Cellphone Bans, Top Education Stories, and the Power of Kindness
Topics for this week include the education word of the year, top education stories from the past year, and the power of kindness.
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The Friday Five
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Today at a Glance:
- Education Week’s word of 2024.
- Top education stories of 2025.
- The power of kindness.
- Why Edify’s best articles of the past year.
- Activity: Time Capsule in a Water Bottle
Reflection Questions:
- How can you create more opportunities for face-to-face conversations with people who hold different viewpoints than yours? What strategies can you use to maintain an open mind during these discussions?
- In what ways can you implement healthy boundaries around technology use (both for yourself and in your classroom) while still leveraging its benefits for learning and connection?
- Reflecting on the quote about listening versus hearing, how can you become a more active listener in both your personal relationships and professional interactions with students and colleagues?
You can respond in the comments or on social media and share it with me. I look forward to continuing the conversation.
The Friday Five for Teachers
1 - Word of the Year
The Education Week's word of 2024 is "cellphone ban," reflecting widespread concerns about students' mental health and academic performance that led to at least 19 states implementing restrictions on cellphone use in schools. The trend was influenced by Jonathan Haidt's book "The Anxious Generation"(*ad) and supported by the U.S. Surgeon General's warnings about social media's impact on youth mental health. Runner-up terms included "AI" and "disruption," highlighting the growing influence of artificial intelligence in education and significant changes in school funding and policies, particularly with President-elect Trump's plans for educational reform.
2 - Top Education Stories
Key education stories for 2025 include shifting debates around school vouchers, with growing resistance from rural Republicans, and potential Supreme Court decisions regarding religious charter schools that could reshape both public and private education landscapes. The education sector faces significant challenges with declining student enrollment leading to school closures, while also grappling with the integration of AI technology and increased surveillance measures in schools. Additionally, the implementation of Trump's education policies remains uncertain.
3 - Power of Kindness
This podcast explores how being kind and really listening to others can help people get along better, even when they disagree, with insights from Stanford researcher Jamil Zaki. The episode explains that understanding others involves feeling their emotions, thinking about their feelings, and caring about what they're going through - all of which are natural abilities in our brains. Studies show that when people with different views (like opposing political beliefs) talk face-to-face, they often find common ground and become less hostile toward each other, though feeling stressed or threatened can make it harder to understand others.
4 - Listen Up
“There's a lot of difference between listening and hearing.” ― G.K. Chesterton
5 - Teacher Commuter Playlist - This Will Be Our Year by The Zombies
Golden Lines:
You don't have to worry / All your worried days are gone / This will be our year / Took a long time to come
Choose Your Own Adventure
- Beyond the Teacher Superhero Myth: Embracing Human-Centered Education - Teaching should not be a survival sport.
- Why Edify’s Best Education Articles of the Year - Discover Why Edify's top 10 education articles of the year, featuring practical classroom management solutions, engaging teaching strategies, and professional development resources.
- I’ve been fairly consistent in my goal-setting for the past few years. Here’s what I have so far for the New Year. If you want to set new goals for yourself, this will help.
- Student Activity - Time Capsules in Water Bottles
Why Edify Recommendation Zone
- Book Suggestion: The Anxious Generation (*ad)
- T-Shirt: Proud Public Educator
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