Teaching & Learning Collection

Focus On

Education Week’s Focus On reports highlight an important topic in the education field each week.

School & District Management Popular Curriculum Targets Elementary Students
Some 45,000 teachers nationwide are using the Engineering Is Elementary program, more than triple the number of five years ago.
Erik W. Robelen, March 26, 2013
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3 min read
Sprout Space, a sustainable modular classroom, is on display this month in a new exhibit on design features of environmentally conscious schools at the National Building Museum in Washington.
Sprout Space, a sustainable modular classroom, is on display this month in a new exhibit on design features of environmentally conscious schools at the National Building Museum in Washington.
Lance Rosenfield/Prime for Education Week
School Climate & Safety 'Green Schools' Go on National Display
A new exhibit at the National Building Museum highlights design features of sustainable schools.
Jaclyn Zubrzycki, March 12, 2013
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4 min read
Queshonda Moore teaches Aria Nickens, 4, how to write letters during a lesson at the Apple Tree Early Learning Public Charter School in the District of Columbia.
Queshonda Moore teaches Aria Nickens, 4, how to write letters during a lesson at the Apple Tree Early Learning Public Charter School in the District of Columbia.
Astrid Riecken/Washington Post
Early Childhood Obama Proposal Raises Issue of Pre-K Teacher Prep
The president's call for "qualified" teachers stirs questions about the level of education that would be required to teach preschool.
Stephen Sawchuk, March 5, 2013
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6 min read
Student Well-Being Character Education Seen as Student-Achievement Tool
Character education is on the upswing as research points to its effectiveness and policymakers seek ways to curb improper behavior.
Caralee J. Adams, February 26, 2013
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8 min read
Bitia Francis, an 8th grader at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, gets at the last of her baked Cheetos, which she bought from a vending machine. The district changed the selection of snack and a la carte items sold in its schools to conform to stricter state nutrition requirements. School officials expect most of the items will stand up to a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulating sales of so-called "competitive" food in schools.
Bitia Francis, an 8th grader at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, gets at the last of her baked Cheetos, which she bought from a vending machine. The district changed the selection of snack and a la carte items sold in its schools to conform to stricter state nutrition requirements. School officials expect most of the items will stand up to a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulating sales of so-called "competitive" food in schools.
Bruce Crippen for Education Week
Student Well-Being USDA Wants Healthy Fare in School Vending Machines
The agency's proposed rules would also limit junk food sold a la carte on school lunch lines.
February 19, 2013
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6 min read
Early Childhood Students Must Learn More Words, Say Studies
Without better instruction, children starting school with small vocabularies will struggle with common standards, scholars say.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 5, 2013
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9 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Internships Help Students Prepare for Workplace
The push to improve college and career readiness is increasing the pressure on schools to build partnerships with businesses.
Caralee J. Adams, January 29, 2013
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8 min read
Morgan Smith, 6, a student at the Intergenerational School in Cleveland, works on an English assignment. The charter school is preparing for the common-core standards.
Morgan Smith, 6, a student at the Intergenerational School in Cleveland, works on an English assignment. The charter school is preparing for the common-core standards.
Dustin Franz for Education Week
Standards & Accountability Charters Adjusting to Common-Core Demands
Educators in charter schools are making changes to meet new professional development, curriculum, and technology needs.
Katie Ash, January 22, 2013
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8 min read
Fourth graders used new low-cost laptop computers two years ago at Ashley Park Elementary School in Charlotte, N.C., as part of a public-private partnership to encourage educational technology innovation. But the computing initiative ran into challenges because of a lack of technological support and it is no longer using those laptops.
Fourth graders used new low-cost laptop computers two years ago at Ashley Park Elementary School in Charlotte, N.C., as part of a public-private partnership to encourage educational technology innovation. But the computing initiative ran into challenges because of a lack of technological support and it is no longer using those laptops.
John W. Adkisson for Education Week
School & District Management School Project Blurs Line Between Public, Private
An unusual school improvement partnership in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., district is drawing attention and raising hopes.
Jaclyn Zubrzycki, January 9, 2013
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9 min read
Jayden Davies, from left, Gaby Porcaro, Makenna Sammons, and Marlena Grant work on a 4th grade Floods PowerPoint presentation during a science unit at Kate Sessions Elementary School in San Diego, Calif.
Jayden Davies, from left, Gaby Porcaro, Makenna Sammons, and Marlena Grant work on a 4th grade Floods PowerPoint presentation during a science unit at Kate Sessions Elementary School in San Diego, Calif.
Sandy Huffaker for Education Week
Standards & Accountability Educators Tout IB's Links to Common Core
International Baccalaureate educators say their program offers a base for designing curriculum units that align with the new Common Core State Standards in mathematics and English/language arts.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 21, 2012
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7 min read
Teaching School Absences Translate to Lower Test Scores, Study Says
Teachers also report assigning more homework to students, according to a new NAEP time-use study.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 11, 2012
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4 min read
School & District Management States Pledge to Expand Time in School
In an attempt to close the achievement gap, at least 300 hours a year will be added to school calendars in five states.
Nora Fleming, December 11, 2012
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5 min read
Jayla Martin, foreground, and Ashanti Baker solve math equations during their dance class at the Millwood Freshman Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Jayla Martin, foreground, and Ashanti Baker solve math equations during their dance class at the Millwood Freshman Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Shane Bevel for Education Week
School Choice & Charters A+ Schools Infuse Arts and Other 'Essentials'
The networks, soon to be in four states, are guided by such "essentials" as the arts, teacher collaboration, and experiential learning.
Erik W. Robelen, November 27, 2012
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9 min read
Denee Taylor, far right, takes a quiz in his statistics class at Northern Illinois University. The freshman says the noncognitive skills he learned in a high school program smoothed his way to college.
Denee Taylor, far right, takes a quiz in his statistics class at Northern Illinois University. The freshman says the noncognitive skills he learned in a high school program smoothed his way to college.
John Zilch for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness 'Soft Skills' Pushed as Part of College Readiness
Resiliency, grit, and self-efficacy are among the so-called "soft skills" increasingly being viewed as vital for college success.
Caralee J. Adams, November 13, 2012
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8 min read
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