   📚 FROM THE ARCHIVES   NO SLACKING OFF: Socratic seminars were difficult to manage even when instruction was entirely face-to-face. One improvement might be to add a backchannel using the popular workplace messaging app Slack. Two teachers share how they use it to liven up discussions, model technique and impart valuable research skills.  🐝 BUZZ ABOUT TOWN   Researchers link loss of instruction during the pandemic to reduced life expectancy among affected children. (Contemporary Pediatrics)   A new poll finds that while 70 percent of respondents still believe public education is the great equalizer, 80 percent believe it's unequal. (Ipsos) RemoteK12, an upcoming education conference, is accepting nominations for exceptional online/hybrid teachers. Sponsored by Google Join us for Google Cloud's Public Sector Summit — a free two-day digital event taking place on December 8-9, 2020 will connect academic, edtech, and government communities across the globe. Create your own experience from over 50 sessions, book time to "ask an expert", and explore success stories, and more. Register now!   Looking for a job in edtech? You've come to the right place. EdSurge has the leading edtech jobs board with over 400 openings from schools, nonprofits and companies. Post a job See all edtech jobs Founding Head of Schools Portal Schools The Founding Head of School for Portal Schools' new Los Angeles region. This individual will implement the vision and mission of Portal Schools locally and lead the launch of up to eight microschools in the Los Angeles area over the next five years. K12 School Operations  •    School   •    Los Angeles, CA     Executive Director Baltimore School of the Arts Founded in 1979, Baltimore School for the Arts provides pre-professional arts training and a rigorous college-prep curriculum to Baltimore-area students. The new Executive Director will be an experienced arts administrator and dynamic leader. C-Level Executive Leadership  •    School   •    Baltimore, MD   Executive Director Salem Academy Charter School The new Executive Director will be responsible for the organization's success in meeting its instructional, school culture, operations, fundraising, external relations, and financial management goals. C-Level Executive Leadership  •    School   •    Salem, MA,    Regional SEL Consultant - K-12 Schools, School Districts BASE Education BASE Education is a company that truly saves the lives of kids. If you want to be a part of something that cool, throw your hat in the ring! Sales  •    Large Company   •    Denver, CO  or Remote   Assessment Writer Teamed You will be responsible for using learning outcomes to develop summative assessments and to map, design, and develop an engaging learning experience. This includes sequencing content and authoring question sets and activities. Curriculum Design  •   Startup   •    Remote   Math Content Specialist Math Nation Math Nation is hiring educators to help create fun and rigorous content for 6th grade math, 7th grade math, and 8th grade math, as well as, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2! Curriculum Design  •   Startup   •    Remote   Events Post an event   •   See all events and meetups   ISTE20 Live ​ISTE20 Live will provide the learning you need NOW through 600+ sessions that ensure you walk away with skills to teach in any learning environment! Attend for interactive content, stories of inspiration and strategies to address today's challenges. Nov 29 - Dec 5   •   Online   •   $51 - $250   ISTE Digital Leadership Summit A curated program just for District Leaders held in conjunction with ISTE20 Live Nov 29 - Dec 5   •   Online   •   $51 - $250   The Standards and STEM Working towards effective STEM learning means gaining a deeper understanding of the future we aspire to build, and having the ability to imagine this future. Dec 15   •   Online   •   Free   Pathfinders Winter Institute The Infosys Foundation USA is excited announce the second annual Pathfinders Winter Institute - virtually - from Feb 12-15, 2021! This 3-day event will offer K-12 teachers an engaging professional development experience in CS and maker education. Feb 12   •   Online   •   More than $250 THANKS FOR READING   ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you've got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. ➔ Event planners: Feature your in-person or virtual event on our calendar & newsletters. EdSurge covers and connects the people, ideas and technologies that shape the future of learning. We are an independent news and research initiative of the International Society for Technology in Education. International Society for Technology in Education, 621 SW Morrison Street, Suite 800, Portland, Oregon 97205, USA, 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 503.342.2848 (Int'l) Unsubscribe Manage preferences