AdLit News Headlines

Giving students tools to explore how they think and learn can be a powerful way to deepen understanding and build self-sufficiency—in the classroom and beyond.

As Chris Tims, a high school teacher in Waterloo, Iowa, sees it, history education is about teaching students to synthesize diverse perspectives on the nation’s complicated past. It’s why Tims includes articles from “The 1619 Project” — a New York Times look at the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans — in the curricula for his classes.

From 5th graders in California, to 8th graders in Hawaii, and high school seniors in Florida and Alabama, students at key transition points in their education are facing change with the conclusion of the school year. In this three-part video series, students reflect on their experiences during this pandemic school year, on what they’ve learned about themselves and others through the challenges, and on what they’re hoping the next level of their education will look like.

When distance learning necessitated a reliance on technology, many teachers began experimenting with digital tools. From the student perspective, experiences were mixed. Some appreciated the new opportunities created by these technologies, especially in contrast to some limitations of in-person learning. Others chose to return to more analog methods, determining what worked best from the prior world and consciously choosing to keep some of the newer tools acquired during remote teaching.

These diverse titles span tone and genre to tickle readers' funny bones. Warning: may induce hearty chuckles, grossed-out giggles, or milk-out-the-nose laughing.