Who’s Who at This Year’s #140edu Conference

The #140edu Conference is an exciting and innovative gathering of people from all over the world to discuss the current state of education and the role of technology in revolutionizing the classroom. A focus of the conference is providing a platform for people on Twitter to connect with one another and listen to fascinating speakers, all the while exploring the ways that the Internet and social media are shaping the future.

This year’s conference will take place from July 31 through August 1 in New York City at the 92nd Street YMCA (1395 Lexington Avenue). The event will draw dozens of amazing speakers whom you should defini…

Teaching Through Tragedy: How Teachers and Schools Respond to Crisis

The impact of a tragic event is felt beyond the immediate sphere of those directly connected, and some of the most confused and vulnerable are our students. Young people need guidance during tragedy, and though home is where they turn first, schools must also be responsive. Children spend most of their time among classmates and teachers, so school should be a place of comfort and community, where they feel safe and receive the help they need. Even if a tragic event has not struck your community, you as a teacher should be equipped to deal with emotional fallout. Just because something didn’t happen to someone your students know personally doesn’t mean that they're unaffected.

On July 20…

 

Is Michelle Rhee’s Olympics-Inspired Ad Attacking American Education?

Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of the Washington D.C. public schools, and founder of Students First, a political advocacy organization for education reform, has tapped into the hype of the 2012 Olympic Games while encouraging major changes in our education system. The ad, however, has drawn criticism from educators who find Rhee's message to be degrading and insulting to American schools.

The advertisement features an out-of-shape athlete competing for the United States in a baton-twirling Olympic sport. The athlete is unprepared, out of br…

 

Innovative Teaching: Does Our Education System Allow It?

With lagging STEM performance and a need for technology to be weaved into the classroom, the Department of Education (ED) is attempting to get regional school districts to band together to accelerate the innovation of education through technology.

The ED is discussing a movement called "Education Innovation Clusters," whose purpose and necessity are highlighted in a recent article on the ED website.

“At a time when advances in technology and digital …

Tips for Teachers: Creating a Teaching Portfolio Online

Do you have a professional teaching portfolio? Is it accessible online? While you may have created an assessment portfolio during your pre-service curriculum or have a current requirement to maintain evidence of your work as part of a performance evaluation system, it could be time for an update. Creating an online presentation of your accomplishments is easier than ever and may be worth your time if you are contemplating a future career move.

Masters of Education: Obama Pledges $1 Billion to Create Elite Group of STEM Teachers

 On Wednesday, President Obama announced that he would create an elite group of teachers to become masters of education in the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This "Master Teachers Corps" is part of an overall agenda of the administration to improve the quality of education in high demand areas that are essential to economic prosperity. Obama has pledged $1 billion to reward high-performing teachers with additional salary stipends of up to $20,000. $100 million will be available immediately from existing funds for incentivizing teachers, and the rest of the funding …

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