The “Polyglot Boardinghouse” and the Many Benefits of Bilingualism
Dual Language programs · literacy · NYC Schools · school diversity

The “Polyglot Boardinghouse” and the Many Benefits of Bilingualism

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(Excerpted and adapted from Parenting with An Accent: How Immigrants Honor Their Heritage, Navigate Setbacks, and Chart New Paths for Their Children by Masha Rumer (Beacon Press, 2021). Reprinted with permission from Beacon Press. Masha Rumer is the author of a nonfiction book about immigrant families, Parenting with an Accent: How Immigrants Honor Their Heritage, Navigate Setbacks,… Continue reading The “Polyglot Boardinghouse” and the Many Benefits of Bilingualism

How To Even the Tutoring Playing Field For All Students
achievement gap · Educational Equity · student voices

How To Even the Tutoring Playing Field For All Students

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(This is a guest post by Moira Du. She is a Filipino student studying in Ateneo de Manila Senior High School and is a blog writer for Connect Me. She is also a volunteer tutor and a freelance writer.) In this world where money is everything, most, if not all, things are business deals. Every… Continue reading How To Even the Tutoring Playing Field For All Students

School Librarians Are Critical to Students’ Literacy: Why There Should Be One in Every NYC Public School!
achievement gap · Diverse Books · Educational Equity · literacy · NYC Teacher Voices · Teacher Voices

School Librarians Are Critical to Students’ Literacy: Why There Should Be One in Every NYC Public School!

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(This is a guest post by J.F. (Jenny) Fox, a mother, author, school book committee chairperson, and library advocate. She lives in New York City, where her sons attend public school in Brooklyn. Her books include Friday Night Wrestlefest (Roaring Brook) and the Head-to-Head History series (Kids Can Press). Her website is: jffox.com. Twitter: @bookishfox.… Continue reading School Librarians Are Critical to Students’ Literacy: Why There Should Be One in Every NYC Public School!

How NYC Can Implement – And Improve – Gifted & Talented Programs for 2022 and Beyond: A Parent’s Take
achievement gap · admissions · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC Kindergarten · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · School Choice

How NYC Can Implement – And Improve – Gifted & Talented Programs for 2022 and Beyond: A Parent’s Take

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(This is a guest post by T. Hunter Dare, the parent of a 6th grader at MS104 where he serves on the School Leadership Team. He is also Co-Chair of PLACE NYC’s G&T Advocacy Team.  Hunter is passionate about developing a public school system that identifies, nurtures, and challenges all advanced learners, particularly those from… Continue reading How NYC Can Implement – And Improve – Gifted & Talented Programs for 2022 and Beyond: A Parent’s Take

What Students Can Do When Schools Cut Advanced Courses
achievement gap · Educational Equity · homeschooling · NYC high school · online learning · School Choice · student voices

What Students Can Do When Schools Cut Advanced Courses

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(Ed. note: High schools are cutting back on Advanced Placement offerings nationwide, ranging from NYC’s LaGuardia HS to Stamford, CT to Washington state to the University of Chicago’s Lab School. In addition, some NYC middle schools are trying to get rid of honors math, while California looks to detrack all math classes.) TL;DR: You should… Continue reading What Students Can Do When Schools Cut Advanced Courses

Plan B: Alternatives For NYC Parents Unhappy With Their Public School 2022 Options
admissions · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC high school · NYC Kindergarten · NYC middle school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · Parents Helping Parents · School Choice · screened nyc schools

Plan B: Alternatives For NYC Parents Unhappy With Their Public School 2022 Options

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Changes in admissions for New York City public middle and high schools have left many parents on edge, wondering what choices their children will have for September 2022. Meanwhile, the families of younger children are still waiting for word on whether there will even be a Gifted & Talented elementary option moving forward. (Read our… Continue reading Plan B: Alternatives For NYC Parents Unhappy With Their Public School 2022 Options

NYC Parents Reveal What They’d Like To See More – and Less – Of in Education Reporting
Accountability · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · Parents Helping Parents

NYC Parents Reveal What They’d Like To See More – and Less – Of in Education Reporting

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Last month, Alexander Russo wrote in his newsletter, The Grade: Good news. A new study, Keeping up with the ed beat, shows that parents love and value information about schools. The bad news? They say that news coverage is too negative and it doesn’t include enough of the kinds of information that they really want.… Continue reading NYC Parents Reveal What They’d Like To See More – and Less – Of in Education Reporting

No More Masks in K-12 NYC Schools: Parents Weigh In
coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents · preK

No More Masks in K-12 NYC Schools: Parents Weigh In

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New York State lifted its mask mandate on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. New York City followed suit for Kindergarten through 12th grade public schools starting on Monday, March 7. (Many private schools already struck it in response to the state law.) However, on Thursday, March 3, Gothamist reported: New York City students who are under… Continue reading No More Masks in K-12 NYC Schools: Parents Weigh In

Everything You Need To Know About Homeschooling in NYC But Didn’t Know Whom To Ask. Your Cheat Sheet Is Here!
Advanced Placement · coronavirus · homeschooling · Parents Helping Parents · School Choice · student voices

Everything You Need To Know About Homeschooling in NYC But Didn’t Know Whom To Ask. Your Cheat Sheet Is Here!

Alina Adams2 Comments

As the mom of a relatively recent homeschooler, Chalkbeat’s February 17, 2022, post entitled, Home schooling nearly doubled in NYC since pandemic’s start, instantly caught my eye. They reported that: This school year, roughly 14,800 children across the five boroughs have opted to learn outside of school walls, according to internal education department data obtained… Continue reading Everything You Need To Know About Homeschooling in NYC But Didn’t Know Whom To Ask. Your Cheat Sheet Is Here!

Why I REALLY Sent My Daughter to a ‘Diverse’ Public School
achievement gap · admissions · Advanced Placement · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · NYC high school · NYC middle school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · School Choice · school diversity · School Integration

Why I REALLY Sent My Daughter to a ‘Diverse’ Public School

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

The New York City Department of Education defines racially representative schools as “those that enroll between 50 percent and 90 percent black and Hispanic students.”  By that definition, the public high school my sons attended, even though it was only 18 percent white, was still not diverse. That’s because it was also 71 percent Asian. … Continue reading Why I REALLY Sent My Daughter to a ‘Diverse’ Public School