Project 2025, Less Noise and Student Smartphone Use

12 Must-Read Books for Teachers’ Professional & Personal Development This Summer

Summer provides teachers with a golden opportunity to rest, recharge, and engage in personal and professional development.

WHY EDIFYJeremy Jorgensen

Welcome to the Friday Five, a weekly dose of resources, articles, and inspiration to help you become a happier, healthier, and stronger teacher.

First, a question: What happens when students target their teachers using social media? Here are a few of my thoughts.

1

Impacts of Smartphones

In today's digital age, excessive smartphone and social media use negatively impacts teenagers' mental health and academic performance. Parents and educators can counteract these effects by setting clear boundaries, monitoring content, and promoting responsible phone use.

2

Project 2025

Project 2025 plans to drastically reshape the U.S. education system by eliminating the Department of Education and promoting school vouchers. The initiative emphasizes parental rights and seeks to remove federal regulations related to gender identity and critical race theory. These changes could significantly disrupt public education and shift control to states and families if implemented. Learn more here.

3

Less Noise

Silence can significantly enhance our decision-making and overall well-being. Research shows that excessive noise negatively impacts our physical and mental health, while moments of silence can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and foster relaxation.

4

Preferred Silence

“The true genius shudders at incompleteness — imperfection — and usually prefers silence to saying the something which is not everything that should be said.” ―Edgar Allan Poe, Marginalia

5

Teacher Commuter Playlist - Come Dancing by The Kinks

Choose Your Own Adventure

• Six effective ways to provide feedback to students.
• Another word game - Four Word Grid
• Can teaching be a “cool job”?
• Here’s another reason to exercise.