In a case of a little mistake turning into a major kerfuffle, the Chicago Public Schools system was left apologizing to families for sending an email with a link to an erotic Web site.
According to CBS Chicago, the email was intended to inform parents of changes that are being made to a standardized test administered by the state of Illinois. The email contained a link to the state board of education’s Web site. However, rather than starting the URL with ISBE (an acronym for Illinois State Board of Education), the URL read, “ISBEL…” That link directed parents to ISBEL.com, a site that touts “Sex and Sensuality Illuminated.”
The mistake was discovered, and an apology was issued.
Mindfulness-or training one’s attention to focus on the present moment-has become all the rage, filtering into schools and classrooms. Books and articles suggest that teachers and students can benefit from mindfulness practices such as mindful breathing, meditation, and mindful walking.
While I subscribe to the concept of mindfulness, the term might put off some educators, who don’t want to get up in cultural nuances or esoteric practices. Therefore, let’s use the phrase, conscious...

“Storytelling is one of the most human and powerful forms of explaining complex situations.” – Eva Dominguez
Students of the digital era are preparing themselves for an increasingly connected world, which enables them to work from anywhere, to be curious and savvy about current affairs, to adapt constantly and hone...

“We want to know what industries are using, what they need, and to try and adjust our curriculums accordingly where possible.” – Ryan Ball
How do you contextualize STEAM education and upskill students and teachers with timely knowledge, competencies and skills that are required for the modern workplace?...

"At this very moment we have a community of 350 passionate teachers across 75 countries, offering free Skype lessons.” – Koen Timmers
In the era of globalization, interactions and learning between students of different countries have become a necessity for classrooms. Koen Timmers, an award-winning...

“We dared to say out loud that our current education system was not generating the expected results, that the role of the teacher should change, that memorization is not the way to consolidate learning, that grading is not evaluating, and that there is no learning without emotion.” – Karime Pulido Ramzahuer
UNOi, based...
Classroom management is often cited as the top concern for new teachers. Managing a classroom full of students comprised of various learning needs, diverse backgrounds, and behavioral challenges is no easy task. ...
Out in the Pacific Ocean, between California and Hawaii, is a vast floating debris field known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is estimated that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is about two times the size of the state of Texas! Sadly, the area is growing each year. It the world’s largest debris field(mainly plastics) in the world. Unfortunately, it is not the ONLY such waste field in our oceans as the Atlantic and Indian Oceans have such patches, too.
This week, 40...