technology

3 (Sneakily) Educational Electronic Toys for Older Kids

Sheldon Soper

For some kids, the thought of an educational toy or game is an instant turnoff. In these cases, making learning fun can be very similar to trying to get children to eat vegetables. Sometimes it requires some creativity and cunning by a parent or teacher to make a positive choice palatable.

Thankfully, innovators and toy-makers have answered the call. There is an increasing number of creative products designed to make learning not only happen, but enjoyable. Here are a few of the best…

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How to Become “Ear Buds” with Your Teen

Sheldon Soper

Music is and has always been a launching point for human understanding. Harnessing that big idea with the power of digital music is a way you can create positive and fun inroads with the adolescent in your life.

Try becoming “ear buds” with your teen as a way to create both passive and active pathways to potential connections.

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3 Marketing Skills Students Are Not Being Taught in School

Sheldon Soper

I was really good at “doing school” when I was a kid. I knew all the ins and outs of the academic world and was able to breeze through most of my coursework. I enjoyed the process of learning new things and pushed myself to understand concepts as deeply as possible. Looking back, there is little surprise that I became a teacher.

Fast-forward to my early thirties when I found myself entering into the world of entrepreneurship as a writer. For all my successes in the academic sphere, nothing in that experience had prepared me for the world of business. In particular, when it came to a critical business skill like marketing, I quickly realized I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.

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The Power of Paper

Sheldon Soper

From the outset of my teaching career, integrating technology into my lessons has remained a constant priority. Whether it was piloting SmartBoards in a district elementary school, using iPads to digitize workflows, or making the switch to Chromebooks, technology has been at the forefront of how I prepare and deliver content to students. Lately, however, I have seen value in a switch back to a more analog-focused learning environment.

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The Constantly Evolving Role of the School Librarian

Sheldon Soper

From: The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Blog – Guest Post on behalf of Teach.com – July 5, 2017 – by Sheldon Soper

The educational landscape is awash with initiatives to make learning more authentic and problem-based. For these differentiated approaches to work, students and teachers need networks of support to ensure that students can follow their own felt needs for learning. Who better to support that journey than the modern school librarian?

Forget Dewey decimal quizzes and overdue notices; today’s school librarians are the linchpins for modernizing the educational system. In the era of belt-tightening and budget cuts, school librarians are crucial pieces in the educational infrastructure that need to be both protected and cherished if our students are to receive the best education possible.

Read more at The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Blog : The Constantly Evolving Role of the School Librarian