A historical account is always better when it comes directly from someone who experienced it, and scientists at USC have come up with a way to offer firsthand accounts to students even after the storyteller is long dead.
Utilizing hologram technology, Holocaust survivors are being recorded and saved so that generations of students will be able to benefit from hearing their stories.
Reporting on the development tech site CNet states, "USC is teaming with the USC Shoah Foundation Institute and design firm Conscience Display to develop installations that let students and others converse with the hyper-photorealistic life-size digital versions of the survivors. Viewers ask questions, and the holograms respond, thanks to Siri-style natural-language technology, also developed at USC, that allows observers to ask questions that trigger relevant, spoken answers."
The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to adopt a new educational model. After lagging behind, holding on in some ways to the old factory model emerging during the Industrial Age (desks in neat rows like an assembly, bells still ring, stringent schedules keeping everyone on track), public education has moved into uncharted territory.
Students learning from home, having more autonomy and flexibility in schedules. Teachers teaching to children on virtual screens—sometimes juggling between...

As teachers, we all have a passion, and this passion is often our favorite part of what we teach our students. I personally love Literacy and do a lot of research, writing, and presenting hands-on learning approaches when teaching children to read. Each teacher is different in what their passion is, but...
In an earlier blog, I wrote about a mindfulness-based program, where k-12 students learn and practice four breathing techniques in 40 days. I caught up with ABC Breathe director, Maria Andrade, to see how the initiative was going during the pandemic and a time when schools, teachers, and children are shifting between remote learning and in-person classes and having to maintain social distancing and other safety measures.
Q: How is the initiative going...

“The chance to author your own book is incredibly engaging and motivating to students.” – Dan Amos
The Planet Classroom Network is featuring Book Creator’s Create a...
Leaders in a school have a huge impact on teachers, staff, faculty, families, students, and the community. They have the ability to teach, model, engage, collaborate, and communicate. Leaders and administrators wear many hats and have a lot of responsibilities that take courage, organizational skills, the ability to communicate, and the expertise to support, encourage and build others up. As I moved up from...
As I begin teaching classes this semester, I feel it is more crucial than ever to create a safe space in the classroom, what I call a Container of Care & Courage.
Considering the tumultuous times we are living in, and what students –whether k-12 students or college students—might be going through, I think, as educators, we have an even greater responsibility to use the classroom as a microcosm of what society could be. A place where people’s voices are honored, where differences...