ThriftBooks 4 Teachers, a program offered by ThriftBooks, the world’s largest independent online seller of used books, gives educators a free used book (valued at $7 or less) every time they buy four books.

“It’s really all about accessibility to books, being able to get as many books into young kids’ hands as much as possible, because we know the impact that has on their future,” said Barbara Hagen, vice president of sales and marketing for ThriftBooks. “They’re just starting to enjoy reading at a young age.”

ThriftBooks is a leader in the industry, having sold more than 230 million used and new books since it started 20 years ago. The book-seller has an extensive inventory of books, which it sources from thrift stores and libraries.

ThriftBooks 4 Teachers

The ThriftBooks 4 Teachers program started for K-12 teachers and has expanded to include librarians, homeschool teachers, childcare workers, and other educators.

Educators can sign up for free on the ThriftBooks 4 Teachers website. Once verified, they can start reaping the rewards of the program. In addition to getting every fifth book for free, educators can earn 10 points in the ThriftBooks main loyalty program, called Literati, for every dollar they spend, whether it’s for school or their personal use. Literati users get a free book every time they earn 500 points.

Homeschool parent Katelyn Davis of Roanoke, Illinois, relies heavily on books when she teaches her children in preschool, second grade, and fifth grade. She loves ThriftBooks, especially the program for teachers.

“ThriftBooks 4 Teachers allows me to buy even more books for way cheaper than I can find new or used on many other sites,” she said. “Expanding our home library is a big dream of mine and this program allows me to do so and stick within my budget.”

Significant savings

The program is easy to use, and it’s accessible throughout the year, not just at back-to-school or with promo days, like other book-seller programs. Users also like that it’s an alternative to large online retailers.

The savings can be significant: “Instead of having to pay for books, you can get many of them for free,” said Hagen, noting the company has been in business 20 years and is known for its customer service.

Sherry Willer, a library media tech in literacy at a junior high school in Fremont, California, has been using ThriftBooks to help replace damaged and lost books for her school library. For example, she replaced a copy of “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Hobbit.”

“A full-price replacement is costly,” she said, “so, this saves me money. Originally, I was just earning a free book by earning extra credits. With ThriftBooks 4 Teachers, I am more than happy to purchase a group of books at the same time, compared to replacing them one by one when needed.”

Willer and Davis encourage other educators to try the program.

“You save tons of money, the book quality is always fantastic, and if you ever have any issues, the customer service is by far the best out of any place I shop,” Davis said.

To learn more about ThriftBooks 4 Teachers, visit www.thriftbooks.com/teachers

The post The Resource That’s Helping Educators Get Affordable, Quality Books appeared first on Education and Career News.

A Toniebox is a 5-inch, squeezable speaker with buttons shaped like cat ears. When you place a Tonie — a 3-inch-tall magnetic figurine — on the top of it, the Toniebox starts telling a story or playing music related to that character.

Users can pinch an “ear” on the box to adjust the volume, and tap the sides to fast forward, rewind, or change chapters. When they’re ready for a new story or song, kids can switch out the Tonie on the top of the box.

“It creates autonomy and empowerment for young kids because they can manipulate the figures on their own and it puts them in control of the audio experience,” said Drew Vernon, marketing director for Tonies. “It’s tactile as well, so it helps their fine motor skills.”

Tonies launched in the United States in 2020, during the pandemic, at a time when too much screen time was becoming an even bigger problem for kids. This screen-free tool was a hit.

“When you remove the visual stimulus, you put a greater responsibility on the listener, because they have to imagine what’s taking place,” said Vernon, noting that listening trains students to focus, imagine, and be creative. “That helps them with problem-solving, and creative and critical thinking.”

Tonies for teachers

Tonieboxes can supplement the reading that teachers and parents are doing with kids, offering stories from beloved children’s authors like Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle. It keeps kids engaged and helps them develop early reading skills, like vocabulary and comprehension.

Tonieboxes can also provide mindfulness exercises and social-emotional learning opportunities. With Creative Tonies, users can create up to 90 minutes of custom content, such as parents of grandparents recording themselves reading stories or teachers recording lesson plans, like instructions for small group work.

Cera Alber, who has been an early childhood educator for 10 years, uses Creative Tonies to record family and teacher messages and stories for her students. “The look of joy and surprise when they hear a familiar voice is so uplifting. Creating and then sharing this with the class is so much fun.”

Alber is a program and outreach director at Green Trees Early Learning Center Inc. in rural Pennsylvania. The center has purchased Tonieboxes for each class. She says the kids love the independence they get when using the device.

“In our listening and quiet spaces, children have gravitated to a calm Tonie in self-guided meditation and soothing stories,” she said in a testimonial. “Being able to use the Toniebox has supported these children in social-emotional growth and self-regulation while having fun.”

Alber is a member of Tonies for Teachers, a program that encourages preschool and grade school teachers, librarians, and children’s museums to use Toniesboxes. The program gives teachers and other educators a 20% discount on Tonies products.

Teachers in the program feel supported, too. For example, there’s a Facebook group where the community comes together to discuss content and how they use Tonies in their classrooms.

Wonder of storytelling

Tonies are sharing the wonder of storytelling in 10,000 U.S. classrooms, as well as libraries.

There are more than 700 Tonies representing kids’ favorites like Disney, Sesame Street, Peppa Pig, Cocomelon, National Geographic, and more. Content is available in several languages, including English, Spanish, German, and French. Literacy advocate LeVar Burton, known for his work on “Reading Rainbow,” joined Tonies as a spokesperson.

While the target audience is children ages 2 to 5, Tonies have applications for kids through age 9. It’s a great tool for children with special needs, too, since it’s tactile and creates a sense of control.

For more information, please email helloclass@tonies.com

The post Why Teachers Love This New Tool That’s Helping Kids Learn to Read appeared first on Education and Career News.

Phonak, a global provider of hearing solutions, has accessibility technologies called “Roger^TM for Education,” which includes Roger Touchscreen Mic, an intuitive microphone for the teacher to wear; Roger Pass-around, a passable microphone for students so the student with hearing loss can hear both the teacher and classmate comments; and Roger Multimedia Hub, which can connect to any multi-media device used in a classroom.

Noisy world

Whitney Spagnola, a marketing manager at Phonak, and both of her children have hearing loss. Her daughter in fourth grade, and her son in kindergarten, have Roger technology in their respective classrooms.

“We live in a noisy world, particularly in the classroom environment. In classrooms noise comes from HVAC systems, from the hallway, and windows open to the playground, just to name a few. There’s noise everywhere,” she says. “And when you have noise coming from everywhere,  hearing the teacher becomes difficult. We really don’t want children missing any part of that educational lesson, or the opportunity to socialize.”

Here’s how it works: Spagnola’s child gives the teacher the Roger Touchscreen Mic, which the teacher wears around her neck. This is where the magic happens.

“Roger can help overcome noise and distance because it picks up the voice  at the microphone which is worn by the teacher and it wirelessly transmits it to the ears of the listener,” says clinical audiologist Dr. Andrea Dunn, global pediatric clinical development and research manager at Phonak.

Adaptive tech

The Roger technology is easy for the teachers to use and it integrates with any make and model of hearing aid or cochlear implant. It can be an asset in the classroom for students with hearing loss, as well as for students who struggle to hear for a variety of reasons, including loud classrooms and the implementation of masks during the pandemic. Improved hearing boosts the potential for student learning and improve the overall experience for both teachers and students.

“A lot of the learning that goes on with students is incidental learning,” says clinical audiologist Bill Bielski, AuD, a senior marketing manager at Phonak. “It’s important to know that the Roger system allows for a great line of communication with the main speaker, in this case, the teacher.

“The set up allows for a blending, so if someone in the back row raises their hand and answers the question and maybe there’s some discussion in the classroom, they’re having access to that as well. Without any connection like Roger, they could miss all of that.”

Typically hearing aids can process sound within a five foot radius of the person who’s wearing it. Roger technology is adaptive, automatically adjusting to background noise and a user’s distance from the speaker.

“It’s continuously monitoring the environment and seeing as the noise level changes how it needs to change the boost of the signal to ensure it’s consistently delivering a high signal-to- noise-ratio,” says Dunn.

More access

Improving access to hearing technology through advocacy and awareness is very important to Phonak. For example, the company has an online simulator  that helps people understand what it’s like listening in a classroom, from row one, two or three, with and without masks. Listen here

Many school districts are using the  American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to pay for Phonak technology. Parents, teachers and educational audiologists can ask their schools and school districts about implementing Roger technology in their respective classrooms too.

During the pandemic when students and teachers were wearing masks, Spagnola advocated for pass around microphones and a classroom speaker for her kids’ school. She says all the kids in the classroom benefited from the microphone and speaker, noting students’ auditory processing can be taxing on the brain.

Find out more about how Roger technology can benefit students at your school: hearagaintoday.com/PhonakKids.

The post How Phonak Is Cutting Through the Noise and Improving the Classroom Experience appeared first on Education and Career News.

An infusion of proven supports delivered by caring, trained adults will not only accelerate pandemic recovery efforts, but it will also help to address long-standing educational inequities that deny opportunities to children of color and children growing up in lower-income households.

Student success coaches

How can we provide this additional capacity? Each year, thousands of young adults who are eager to contribute to their communities join the national service program AmeriCorps. Many AmeriCorps members choose to serve full-time as student success coaches (SSCs) with City Year, the nation’s largest provider of K-12 SSCs. Student success coaches become part of the fabric of schools and provide academic and social-emotional supports to students throughout the school day — additional capacity that helps students feel a sense of belonging, build their confidence, and reach their full potential.

Research shows — and teachers can tell you — that to thrive, children need safe and welcoming learning environments; access to positive and consistent relationships with caring adults; and opportunities to develop their talents, recover from setbacks, and set goals. Academic and social-emotional learning are intertwined, whether that’s mastering fractions or learning how to work in teams.

Enabling childhood success

Across the country, SSCs are serving students as tutors, mentors, and role models. Teachers have partners they can count on in the classroom, and schools are able to run after-school enrichment programs. Evidence demonstrates that the more time students spend with a student success coach, the more likely they are to improve their social, emotional, and academic skills — with students who are furthest behind benefiting the most.

Millions of AmeriCorps alums say their service experience has had a positive impact on their lives and shaped them professionally and as civically engaged leaders. We hope young adults across the country will answer President Biden’s recent call to serve students as tutors and mentors and apply to a program such as City Year today.

The post How We Can Help Students and Schools Recover appeared first on Education and Career News.

Ayana Gray

New York Times Bestselling Author, “Beasts of Prey”

Ayana Gray, the 29-year-old New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novel “Beasts of Prey,” knows a thing or two about storytelling. She knows it may sound a bit cliché to say, but books and stories have been her retreats since before she was even old enough to read. 

“I think I’ve been a writer my whole life,” Gray says. “I remember distinctly trying to tell stories through illustration before I knew how to write, and I was very frustrated that my family members couldn’t understand what I was trying to say. I realized I needed words.” She explains that her career as an author started when she was about eight years old, writing stories about her friends on the family desktop computer. “I wrote through school, and it was always just something that I retreated to as a fun place to go and let my imagination run wild.”

Opening new worlds

Books are often described, especially to kids, as a way to open up new worlds — and this was definitely true for Gray. “There was a period of my childhood where my family ended up moving quite a bit, and I was the new kid for five years in a row,” she explains. “School is tough; finding friends is tough. So, for a while, books were the consistent thing in my life.” She adds, “I sound funny maybe saying it, but books were my friends. They were the ones that had come with me no matter what town I lived in.”

Gray’s love of reading and storytelling didn’t leave her as she grew up into adulthood. Not only did her beloved books become like friends when she was the new kid in school, but her love of literature also helped her forge new friendships and connections with others who loved books just like she did. 

Now Gray’s own books are connecting people all over the world. Gray notes that books can foster empathy, which is why diversity in literature and media is so vital. “It’s really important for kids not only to see themselves in a variety of roles and getting to see themselves as heroes, but also getting to see lots of different kinds of people as heroes,” she says. “I think storytelling is how we connect to each other and how we build empathy for each other. The more accessibility we can create the better.”

Lessons learned

Gray never wants to be preachy, she says, but she hopes kids who read her books take away something valuable. “I wrote ‘Beasts of Prey’ for the kid version of myself,” she says. “I tended to run away from my problems, not face the things that scared me. The hard lesson I learned as a kid was that running from your problems doesn’t actually make them go away. It just kind of prolongs them and makes the monster get bigger.” Gray says when she learned to face what scared her, and to lean on her friends and community, she realized the scary things weren’t so scary after all, and that’s what she hopes her readers take away from the book. 

For burgeoning young writers like she once was, Gray has two pieces of advice: “A lot of people will say read, and I absolutely agree. Reading books is the best way to learn how to write.” But Gray also has advice that’s a bit more practical. “I don’t hear this advice as often, but if you’re truly interested in becoming an author and making that your job, it doesn’t hurt to really take time to look into the business of being an author.”  

The post Ayana Gray and the Importance of Storytelling appeared first on Education and Career News.

Cary Shuler

Co-Founder and CEO, Hoot Reading

Shantanu Sinha

Head, Google for Education

What should educators know about future trends in technology?

Carly Shuler: It’s unlikely that hybrid models of learning will go away. While there is hope that post-pandemic lifewill go back to normal, we’ve seen educational institutions adopt many new technologies that were previously just on the periphery and for future consideration — technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and deeper investments in hardware and software that enable learning from a distance. Remote learning in particular has put at least some kind of tech into the hands of all learners, including those in K12.

What is interesting is that younger students (elementary school-aged) actually report wanting to use digital learning tools more often than they currently are, according to NewSchools’ report. This trend suggests there’s an opportunity for educators to better align the way that ed tech is implemented, especially with tools specifically designed to address the needs of students in this age group.

Shantanu Sinha: At Google, we’re focused on building technology to help teachers and students pursue their personal potential. One area that we’re excited about is adaptive learning technology, which uses AI to enhance teacher instruction and provide students with individualized support—from useful hints to relevant videos. Learning can often feel like an isolating, one-sided process, especially if you’re a student struggling to answer a question or comprehend a new concept. We envision a more interactive future, where technology can help students get in-the-moment support and build confidence in their ability to learn new material.

How can educators ensure students are prepared for upcoming technology trends?

CS: I think educators can ensure students are prepared by finding ways to normalize technology, specifically for the use of learning and improving learning outcomes. It is important that students know what learning time is versus playing time given that both can be done with technology. For example, watching a YouTube video of a child’s choice is a very different experience than a one-to-one reading lesson, though both can be done with the exact same device.

Another thing that educators need to be aware of is the disparity in access to technology despite upcoming trends. While there are many benefits to introducing more ed tech into our education systems, the last thing we want to do is create larger gaps and more inequities in educational opportunities.

SS: The students of today have more information at their fingertips than ever before. This presents an incredible opportunity for them to drive their own learning experience, whether it’s checking out supplemental YouTube videos or taking a walk through new geography using Google Maps, or diving deep into completely new subject matter. This is why digital literacy is so important. It’s why we’ve developed programs like Be Internet Awesome, which helps educators teach students how to be responsible digital citizens and stay safe online. In our Teacher Center, educators can explore a range of free content to foster students’ broader digital knowledge, from CS First, our free computer science curriculum, to digital skills for the future of work.

What forms of technology were most helpful during the pandemic, and how have they changed the trajectory of education?

CS: I think the most helpful form of technology was undoubtedly access to tutoring for students over the pandemic. The disruptions with school closures combined with the learning curve associated with online learning had a real impact on students, especially those in K-4 who are learning the most fundamental skills for future learning — literacy skills. This has created a real problem across the board, but especially for students who didn’t have access to extra learning resources over the past two years.

The demand for tutoring continues to accelerate, and we’ve seen funds like ESSER emerge specifically to address pandemic-precipitated learning loss. School districts have also created line items in their budgets for online tutoring tools and software, and it is clear there has been a paradigm shift based on evidence that high-dosage micro tutoring can help students recover some of the lost ground.

SS: Learning can happen anywhere, at any time. Nowhere was this more obvious than during the pandemic, when students relied on technology to connect with classmates, teachers, and content, whether they were completing coursework on Google Classroom, attending class on Google Meet, or learning something new on YouTube. If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that the concept of “school” can take many different forms. Even as schools have returned to in-person learning, it’s clear that the role of technology in the classroom has forever changed. My team and I are excited to partner with schools to explore what this means for the future and together build the next generation of teaching and learning tools.

The post What Educators Should Know About the Future of Technology appeared first on Education and Career News.

You are a huge advocate for diversity in media. Why is it so important for readers, especially young readers, to read and see people like them in their books?

It’s important for young readers to see themselves in books because children are growing up in an interconnected, diverse society. The impact of children not seeing themselves reflected in literature and media during their formative years can be severely damaging, causing them to have low self-esteem. 

Children (and adults) need to be constantly reminded that they can achieve anything regardless of how old they are, how they look, or where they live. A lack of representation can hinder a child’s ambitions and aspirations while they are still young and their minds are impressionable. I want my children to know that excellence can look like them, too! Even something as seemingly small as seeing a similar hairstyle in the pages of a book can reaffirm the way people see themselves and encourage them to value their uniqueness.

Beyond representation, having diversity in literature is important because it helps people become more compassionate toward others and allows them to help push the lever toward true equality. In essence, diversity can allow us to see beyond the superficial outward differences and look deeper for common interests, similar likes and dislikes, values, beliefs, and attitudes. Being able to empathize and sympathize with diverse characters means that we as people are more open to understanding others in general. I think it is a crucial aspect to promote, more so in the time and place we live in today. We all have a story to tell.

You say that in your world “books are a total necessity.” Why is that, and what impact have you seen books have on people?

Yes, books are a total necessity in my world – they always have been since my childhood.

I first fell in love with books when I was seven years old. I was a curious child and wanted to read everything I could get my hands on. Books have always been my “first-class ticket” to any destination I want to visit around the world. They help me to escape into other dimensions, go on endless adventures, and have amazing experiences without leaving the comfort of home.

Not only are books entertaining, but they also help enrich my mind, give me new ideas, expand my vocabulary, provide solutions to problems, and challenge my perspectives about life.

While the Internet and television are useful in their own ways, nothing can compare to a good book. Whether you want to learn a new language or delve into the intrigues of space, there is a book for every situation.

I have seen books have positive impacts on my life and the lives of my children. They helped me tremendously during the early years of my parenting journey. I learned strategies that I could use with my children, which heled me gain more confidence as a mother. Reading aloud with my children daily since they were babies helped them become confident readers at an early age. Books have also been useful for enhancing my kids’ imagination, speaking skills, and vocabulary. It brings me joy when I hear my children say they enjoy reading as a hobby instead of viewing it as a chore.

My goal as a parent is to try and never make reading feel like something kids must do to make their grown-ups happy. One of my favorite quotes about this topic comes from Mem Fox, who said, “When I say to a parent, ‘read to a child,’ I don’t want it to sound like medicine. I want it to sound like chocolate.”

You have co-written and edited “Race Cars” and “A Friend like You.” Tell me a bit about why you chose to write/edit these books, and what are you hoping to accomplish with these books?

I decided to join “Race Cars” because not only did I enjoy the storyline, but I also understood the importance of this story as another valuable resource for parents, caregivers, and educators to use with children when discussing race.

My role in this project was to serve as the editor. I was brought in to look at the previously self-published version of the book through a critical lens. I tried to dig deeper, make suggestions, and refine some of the language and the overall flow of the story. My edits resulted in a revised story that is fundamentally the same in the overall plot, but different in that it now has new characters, a different ending, and an updated discussion section.

I hope families take away that everyone deserves fair and equal treatment. We all deserve to feel seen, heard, and loved no matter what we look like.  In a world where there is so much noise and varying opinions, I hope the future looks brighter for my children and all children of the next generation. Learning to coexist in the same space, the same world, as others who look different than you does not have to be hard.

I chose to co-write the book “A Friend Like You” because having genuine human connection and meaningful friendships has always been important to me.

Since March 2020, many of us have been in near isolation from loved ones. During uncertain times like these, it can feel alien and uncomfortable to make new friends, and to reconnect with old ones.

I hope people use this book as a teaching tool for social emotional learning. The book is suited not only for young audiences — it will surely resonate with adult readers as well. “A Friend Like You” serves as a reflection of the social power of friendship, and its publication is a testament to the power of two friends with a common goal: to reunite individuals through literature.

One of the interesting things about friendship is that it evolves as we grow and mature. For young children, friendships can feel magical! Toddlers and elementary-aged kids may imagine their friendships to be like embarking on fantastical adventures each time they get together with their friends. During the tween and teen years, many kids define their friends based on how much their friends show they care about them. By the time you are an adult, many people develop a keen sense of self and are just looking for friends that will support them through all the difficulties of life.

What makes for a good friend in elementary school is different from what makes a good friend in high school, and these shifts continue in our 20s, 30s, and across our lifetime. It is my hope that people of all ages will read this book, gift it to their friends and loved ones, and cherish it for many years to come.

You started this amazing, successful nonprofit called 50 States 50 Books, which aims to close the literacy gap within the United States by providing underprivileged children with diverse books. What has been the most surprising or frustrating problem that you have learned regarding literacy in this country?

The most surprising fact I learned about literacy in the United States is the consequences of illiteracy and the larger impacts it can have on society. Illiteracy can negatively impact our health, quality of life, crime rates, education, employment, and more.

If you are a literate person, one of the best things you can do is encourage a love for reading in the next generation. This is part of my “why” for doing the work that I do each day.

Another surprising fact I think families should be aware of is that children who read at least 20 minutes a day are exposed to almost 2 million words per year. Yes, that’s 2 million words per year! Let that sink in.

The most frustrating thing I learned is that the United States ranks 125th out of 194 nations for literacy. This is concerning to me (but not surprising) given that the United States is a first-world country. And here’s another frustrating problem: 2 out of 3 children who cannot read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare.

How has COVID-19 affected reading from what you have seen in your personal life and within your nonprofit?

COVID-19 has had a positive impact on my own personal reading. The pandemic has made me read more books in a year than I have in previous years. Prior to COVID-19 I would read about 20 to 25 books per year on average. In 2020, I doubled the number of books I read, and in 2021 I read 52 books over the course of a year.

The biggest effects COVID-19 has had on our nonprofit are: shipping delays, books getting lost in the mail, and a decrease in receiving donated books from the public. Times are tough for a lot of people and donating monetary gifts or books may not be high on most people’s list, which is understandable.

What, in your opinion, is the best way to improve literacy rates within the United States?

I wish I had all the answers to this question, but I don’t. Improving literacy rates in the United States is such a tall order that won’t be easily solved, unfortunately.

I think for starters, we need to find ways to help children fall in love with words and lean into more books and less devices. I have a love-hate relationship with technology, speaking as a former computer programmer of over 15 years. I love that technology can help bring us together, educate us, and entertain us. However, technology has also been known to have some negative effects on us — specifically on small children.

Next, I think a lot of issues we face in the United States (and around the world) have to do with access. The idea of having access really hit me hard once I became a parent. 

As a child, there were several things I wanted to do, like become a Girl Scout, participate in after school activities, go to the local library, and go to summer camp. However, because my family and schools didn’t have access to those things or reliable transportation to get me there, I wasn’t able to partake in any extracurricular activities or get transported around town by my parents like some of my peers.

During my childhood, I wished if I was ever blessed to have a family of my own I’d put my kids in a school system that allowed them access to do some of the things I wanted to do as a kid.

That was a long-winded way of saying we need to ensure all children (and illiterate adults) have access to books, libraries, reading materials, reading programs, and resources in school, at home, and in prisons.

The post The Importance of Early Literacy and Diversity in Reading appeared first on Education and Career News.

American singer, songwriter, and actress Tori Kelly’s latest venture aims to inspire reading through diversity.

Celebrating diversity

Kelly, who gained fame on season nine of American Idol and has two Grammy Awards, recently released a children’s book called “The Curly Girl Blues” for kids who, like she did as a youngster, feel different from the rest of the crowd. The book centers on a girl named Emma, whose hairstyle differs from her peers’. Throughout the book, and with the help of music, Emma learns to cherish and celebrate her hair.

“I wanted to inspire other kids to embrace what makes them unique and to love themselves,” says Kelly, explaining that she had felt like an outsider until sixth grade, when her mom taught her to love her own curly hair.

“Growing up, there weren’t a lot of Disney characters that looked like me. Now, I’m in a position where I can contribute and help kids see themselves within popular culture,” Kelly explains. 

Music in reading

As a kid, reading was a significant part of Kelly’s life. Her parents read to her regularly, flipping through the pages of beloved childhood stories like “The Giving Tree” and “The Hungry Caterpillar.”

For Kelly, it was important that her book was similarly lesson-based but that it featured music prominently. When Emma develops those curly-hair blues, she breaks into song. Kelly explains that this provides an opportunity for parents to engage with their kids while reading.

“There are a lot of similarities between thinking about how something reads and writing music,” Kelly says. “It’s about how something sounds, so I was focused on that when reading the book aloud, too. I want parents to be able to sing to their kids while reading.”

In sharing her own story through the lens of Emma, Kelly ultimately hopes to give kids a hero they can see themselves in, and to inspire self-appreciation.

“My hope is that a kid reading it feels a little less alone and a little more loved,” Kelly says. “I would be happy if just one kid feels less alone and realizes that they are seen.”

The post Beating the Curly Hair Blues: Tori Kelly on Inspiring Diversity in Books appeared first on Education and Career News.

Paula Golden

President, Broadcom Foundation

The good news in the 1950s was the federal government’s massive investment in 48,000-miles of the “Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highway” that brought unprecedented prosperity to post-WWII United States. The bad news was that state and local government decision makers located highway on-and-off ramps where they gutted and displaced poor neighborhoods, destroying the social fabric and economic prospects of communities of color who remain among the nation’s underserved today.

At long last (and in no small measure due to COVID-19 lockdowns that roused universal awareness of the inequities of internet access) President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to fund national broadband — a 21^st century infrastructure package that can be more transformative than Eisenhower’s highways.  If properly deployed, national broadband can close the digital divide between the haves and have-nots, but only if each state designs its required mapping plan to deliver internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) to underserved urban, rural and tribal communities. If each state designs its plan to fulfill the intent of Congress, national broadband will create “new jobs and economic opportunities that will improve the overall quality of life for all Americans.”

Time is of the essence

Of the $65 billion in broadband investments, $42.45 billion is earmarked to fund a “last-mile broadband development grant program” administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program (BEAD) is intended to connect underserved areas through grants to the states.  To qualify for the an initial $100 million, each state must submit its broadband map with a five-year plan “that identifies locations that should be prioritized for support; outlines how to serve unconnected locations; and assesses how long it would take to build out universal broadband.”

This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for STEM education stakeholders in the public, nonprofit, and especially the business sector with sway over state and local decision makers. Weighing in on your state’s map design over next six to twelve months will determine if technology on-ramps reach urban, rural and tribal communities where they are needed most. States with existing broadband offices and maps are in the best position to qualify for grants, so it is imperative to make sure your state is taking steps to qualify before the mid-term elections. (Click here for more information). 

Creating a STEM-literate workforce through access to broadband is every bit as critical to our nation’s security and prosperity as the Interstate Highway. This time let’s get it right and make sure everyone benefits from this once-in-a generation opportunity. Weighing in on your state’s five-year mapping plan will ensure that there is an educated, skilled workforce to fill 2.0 million of the 3.5 million STEM jobs needed by 2025, especially if  it is one that undergoing rapid revitalization from new and returning STEM innovation and manufacturing.

Local businesses can lead the way

Concurrent with advocating broadband equity, American businesses must assume a greater role in eliminating the deficits in STEM education if they want to benefit from the STEM-ready workforce they need. Broadband is just the highway, but the end-users are classrooms, after-school and out-of-school programs and homes, which also require investment if students are to be career-ready for our STEM-driven economy. Businesses must lean in with critical capital by sponsoring STEM spaces, equipment or scholarships; promoting employee volunteerism; funding competitions or making internships and apprenticeships available.

Broadcom Foundation is doing its part to increase the nation’s STEM workforce through a new initiative called Broadcom Coding with Commitment – it encourages young people to combine their knowledge of science with coding to create projects that improve their community.  Their innovations will be shared in regional science fairs and online exhibitions like Raspberry Pi Foundation’s “Coolest Projects Global.”  To ensure that the foundation encourages civic engagement in STEM, the program is aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The foundation also partners with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to establish after-school Code Clubs and CoderDojos with access to free coding materials and instruction for students, parents and educators. 

Broadcom Foundation is a founding member of the STEM Funders Network and the STEM Learning Ecosystems, which gives voice to the national priority of creating equitable access to STEM learning.  Approximately 100 STEM Ecosystems have been established through the US to insure that “all of our resources, schools, community settings such as after-school and summer programs, science centers and museums, and informal experiences at home and in a variety of environments together constitute a rich array of STEM learning opportunities for young people.” 

Embedded into the Five-Year Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan, the STEM Learning Ecosystems are poised to take full advantage of national broadband in order to “prepare the STEM Workforce… both college-educated STEM practitioners and those working in skilled trades that do not require a four-year degree.”  Their goals, like that of Congress, are within our grasp if we all work to ensure that national broadband carries the internet into every community, with on-ramps for ALL.

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Benjamin Heuston, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Waterford.org

Literacy — and specifically reading and writing — will always be the cornerstone of not just education but of our entire society. The reasons for this are straightforward and unchanging. First, reading uniquely allows us access to other people’s ideas, even if we are separated from them by time or distance. Second, writing allows us to share our own ideas clearly and in ways that are readily understandable. Paired together, reading and writing allow us to become educated about the world around us while also educating that world about us, a necessary condition for any healthy society.

Even more fundamentally, literacy allows us to refine and reflect upon our own ideas. Imagine not being able to capture your own thinking on paper — this would limit your ability to engage deeply with complex and nuanced ideas. As every English teacher probably told you, if you really want to understand something, try explaining it in writing – because only then will your own thinking become clear to you. We write, in essence, to better understand ourselves.

Prioritizing literacy

So, while it might seem like modern society is going to rewrite every rule in the book, the more information we need to sort through and the more complex global issues we need to tackle, the more we need to prioritize literacy. Indeed, one of the best ways we can help our society is to use emerging technologies to ensure that literacy is a birthright for every child.

While it might sound surprising to some that we need to start with children, over the past 25 years that I’ve worked at Waterford.org, that is precisely what the data shows — the path to success in school and in life begins with early literacy, first in the home and then in the classroom. While there are many good things we want for our children, literacy is not just good, it’s essential.

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