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Leadership Principles: How Inspiration Pays Off

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Leadership Principles: How Inspiration Pays Off

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Here, we will detail the experiences each of us had at our organization in developing and then fully integrating those principles so that they were known to our stakeholders. We will then share four lessons that emerged from that process: How leadership principles are created matters; effective leadership principles reflect the distinctive character of the organization; dynamic leadership principles create dynamic organizations; and — our favorite — leadership principles should be enjoyable. You can use these lessons to examine your organization’s current leadership principles or prepare to shape its next ones.

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Leadership Principles: How Inspiration Pays Off

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Developing organizational leadership principles yielded four lessons on boosting employees’ and leaders’ performance.

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Accelerating Learning Recovery Through Community Schools

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Accelerating Learning Recovery Through Community Schools

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The four pillars cited in this article, which emerged from decades of research identifying how community schools produce positive outcomes, are part of the state’s framework. They are coupled with rigorous classroom instruction that is frequently connected to community concerns through relevant projects and experiential learning opportunities. The supports offered by community schools don’t replace academic rigor; they enable it by ensuring that students are healthy, supported, and connected to caring adults, and by promoting challenging applied learning in ways that are meaningful.

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Accelerating Learning Recovery Through Community Schools

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As schools face post-pandemic learning setbacks, community schools—rooted in deep family engagement, expanded learning, and integrated supports—see strong learning gains.

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The Role of Microschool Incubators: Nurturing the Future of Education

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The Role of Microschool Incubators: Nurturing the Future of Education

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Many incubators are birthed out of successful microschools or microschool networks. They model organic growth from within. Incubators are a backbone of support for many microschools, offering a range of services from sharing best practices to providing hands-on assistance in setting up new schools. Microschool incubators, however, are more than just support systems; they catalyze change in the educational sector. By prioritizing learner-centered approaches and embracing innovation, incubators are paving the way for a future where education is more adaptive, personalized, and relevant to the needs of modern learners.

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Across the country, we're seeing an emergence of new learning models that have been accelerated by rapid responses to the pandemic as well as shifting local and national policy. Our microschools campaign reflects our commitment to unpacking and highlighting this emerging landscape and amplifying the important work of the numerous education leaders working on this innovative edge. In our early research, we identified four unique categories in the microschooling landscape:

Operators: Organizations that establish and oversee charter microschools, which may or may not have distinct school codes, and manage their day-to-day operations.

Intermediaries: Often referred to as model providers, these are entities that build networks of affiliates, facilitating the establishment and support of various microschool models. These affiliates can include public school districts, nonprofit private schools (both new and converting), and homeschool parents.

School within School/Part-time Programs: This group represents schools that are located within an existing school and often utilize the co-located school code. They often represent both full and part-time options and are sometimes referred to as programs. This group also represents part-time programs and pathways that operate across schools, districts, and even networks.

Incubators: Incubators in the context of microschools, are mentor organizations or schools that offer established, comprehensive frameworks and resources to support individuals or groups looking to establish and operate their own microschools.

In the Fall of 2023, the A Big Push for Small Schools grant program launched and is focused on fostering a network of microschool leaders, by offering grants to propel the development of these innovative learning environments with an emphasis on operators looking to scale their high-quality models.

As part of our initiative, we launched a Community of Practice (CoP) to convene a group of dynamic microschool leaders and learning providers. In our first CoP, we chose to focus on the emerging category of microschool incubators. In this incubator CoP, the emphasis on open dialogue allowed for the exchange of innovative solutions and ideas. The diverse backgrounds and experiences of the participants fostered a solid foundation for collective learning. Through the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and innovative approaches, this dynamic group has contributed to further defining the microschool landscape.

In the dynamic landscape of modern education, incubators are emerging as pivotal players. These entities are not just supportive resources; they are the torchbearers of innovation and personalization in the educational sphere. Let's delve into understanding the multifaceted role they play.

What are Microschool Incubators?

Incubators are specialized institutions or organizations that facilitate the creation, design, and development of microschools. These are small, community-focused educational settings that offer a personalized learning environment. Small, easy-to-pivot, responsive, and relational, microschools meet the need for learning environments to be ever-evolving to better empower the learners and families they serve.

Many incubators are birthed out of successful microschools or microschool networks. They model organic growth from within. Incubators are a backbone of support for many microschools, offering a range of services from sharing best practices to providing hands-on assistance in setting up new schools. Microschool incubators, however, are more than just support systems; they catalyze change in the educational sector. By prioritizing learner-centered approaches and embracing innovation, incubators are paving the way for a future where education is more adaptive, personalized, and relevant to the needs of modern learners.

Core Functions of Microschool Incubators

Our CoP identified the following areas as the core functions for incubators in the small school space:

Resource and Best Practice Sharing: Incubators are repositories of knowledge and experience in the microschool arena. They guide curriculum design, teaching methodologies, and school management, ensuring that emerging microschools have access to tried and tested strategies.

Flexibility in Approach: While the methods and strategies may vary, the core objective remains constant: to provide learner-centered education that aligns with successful graduate profiles. Incubators are flexible in their approach, their leaders reminding us that it is very important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution in education.

Human-Centered Design and Iteration: The concept of human-centered design is central to the philosophy of Incubators. This approach prioritizes the needs and experiences of learners, ensuring that educational models are constantly iterated upon to meet these needs better.

Fostering Real-World Learning: Incubators emphasize learning that is grounded in real-world experiences and meaningful engagements. This approach ensures that education is not just about content delivery but about preparing learners for the challenges of the real world.

Personalization and Learner Agency: Recognizing that each learner is unique, incubators advocate for personalized learning paths. They encourage microschools to provide learners with agency, allowing them to have a say in their learning process and to engage with content that resonates with their individual needs and interests.

Responsiveness and Support: Incubators are known for their agility and responsiveness. Focused on the goal of helping microschools provide learners with agency, they quickly adapt to the needs of their clients and microschool families, students, and educators. Incubators do this by providing timely support and interventions to ensure the smooth functioning of these educational entities.

Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool: A distinctive aspect of Incubators is their willingness to embrace failure as part of the learning and development process. By constantly evolving and being open to experimentation, they embody a mindset of growth and continuous improvement.

Nurturing Innovation and Agility: Incubators are adept at nurturing innovative ideas and are equipped to pivot when necessary. This agility allows them to stay ahead in the ever-changing landscape of education.

Belonging and Inclusion: At their very core, incubators are committed to fostering learning environments that thrive on the sociocultural, socioeconomic, and learning diversity of their respective communities. As such, a sense of belonging and commitment to inclusion are shared values for incubators.

Meet our Incubator Community

Here's a brief snapshot of the organizations who contributed to the CoP, each bringing their unique backgrounds and experiences.

TheInstitute of Self-Directed Learning is dedicated to reshaping traditional educational paradigms, empowering learners to become self-directed and independent. By fostering environments that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and freedom in learning, we aim to equip youth with the skills needed for success in an ever-evolving world. Of the many schools they've cultivated, The Forest School nurtures skills, habits, and mindsets for meaningful lives through innovative practices including place-based and experiential learning, flexibility, and community partnerships, creating a unique educational experience.

La Paz Globalserves as a visionary incubator for inclusive and innovative education, aiming to provide high-quality opportunities that cultivate global citizenship. With a focus on empathy, understanding, and critical thinking, La Paz Global envisions a future where learning communities prioritize collaboration, compassion, and knowledge, empowering individuals to contribute to a more equitable, just, and sustainable world.

Mysa Microschool serves as an innovative incubator for modern education, employing research-informed teaching practices transferable to public schools. With a philosophy aligned with Montessori, Mysa embraces a place-based learning model, creating nurturing communities where students explore their strengths and contribute meaningfully to the world.

One Stone goes beyond traditional education, serving as a dynamic incubator for student-driven innovation across 20 high schools in the Treasure Valley. Rooted in empathy and design thinking, One Stone empowers students to explore passions, enact real-world solutions, and revolutionize learning, fostering a generation of changemakers. Lab51, an urban microschool in Boise, ID, extends this innovative approach globally, emphasizing student-driven governance, competency-based learning, and a growth transcript to cultivate a mindset for meaningful work and global impact.

On Track Academy& Pratt Academy, are pioneering choice high schools by Spokane Public Schools. With Pratt Core and Pratt North serving grades 9-12, the academy offers small class sizes, technology-based courses, and project-based learning. Focused on student-directed education and mentoring, Pratt Academy creates a supportive community, emphasizing restorative practices and individualized learning plans.

Primer Microschools, located in Miami, FL, fosters creativity and independent thinking. Founded to free the next generation, Primer empowers educators to launch personalized, passion-driven microschools. The innovative practices of Primer include small-group settings, mixed-age learning, personalized learning supported by in-house technology, and a focus on goals over grades.

Springhouse Community School, Nestled in rural Pilot, VA,Springhouseenvisions a world where all life thrives. Founder Jenny Finn's commitment to Sourced Education principles creates a transformative learning environment. Springhouse's innovative practices include place-based learning, experiential education, and a focus on social justice, addressing the unique needs of each learner by building competence and confidence.

is shaping the future as an aspiring incubator by providing a model that emphasizes project-based, real-world learning. Their collaboration with industry and higher education partners ensures a curriculum that prepares students for diverse pathways, aligning with the principles of microschools. Additionally, RISE's small school environment fosters a sense of community and personalized learning, reflecting the microschool philosophy of individualized education within a supportive community.

Join the Microschool Movement: Stay Tuned for Our Next Community of Practice!

As we gear up to launch our next Community of Practice, a dynamic gathering of thought leaders, microschool innovators and learning providers, we encourage you to stay tuned for updates. Be the first to explore cutting-edge insights, exchange ideas, and contribute to the transformative dialogue within the microschool landscape. Your participation will elevate your educational initiatives and contribute to the collective growth of the microschool movement. Subscribe to our updates and drop Victoria an email to be included in our next CoP.

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The Role of Microschool Incubators: Nurturing the Future of Education

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Incubators, specialized institutions or organizations that facilitate the creation and development of microschools, are a core part of learning innovation.

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Readiness Reimagined: How to Build a Change-Seeking Culture

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Readiness Reimagined: How to Build a Change-Seeking Culture

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For years, “change-readiness” has been a strategic imperative. Organizations have worked to cultivate cultures that adapt quickly and execute decisively. But in today’s fast-moving, AI-driven world, readiness is no longer enough.

Adaptability is still essential—but at a greater speed. The next evolution is already underway: building a “change-seeking” culture. Unlike reactive, change-ready organizations, change-seeking organizations proactively scan for opportunity, challenge assumptions, and move early—before disruption demands it.

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Readiness Reimagined: How to Build a Change-Seeking Culture - Harvard Business Impact

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In today’s AI-driven world, being “change-ready” is no longer enough. Organizations must become change-seeking to stay ahead of disruption.

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New study identifies key conditions for amplifying student voices in schools

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New study identifies key conditions for amplifying student voices in schools

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A new study led by Penn State College of Education Professor Dana Mitra finds that amplifying student voices in schools requires a combination of teacher mindsets that value student input, trusting relationships and practical structures to support participation. Research in four urban schools shows that safety and trust must be established first, with leadership stability and intentional training sustaining meaningful student voice practices over time.

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New study identifies key conditions for amplifying student voices in schools | Penn State University

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A new study led by Penn State College of Education Professor Dana Mitra found that amplifying student voices in schools requires a combination of teacher mindsets that value student input, trusting relationships and practical structures to support participation. Research in four urban schools showed that safety and trust must be established first, with leadership stability and intentional training sustaining meaningful student voice practices over time.

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Passion at Work Is a Good Thing—But Only If Bosses Know How to Manage It

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Passion at Work Is a Good Thing—But Only If Bosses Know How to Manage It

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The researchers crunched the numbers from more than 200 million job postings using data from Burning Glass Technologies. They found that use of the word “passion” rose from 2 percent to 16 percent between 2007 and 2019.

But, behind that increase are important differences in how managers and employees view what the word actually means in practice, the researchers write.

Employees want more meaning in their work and connection with personal values. From the employee's point-of-view, they are following the advice of commentators from Steve Jobs to Joseph Campbell who advocate for people to marry their real-life values with their work. "The only way to do great work is to love what you do," Jobs famously said. "Follow your bliss," in the words of Campbell.

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Passion at Work Is a Good Thing—But Only If Bosses Know How to Manage It | Working Knowledge

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Who wouldn’t want to work for a company that values passion? And what employer wouldn’t seek an employee who’s deeply passionate about their work? But, here’s the rub, according to recent research from Harvard Business School: Employees and employers can have conflicting views about what passion at work actually means, which could lead to unhappy workers and frustrated managers. An analysis of 200 million job postings makes one thing clear: Passion for passion is growing. Indeed, the appearance of the word “passion” in US job listings increased nearly tenfold from 2007 to 2019, according to the study, published in Research in Organizational Behavior by HBS assistant professor Jon M. Jachimowicz and post-doctoral fellow Hannah Weisman. In a hot labor market, the research sounds a cautionary note to hiring managers wooing employees with the passion pitch. Once they’re on board, conflicts may arise, for example, over how much time they must devote to a specific project, how many late nights may be required, or how the worker must demonstrate their passion in the workplace. “We argue that it can be difficult for employers to recognize that their understanding of passion can at times create challenges for employees,” says Jachimowicz, suggesting that this may require a rethinking of the manager’s role. “As an organization, it’s not enough to just hire people for passion. Leaders also need to learn how to manage for passion.” Two perspectives on passion The researchers crunched the numbers from more than 200 million job postings using data from Burning Glass Technologies. They found that use of the word “passion” rose from 2 percent to 16 percent between 2007 and 2019. But, behind that increase are important differences in how managers and employees view what the word actually means in practice, the researchers write. Employees want more meaning in their work and connection with personal values. From the employee’s point-of-view, they are following the advice of commentators from Steve Jobs to Joseph Campbell who advocate for people to marry their real-life values with their work. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do,” Jobs famously said. “Follow your bliss,” in the words of Campbell. “When [we interview] people who pursue their passion, they highlight all the reasons why the work they’re doing is advancing things that they care about,” Weisman says. ‘I care very deeply about this. This is the difference that I seek to make in the world.’ Employees may view passion as an end in itself, to achieve fulfillment.” Managers are often aligned with this view, says Jachimowicz: “When I talk to organizational leaders, they’re often very well-intentioned. They want to structure organizations around a common purpose. They want to build organizations that make a meaningful difference in the world.” At the same time, however, there may exist some nuanced differences, highlights Jachimowicz, “Leaders also recognize that employees who are passionate for their work are often willing to go the extra mile. And it is this recognition that employee passion can also produce valued work outcomes that can at times create difficulties.” Where conflicts arise Indeed, managers in passion-forward organizations may unintentionally emphasize passion in ways that rub employees in unintended ways. “When a manager and organizational leaders say, ‘This is the kind of place where people are passionate for their work.’ What employees might hear is, ‘This is the kind of place where you have to seek additional opportunities to make a difference beyond your job requirements,’” Jachimowicz explains. “Or what they might hear is, ‘It’s going to be difficult for you to say no to added responsibilities when they’re added onto your plate.‘” Although leaders may feel that adding additional work to their employees’ plate to support the mission is helpful for everyone, “doing so is not necessarily aligned with employees’ passion,” he says. When employees notice that these two understandings of passion diverge, they experience uncertainty in determining what to do about it. On the one hand, employees may feel a deep appreciation for being in an organization that emphasizes passion, and experience a pull to working longer and harder to show they are committed. On the other hand, what they are asked to do may not always align with their own passions, or may make it more challenging for them to focus on what they care about. This uncertainty, the authors write, “places added demands on employees that may impede their ability to perform, particularly when they are unable to find a favorable resolution.” Another wrinkle in the fabric of the passionate organization is that employees may find it challenging to speak up about issues they encounter. In a culture of passion, after all, the expectation is that you say yes to working longer and harder. You take on tasks even if you don’t want them. You don’t say no to an opportunity that would advance organizational goals, even it isn’t necessarily aligned with your own. Blinded by their own engagement in the corporate cause, a condition referred to as “motivated reasoning,” managers may also not realize a problem exists, or fail to seek out information that may disconfirm their positive view of passion. Both prevent the conflict from rising to the level of organizational concern, Jachimowicz says. The manager’s responsibility Jachimowicz and Weisman offer these suggestions for leaders: Conduct a “passion audit.” Managers should be aware that the problem of dueling passion understandings can arise, especially for leaders blinded by the corporate mission. They should actively generate conversations about how a passionate organization can create challenges for some employees, find out how passion is experienced in their organization, and what challenges arise for their employees. Lead for passion. “The potential divergence in understandings of passion,“ Jachimowicz notes, “requires leaders to learn how to manage not just their own but also their employees’ passion.” This may include learning what employees themselves are more and less passionate about, and to create a psychologically safe environment where potential difficulties are welcomed conversation topics. Design for passion. “This may also require leaders to think more broadly about their organizational design,” Jachimowicz suggests, “What processes and structures do you have in place to ensure your organization is cultivating passion in their workforce? How do you move beyond just hiring for passion, and actually creating an environment that keeps passion alive?” Reflect on what “passion” means in your organization. Finally, with the increasing use of “passion” should come the recognition that it may not always be the right focus for all organizations. As Weisman notes, “Leaders would benefit from reflecting on and being honest about what they mean by ‘passion.’ For instance, if they are seeking to hire ‘passionate’ employees, to what end? To attract employees who are willing to work hard, commit to long hours, and endure a challenging, ambiguous work environment? If so, perhaps emphasizing passion is not the best way of doing so because it may not set the right expectations in the minds of prospective employees.” With these suggestions in mind, passion need not be an obstacle. “A big tenet of my research is understanding that the pursuit of passion is more difficult and challenging than what people often expect,” Jachimowicz says. “And then asking, does it have to be this way? How could we make it better?” You Might Also Like: When Your Passion Works Against You More Proof That Money Can Buy Happiness (or a Life with Less Stress) Income Inequality Is Rising. Are We Even Measuring It Correctly? Feedback or ideas to share? Email the Working Knowledge team at hbswk@hbs.edu. Image: iStockphoto/Alexandr Screaghin

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Value capture is a concept developed by C. Thi Nguyen (2024), a prominent philosopher and Associate Professor at the University of Utah specializing in the philosophy of games, technology, and value, explaining that when our values enter a community that presents simplified, quantified versions of those values, they take over the deep commitment we have to what matters to us, and in the process we lose our autonomy and our pursuit of our own agency. Examples of this in education include district strategic goals, assessment data used to drive metrics, and required professional learning tracks that loop back into both.

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The Role Core Values Play in Strategy Execution

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The Role Core Values Play in Strategy Execution

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“You may think of them as little more than window dressing or ticking a box without much real impact on the business,” says Harvard Business School Professor Robert Simons, who teaches the online course Strategy Execution. “But I've learned that the best companies—the ones that are most competitive and lead their industries decade after decade—put enormous emphasis on their core values and beliefs.”

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Turning Ideas into Purposeful Action: Guiding Principles and A Long-Term Vision

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Turning Ideas into Purposeful Action: Guiding Principles and A Long-Term Vision

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To address today’s most pressing challenges, a clear long-term vision is essential. This vision acts as a compass, guiding decisions and ensuring that every action aligns with a greater purpose. However, vision alone is not enough; it must be paired with unique insights—those rare perspectives that allow us to see solutions where others see only obstacles. Leveraging technology smartly is often the key to transforming these insights into impactful solutions.

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Gen Z and Social Commerce to Drive Globalization of Asian Companies

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Turning Ideas into Purposeful Action: Guiding Principles and A Long-Term Vision | Milken Institute

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In a world teeming with innovative ideas, the real challenge lies not in their creation but in transforming them into purposeful action. The ability to consiste

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Guiding Principles: Turning Values into Action

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Guiding Principles: Turning Values into Action

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Markets shift. Technology evolves. Talent expectations change.

But when guiding principles are clear, people don’t have to guess what “the right thing” looks like. They already know. In my experience, companies that define and live by their principles make faster, more confident decisions. Execution improves because teams understand the “why” behind the “what.” Culture becomes visible—in every project, every press run, every client interaction. And the impact shows up where it matters most: stronger engagement, steadier retention, and customers who feel the consistency in every experience. Consistency isn’t just a production metric. It’s a trust metric.

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Guiding Principles: Turning Values into Action

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Guiding Principles: Turning Values into Action

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The Magic Of Powerful, Future-Ready Teaching

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The Magic Of Powerful, Future-Ready Teaching

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Leaders are faced with many questions about how to support current and future teachers in this context—how to ensure they are more empowered, resilient, innovative, and responsive to the new challenges and opportunities that await us. New research shows how top-performing education systems are reimagining the teaching profession to meet those challenges and make the most of those opportunities.

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The Magic Of Powerful, Future-Ready Teaching

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Top-performing education systems are reimagining the teaching profession to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world.

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How Children Are Influenced by Their Neighborhoods

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How Children Are Influenced by Their Neighborhoods

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The researchers looked at a group of almost 10,000 children ages nine and 10 from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. To see how these children were doing, they relied on MRIs, child and parent interviews, physical health exams, and more. Analyzing the Child Opportunity Index 2.0, which includes data on the children’s neighborhoods, they identified four aspects of neighborhoods that impacted children at this age.

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Parents want what's best for our children-and our current parenting culture offers an endless stream of suggestions for how to set kids up for success.

Though most of this advice focuses on individual actions-parenting strategies or weekend enrichment, for example-our children are also hugely influenced by factors outside the home, such as the neighborhoods they grow up in.

A new study attempts to disentangle these neighborhood-level factors and how they impact children's development, uncovering some lessons for building communities that serve all children.

Four key influences on children

The researchers looked at a group of almost 10,000 children ages nine and 10 from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. To see how these children were doing, they relied on MRIs, child and parent interviews, physical health exams, and more.

Analyzing the Child Opportunity Index 2.0, which includes data on the children's neighborhoods, they identified four aspects of neighborhoods that impacted children at this age:

Child education, including school quality and third-grade reading and math proficiency.

Socioeconomic attainment, including health care access, education levels, and household income.

Neighborhood enrichment, including proximity to high-quality early education centers, exposure to green space, and walkability.

Poverty level, including access to healthy food, housing stability, and reliance on public assistance.

Keep in mind that this wasn't about measuring an individual child's education or socioeconomics, but about examining these conditions in the immediate environment surrounding their primary residence.

The researchers found that each of these four aspects of neighborhood quality seemed to have a significant impact on children's behavioral health-in slightly different ways. For example, in neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic attainment and child education, children showed less drive toward risk and rewards-which can be associated with being less impulsive. In areas of higher poverty, on the other hand, children showed more impulsive behavior. In places with higher neighborhood enrichment-the kind you might see when an old train track is turned into a park-kids had reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Building better communities

As with all studies, there were limitations to this one. The participants weren't necessarily reflective of all children (autistic or intellectually disabled participants, for example, were excluded).

But the research points to the importance of collective action for child health. It suggests that neighborhood resources can influence children's emotional and cognitive development, and that investing in education, neighborhood safety, and access to healthy resources may support better mental health in children.

Other research corroborates the importance of neighborhood quality for children's health and development. For example, a recent WHO study revealed that 93% of the world's children breathe polluted air-leading to poorer cognitive and health outcomes, such as upper respiratory infections and even death. This doesn't just affect poor countries-over half of children in high-income countries also breathe toxic air. And work done by the Urban95 Academy with residents of cities all over the globe has identified concerns beyond the physical environment-including the mobility of cities and access to child care. Eleven million children in the U.S. live in poverty, which goes along with a whole host of consequences for children.

All this research speaks to civic solutions rather than individual ones. That lobbying for that old parking lot to be turned into a playground, planting trees, and bringing in grocery stores matter both for our communities at large and also for our individual children, no matter how privileged we may perceive them to be.

Good policy solutions are out there. When I interviewed Katie Beck of Urban95 Academy, she told me about the Care Blocks project they have collaborated on with Bogota, Colombia. The project tries to increase the proximity and ease of movement between crucial aspects of an urban environment-work, child care, food, etc. It's easy to see how that would benefit all city residents-not just those with lower socioeconomic status.

In Feminist City: Claiming Space in a Man-Made World, the feminist geographer Leslie Kern argues that cities have been designed for working men -for example, with the routes and timetables of public transportation linked to traditional office schedules. Kern argues that designing cities for women and children makes them better for all. Working elevators and accessible transportation for those pushing strollers, for example, benefits disabled people, the elderly, and tourists toting suitcases. Reduced car traffic, a boon to children's respiratory health, increases safety and air quality for all.

Recognizing that all children are at risk for negative neighborhood influences-and by the same logic, stand to benefit from positive ones-leads us to a more inclusive, expansive definition of urban policy and parenting solutions that don't just benefit our own children, but everyone's.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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How Children Are Influenced by Their Neighborhoods

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A new study looks outside the home to see how children's surroundings impact their cognitive and emotional development.

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How Teacher-Leaders Are Shaping School Culture

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How Teacher-Leaders Are Shaping School Culture

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Teacher leadership is more than just an educational buzzword; it represents a transformational force within our schools. Teachers are at the heart of every educational system, but those who step into leadership roles have the power to influence more than just their classroom. By guiding their peers, contributing to school strategies, and nurturing a culture of collaboration, teacher-leaders are shaping the futures of students and their communities alike.

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How Teacher-Leaders Are Shaping School Culture

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Explore how teacher leaders shape school culture, foster collaboration, and drive academic excellence to create positive, thriving learning environments.

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The Human Capital Case for Child Care and Early Learning

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The Human Capital Case for Child Care and Early Learning

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The collective skills, knowledge, and experience of the American people are our country’s most valuable asset. But for many, opportunities to invest in their development are few and far between. This is because America has a human capital problem. People feel burdened by high costs of living, let down by underperforming institutions, and overlooked by partisan policy gaps. Without access to the economic opportunities that human capital growth affords them, many people—especially people with children—struggle to maintain competitiveness in the workforce.

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The Human Capital Case for Child Care and Early Learning

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The American people as a collective hold vast potential for success. Individuals have the capacity to amass the skills and knowledge necessary to excel and achieve economic opportunity—otherwise known as human capital. Wide-spread investments in human capital are critical to building and maintaining a successful workforce and a stable national economy.

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New Report Ties Chronic Absenteeism to Sluggish Academic Outcomes

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New Report Ties Chronic Absenteeism to Sluggish Academic Outcomes

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The report, issued last week, shows that the academic progress of students in districts with the highest rates of chronic absenteeism are more likely to lag behind districts that haven’t experienced drastic rises in absences. The relationship between attendance and achievement is even stronger in high-poverty districts, the report concluded.

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The impact of violence on learning and wellbeing

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The impact of violence on learning and wellbeing

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School-related violence takes many forms: bullying, corporal punishment, sexual and gender-based violence, emotional abuse, online harassment, and even deliberate attacks on education. These experiences harm children’s physical and emotional health, interrupt their learning, and prevent the promise of education as a force for equality and social progress.

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The impact of violence on learning and wellbeing

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Evidence of how violence in and around schools affects children

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Developmental diversity: Putting the development back into research about developmental conditions

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Developmental diversity: Putting the development back into research about developmental conditions

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Our hypothesis is that thinking with developmental diversity rather than categorical difference both represents an opportunity for a more inclusive society, and fundamentally can alter the way we perform research. As such, it is in line with requests of neurodiversity and disability movements.

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Frontiers | Developmental diversity: Putting the development back into research about developmental conditions

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The dominant discourse surrounding neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD emphasizes biological explanations. Neurodevelopmental conditions ar…

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Whether it be because of the proliferation of AI, shifting modern sentiments, the 24-hour news cycle, or a newfound interest from legislators and early childhood professionals about the impacts of screen time, the subject of media literacy is finally being brought into the classroom curriculum.

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In the United States, the average screen time per day hit seven hours and three minutes in late 2023. Children between the ages of 8-18 now spend, on average, a whopping seven and a half hours in front of a screen for entertainment each day. Streaming platforms have replaced cable television for a majority of people, and social media has become the main source of news for even more.

Reading Partners champions literacy as a transformative tool in the lives of children because it is fundamental to improving their capacity to learn both in and out of the classroom. Literacy also serves as a building block for children to learn empathy, interpersonal understanding, and vital critical thinking skills that will help them well into adulthood. In an age of media saturation, with both children and adults spending more and more time online, these critical thinking skills are one of the most important skills relevant to media literacy.

What is media literacy?

Media literacy is a set of skills that help people, not just youth, analyze the content of media messages that they receive and send. It ensures that each of us is not a passive consumer, but rather, an active one, using tools to question the things that we are told or see throughout our media consumption. Without media literacy, you wouldn't understand how to fact-check a piece of content or be able to distinguish between credible news and biased content. It helps you recognize an author's intent, recognize abstract concepts such as determining the role of media in our culture, and even helps you understand differing perspectives on complex topics such as politics.

How you consume media, however, is only one part of the equation. Media literacy also helps us create our own content responsibly. This could be something as small as sending your friend a meme you made in a direct message or something that holds as much weight as a hard-hitting expos é written for the New York Times .

Media literacy skills help us realize that our words carry weight, rid our creations of bias, and even recognize our own point of view. It would be an understatement to call media literacy a necessary tool to navigate the modern-day world-when we are surrounded by media at a rate like never before, this type of literacy is essential to understanding and interacting with the world around us.

The traditional media of previous generations, such as television, radio, and newspapers, were historically the gatekeepers of news-these entities decided who created news and what was deemed newsworthy to share with audiences. The digital age has brought the gift of content creation to everyone, yet one thing remains the same: media, whether created by CNN or a 16-year old on TikTok, is still being created by a person. It is, therefore, up to the user to ask how and why that piece of content was created, consider the author's or organization's goals in creation, and assess the client's level of authority and impact through this lens.

Changing sentiments

Media literacy is a subject that has historically been neglected in the American school system. A recent survey by Media Literacy Now found that nearly half of adults ages 19 to 81 did not learn media literacy skills in high school. The average age of respondents was 41.

The tides are changing, however. Whether it be because of the proliferation of AI, shifting modern sentiments, the 24-hour news cycle, or a newfound interest from legislators and early childhood professionals about the impacts of screen time, the subject of media literacy is finally being brought into the classroom curriculum.

Journalism and its importance to democracy

With the Maryland Primary Elections this month, it is especially important for all citizens to be media literate so that they can be conscious of any misinformation, propaganda, or fake news they encounter throughout the election cycle. Developing media literacy skills is crucial to interpreting the reliability of different sources, which fosters informed decision-making and encourages participation in democratic processes.

To become an informed citizen throughout the election season, it's important to go out of your way to have a healthy "news diet." A news diet refers to the diversity, quality, and legitimacy of the news you consume and how you consume it.

Social media algorithms often only serve us content, whether that's advertisements or articles, that align with our current political beliefs. This practice can become a never-ending cycle of affirmation, or an "echo chamber," preventing you from truly being informed about issues from all sides. It is important to seek out opposing viewpoints from time to time so that you can look at your own beliefs more objectively.

Attention-grabbing, clickbait-inspired headlines also play a part. These headlines may not accurately represent a legitimate opinion or the content of the piece, but rather, focus on what will drive the most traffic to that content's site. It is important to recognize the business side of journalism and not fall victim to bad actors who are trying to elicit strong emotions, and therefore, clicks, over quality content. Having a good news diet means being cognizant of your relationship with the news, knowing the role of the news, knowing how to determine what is credible and what is fraudulent, and being brave enough to seek out different opinions that will make you question your own beliefs.

Techniques to practice media literacy

RumorGuard, of the News Literacy Project, is a nonpartisan education nonprofit focused on improving news literacy throughout American society, creating better informed, more engaged, and more empowered citizens. When consuming your "news diet" throughout the election cycle and beyond, try these five techniques to discover misinformation and analyze news through a media literacy lens:

Check to see if something is authentic or not. Can you find any other organizations or blogs covering this same piece of news? News organizations are quick to cover newsworthy topics. If a piece of news is credible, it's safe to say that piece would be covered by a bevy of different sources.

Verify if something has been posted or corroborated by a credible source. Does the author or sources throughout the content have a proven track record of fair and honest reporting? Are they a part of a larger network, or are they an independent journalist? Standards-based news organizations have guidelines to ensure the accuracy, fairness, transparency and accountability of their content. While these organizations are not perfect, these regulations can offer a baseline level of credibility over other, more independent sources.

Look to see if there is evidence that can be used to back up what is being claimed. Is the piece using evidence that is being taken out of context? Does what is being claimed have any evidence at all? Double-check linked sources to determine their legitimacy or what biases might be present. Fabricating or having a lack of sources can be a telltale sign of

Determine if a piece's context is accurate. Is a particular event or photo being taken out of context? Use reverse image search to find out the original date and context of when a photo was taken. An aerial photo of a crowd of passionate sports fans celebrating their team's win years ago could be spun as a political protest that happened yesterday, for example. Context is everything.

Ask yourself if the post is being made using solid reasoning. Check for logical fallacies and other errors in reasoning that are often used in place of actual evidence. For example, the slippery slope fallacy, alludes to a small action inevitably leading to a chain of larger, unfounded reactions. "If the U.S. were to lower the voting age to 16, then 15-year-olds will be wanting to vote too! Then eventually, we'll have to let babies vote!?"

Incorporating techniques such as these will help shield you from bad actors or media made with the intent to deceive or confuse you. Those who are media literate will realize when they are being fed news that reinforces one opinion or confirms their preexisting doubts, and won't completely write off other news sources solely because the outlet published a piece they did not agree with. Please keep in mind though, that none of these techniques on their own is a silver bullet to determine whether a news source is credible or not. Rather, these techniques should all be used in combination with each other to ensure your time spent consuming news media is well spent. Without media literacy, you may find yourself believing something that was taken completely out of context, especially during the highly sensationalized political election cycle.

Conclusion

Preparing children to navigate the internet by themselves and teaching them how to be conscious, deliberate users is essential for empowering well-informed future voters and citizens. But, media literacy isn't just an issue for future voters. All of us need to practice this essential form of literacy to consume the whirlwind media cycle through a critical eye.

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The importance of media literacy - Reading Partners | Reading Partners

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Media literacy is a set of skills that help people, not just youth, analyze the content of media messages that they receive and send.

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How is the climate crisis impacting children?

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How is the climate crisis impacting children?

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The situation is deepening inequality in children’s lives and threatening their fundamental rights, especially for those living in poverty.

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Discover how the climate crisis is deepening inequalities across the world, through the experiences of seven children.

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How is the climate crisis impacting children?

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Children can’t wait any longer for climate action.They are watching their homes and schools vanish in floods. They are going hungry as crops fail in relentless droughts. Their health and their lives are threatened by scorching heat and fast-spreading diseases. The impacts of climate change on children are lifelong, irreversible, and deeply unjust.

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Check out the story of Trenton, a student from Talladega County who, with the help of his STEAM teacher, helped to solve a problem facing a local steel company through technology he was already leveraging in his classroom.

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Educators shaping futures: What we know, still need to learn, and can do

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Educators shaping futures: What we know, still need to learn, and can do

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In a packed hall in Addis Ababa, a local student’s poem set the tone: Learning is human, and teachers are its beating heart. That sentiment powered two days of energetic exchange at “Educators Shaping Futures: A Global Knowledge Exchange on Teacher Preparation and Development” on November 3–4, 2025, co-hosted by the World Bank, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University, and UNESCO IICBA.

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Educators shaping futures: What we know, still need to learn, and can do

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In a packed hall in Addis Ababa, a local student’s poem set the tone: Learning is human, and teachers are its beating heart. That sentiment powered two days of energetic exchange at “Educators Shaping Futures: A Global Knowledge Exchange on Teacher Preparation and Development” on November 3–4, 2025, co-hosted by the World Bank, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University, and UNESCO IICBA.

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Why Are Billionaires Messing With Public Education? 

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Why Are Billionaires Messing With Public Education? 

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This is the first of a two-part series exploring how the rich and powerful are cashing out on public education. Today, we’re looking at the big picture: the historical, decades-long agenda by wealthy donors and corporate interests to privatize schools, weaken unions, and limit what educators can teach. Our guest is Lisa Graves, founder and Executive Director of True North Research.

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Why Are Billionaires Messing With Public Education? Part 1 | NEA

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Have you ever wondered why the rich and powerful seem to have so many opinions about public education, especially when neither they nor their children have attended public schools?

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Polarization Begins Before the Ballot: The Long-Term Effects of Youth Political Socialization on American Democracy

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Polarization Begins Before the Ballot: The Long-Term Effects of Youth Political Socialization on American Democracy

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Through a multidisciplinary review of political science, education, and sociological literature, this paper examines the mechanisms through which youth (ages 12 to 24) are socialized into politics and the long-term democratic consequences of that early exposure. It evaluates existing civic education and media literacy initiatives, highlighting both their promise and their limitations, and concludes by offering light structural reform proposals and recommendations for future research. The findings underscore the need for early, equitable civic education and digital literacy policies to mitigate polarization before it becomes entrenched.

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Polarization Begins Before the Ballot: The Long-Term Effects of Youth Political Socialization on American Democracy | YIP Institute

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While polarization has long been viewed as a challenge primarily affecting adults, it now increasingly shapes how young Americans develop their political identities. As political polarization dominates American civic life, it is no longer a phenomenon confined to adults. This paper argues that early political socialization—shaped by polarized digital media, unequal civic education, and ideologically conforming peer environments—is hardening partisan identity before civic maturity fully develops. While adult polarization has been widely studied, less attention has been given to how ideological rigidity forms in adolescence and persists into adulthood. Through a multidisciplinary review of political science, education, and sociological literature, this paper examines the mechanisms through which youth (ages 12 to 24) are socialized into politics and the long-term democratic consequences of that early exposure. It evaluates existing civic education and media literacy initiatives, highlighting both their promise and their limitations, and concludes by offering light structural reform proposals and recommendations for future research. The findings underscore the need for early, equitable civic education and digital literacy policies to mitigate polarization before it becomes entrenched.

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What will our children’s lives be like in 30 years? What skills will the members of the next generation need so that they can help shape the future, and thrive in that new world? We spoke about “future skills” with Prof. Martin Hafen of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He wrote a white paper on this topic on behalf of the Jacobs Foundation.

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Our children’s world in 2050 - Jacobs Foundation

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What will our children’s lives be like in 30 years? What skills will the members of the next generation need so that they can help shape the future, and thrive in that new world?

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Seeing Tomorrow: Digital futures through children's eyes

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Seeing Tomorrow: Digital futures through children's eyes

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The children (ages 10 to 17 years) we spoke with in Brazil, India, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Spain, Uganda and the United States of America shared their ideas and brought them to life in creative ways. They used Lego bricks, pipe cleaners, drawings and clay to show us imagined futures where robots are woven into everyday routines, digital technologies are kinder and more human-centred, and the internet is safer – all as ways to better support children’s best interests.

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Seeing Tomorrow: Digital futures through children’s eyes

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Across seven countries, children envision safer, kinder and more inclusive digital futures.

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How's Life for Children in the Digital Age?

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How's Life for Children in the Digital Age?

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The WISE Centre launched its report 'How’s Life for Children in the Digital Age?' which provided an overview of the state of children's lives in the digital environment across OECD countries, based on available cross-national data. It explored the challenges of ensuring that children were both protected and empowered to use digital media in a beneficial way while managing potential risks. The report highlighted the need for a whole-of-society, multi-sectoral policy approach, engaging digital service providers, health professionals, educators, experts, parents, and children to protect, empower, and support children, while also addressing offline vulnerabilities, with the ultimate aim of enhancing their well-being and future outcomes. Additionally, it called for strengthening countries’ capacities to assess the impact of digital media on children's lives and to monitor rapidly evolving challenges.

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How's Life for Children in the Digital Age?

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Future of education: parents and Gen Alpha reshape learning

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Future of education: parents and Gen Alpha reshape learning

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As Gen Alpha grows up in a digital-first world, engaged parents are driving change in how schools connect, teach, and adapt. Greg Campitelli and social analyst Mark McCrindle explore the challenges and opportunities ahead.

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Future of education: parents and Gen Alpha reshape learning

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Children’s Views About Their Future Career and Family Involvement: Associations With Children’s Gender Schemas and Parents’ Involvement in Work and Family Roles

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Children’s Views About Their Future Career and Family Involvement: Associations With Children’s Gender Schemas and Parents’ Involvement in Work and Family Roles

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Children themselves also play an active role in developing this vision for the future by their own gender identity, specifically by how similar they feel to individuals of the same gender. To reduce gender disparities in the occupational and domestic domain, programs need to be designed that focus on parental role modeling in the family as well as children’s gender identity development.

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Joyce J. Endendijk and Christel M. Portengen

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Frontiers | Children’s Views About Their Future Career and Family Involvement: Associations With Children’s Gender Schemas and Parents’ Involvement in Work and Family Roles

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Substantial gender disparities in career advancement are still apparent, for instance in the gender pay gap, the overrepresentation of women in part-time wor…

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Children want to shape their rights in the digital world

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Children want to shape their rights in the digital world

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Through focus group discussions conducted by partner organizations such as 5Rights Foundation, Digital Futures for Children at the London School of Economics, and members of Child Rights Connect’s global civil society network, children around the world are learning about their rights in digital spaces through a newly created child-friendly summary of General comment No. 25.

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Children want to shape their rights in the digital world

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On World Children’s Day, a new child-centred initiative invites young people from around the world to share their experiences and solutions for a safer, more rights-respecting digital space.

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Studying successful schools matters. Studying enduring success matters more.

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Studying successful schools matters. Studying enduring success matters more.

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First, we often try to explain away good outcomes, particularly among schools serving low-income families. Second, even when we accept that success is real, often we adopt only the parts that affirm our existing beliefs. Third—and perhaps most important—we often study schools at a breakthrough moment of success rather than asking whether their success is likely to endure. If we wanted to predict whether a school’s success will last, what would we actually look for? What conditions would need to be in place—and remain in place—for progress to endure through inevitable leadership turnover, staff churn, political pressures, and the siren song of educational fads?

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Studying successful schools matters. Studying enduring success matters more.

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In this first entry in a three-part series, Pondiscio tackles American education’s failure to learn from its success stories. The problem is not that we’re incurious about successful schools—it’s which models we seek to learn from and the lessons we take from them.

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Education transforms lives: UNESCO stories

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Education transforms lives: UNESCO stories

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From Guatemala to Nepal, Tanzania to Jordan - from pre-school to higher education - read a selection of inspiring UNESCO stories showing the impact of its projects and programmes on every day people around the world. Access to quality education has the power to transform lives and gives a voice to marginalized communities worldwide.

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The Three Faces of Education Accountability

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The Three Faces of Education Accountability

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Understanding these synergies can widen our vision of accountability. I still declare that school results should take center stage, must be visible for comparison, and should carry consequences. Yet today's opposition to heavy-handed government, frequent testing, and overreliance on narrow metrics has nudged me to recognize that the other approaches to accountability have useful roles to play. Today, we would all do well to acknowledge that those who care about whether children are learning may get further by joining alliances than by struggling in isolation.

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The Three Faces of Education Accountability

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Education debates often appeal to accountability. But what does that mean in practice? Results-based accountability, marketplace accountability, and professional accountability are all ways of holding schools and teachers responsible for their studen…

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Restarting School with Equity at the Center

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Restarting School with Equity at the Center

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This brief was developed by California-based family and student engagement organizations, associations representing educators and system leaders, research institutes, and civil rights and equity

groups. The recommendations arise from the evidence that has collectively emerged from focus groups with educators, parents, and students; polls and surveys of stakeholders; a deep review of the

literature; and original research conducted on COVID-19’s impact on schools and students.e Center

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Transforming Schools to Serve Our Children Well

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Transforming Schools to Serve Our Children Well

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It is in this context that a diverse and growing chorus of educators, students, families, and policymakers are calling for a reimagining of our schools. They are highlighting the need to center relationships, belonging, and community; to create structures and practices to support relevant and engaging learning; and to organize resources, supports, and opportunities in ways that mitigate the pernicious effects of structural racism and decades of disinvestment in low-income communities of color.

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Linda Darling-Hammond Chief Knowledge Officer

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Transforming Schools to Serve Our Children Well

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In the aftermath of the pandemic, as many children and youth are struggling with mental health and to reengage in learning, a growing chorus of people are calling for community schools as an approach to reinvent education to better serve students, educators, and families.

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Tools for transformation: a teaching toolkit and research pocket guide for advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in science and engineering

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Tools for transformation: a teaching toolkit and research pocket guide for advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in science and engineering

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The Teaching Toolkit and Research Pocket Guide are unique with their combination of colourful graphics and novel collections of actionable steps to engage with EDI concepts both in classrooms and research teams. It is our hope that these resources will catalyze change towards advancing EDI in STEM.

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Pathways to Transforming Education Toolkit

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Pathways to Transforming Education Toolkit

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This toolkit is a companion to the Pathways to Transforming Education: Proven Solutions from Social Entrepreneurs report published by Catalyst 2030’s Education Collaboration in September 2022 (hereafter referred to as the “2022 Catalyst 2030 report” or the “the 2022 report”). It builds on the vision for education outlined in the 2022 report and shows how the report aligns with the themes from the United Nation Secretary - General’s Vision for Education, ”Transforming education: An urgent political imperative for our collective future.”

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6 Trends in Education Shaping the Future of Learning

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6 Trends in Education Shaping the Future of Learning

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Education is one of the most impactful and transformative fields today. From early childhood and K–12 education to higher education, professionals in the field are shaping future generations and preparing the leaders of tomorrow. While the education sector encounters challenges around access to education, resource constraints and economic hardship, ongoing efforts to strengthen the field are well underway, and a new wave of trends is actively reshaping how learning happens.

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Education is one of the most impactful and transformative fields today. From early childhood and K-12 education to higher education, professionals in the field are shaping future generations and preparing the leaders of tomorrow.

While the education sector encounters challenges around access to education, resource constraints and economic hardship, ongoing efforts to strengthen the field are well underway, and a new wave of trends is actively reshaping how learning happens.

Emerging Trends in Education

As our world evolves due to technological advancements, societal changes and economic shifts, so does education. Here are six trends every education professional should know:

1. Integrating AI and Technology in the Classroom

Technology and education have always evolved together, but the pace of change is accelerating. Teachers in K-12 classrooms are already integrating technology in the classroom through digital textbooks, cloud-based tools, interactive whiteboards, virtual reality devices and 3D printers to extend traditional curriculum-based learning.

AI is expected to continue to deepen this integration significantly. AI-powered tools in education increasingly automate routine tasks such as grading and attendance tracking, freeing teachers to focus on instruction and relationship-building. AI is also likely to enable more personalized, adaptive support by utilizing data analytics to identify learning gaps and analyze student progress, thereby tailoring learning resources. With this, teachers can focus their expertise on delivering impactful instruction and fostering meaningful human connections.

2. Replacing One-Size-Fits-All Teaching With Personalized Learning in Education

The shift from standardized instruction to tailored, personalized learning environments is one of the most significant structural changes in modern education. Adapting teaching methods to individual learning needs is now a priority for teachers and administrators alike.

Personalized learning strategies include self-paced curriculum models, competency-based progression and differentiated instruction. The benefits of personalization in education have been well-documented, including empowering students to take an active role in their learning journey, enhancing motivation levels, boosting standardized test performance and mitigating student attrition rates.

3. Bringing Global Perspectives Into Everyday Instruction

Approaching education policy and practices through the lens of globalization allows educators and school administrators to view the curriculum with a wide range of cultural perspectives. Teachers and leaders are increasingly called upon to view education through this lens as they connect with students and families from many walks of life.

Technology can play a key role in supporting this shift. Language translation tools, culturally responsive teaching platforms and globally connected classrooms help educators bridge communication gaps and bring varied content into daily instruction. Virtual exchanges and collaborative international projects further deepen global understanding, experiences that are difficult to replicate in a traditional classroom setting.

Learn more about the International Education Policy and Management M.Ed.

4. Making Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom a Core Part of School

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is no longer a supplementary consideration but a core component of effective educational practice. SEL promotes restorative discipline and teaches students how to manage their emotions, navigate diverse challenges and identify solutions to problems inside and outside the classroom.

The case for SEL's long-term academic impact is well established. Research shows that students who receive SEL instruction continue to outperform peers who did not receive it, even years after the intervention ends. When students feel heard and supported, their capacity to engage, retain information and perform academically improves substantially. As a result, academic institutions are investing more in counseling services, peer support structures and social development resources.
Discover the value of obtaining the Organizational Development for Social Innovation M.Ed.
5. Emphasizing Access to Education and Closing Gaps Through Policy and Practice

Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, but too often, access to high-quality education is shaped by a student's zip code, socioeconomic status or background. In many under-resourced communities, students face significant barriers that limit academic and personal growth.

Policy changes are necessary to bridge these educational gaps. While K-12 resources are primarily determined at the state level, educators and administrators are increasingly expected to maximize impact within existing constraints, advocating for access while adapting to shifting policy priorities. The ongoing conversation around funding, education access and culturally relevant curriculum is central to this effort.
Uncover the skills you will achieve by choosing the Education Policy M.P.P.
6. Expanding Learning Beyond the Traditional Classroom

While some traditional school environments prioritize a one-teacher approach to education, many institutions recognize the value of informal learning initiatives in providing a more holistic and well-rounded perspective on subject mastery. Informal learning is rooted in the belief that learning can occur in a variety of environments, not just traditional, lecture-style classrooms.

Research increasingly supports the development of dynamic, information-rich environments where students are challenged to solve problems that go beyond memorized answers. These experiences often include peer interaction and the use of both high- and low-tech tools. For example, researchers have studied informal learning taking place in museums, maker-centered learning spaces, and outdoor or indigenous knowledge settings -all of which promote cultural awareness and hands-on problem-solving. These environments not only encourage collaboration but also help students develop critical thinking, creativity and resilience-skills essential for lifelong learning and adapting to complex, real-world challenges.
Explore the career options available with the Community Development and Action M.Ed.
FAQs About Current Trends in Education

Shaping the Future of Learning and Education at Peabody College

Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development is dedicated to turning research into practical solutions that improve education policy and practice. Through hands-on learning opportunities and expert faculty, we prepare educators to drive evidence-based improvements in teaching and learning nationwide and beyond.

At Peabody College, we are committed to:

challenging our graduate students to enter the field ready to make a real difference in the field of education

providing guidance and mentorship so that students can secure their dream career upon graduation

focusing on students' growth as education policy and practice professionals, equipping them with the tools to shape policies that improve learner outcomes and support long-term academic success

If you're ready to learn how to enhance humankind through data-driven education practices, you're in the right place. We invite you to request more information; we will connect you with an admissions professional who can answer your questions about choosing a transformative graduate education degree at Peabody College. You may also take this opportunity to review our admissions requirements and start your online application today.

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Written By:Vanderbilt Peabody College Admissions

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6 Trends in Education Shaping the Future of Learning

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Discover 6 current trends in education and learn how they're transforming teaching and learning in the United States.

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18 Reasons Why Teachers Play A Crucial Role In Society

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18 Reasons Why Teachers Play A Crucial Role In Society

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According to researchers at the University of Cambridge and the publication Studies Weekly, teachers also have a far-reaching societal impact. Their work shows that teacher encouragement increases college enrollment among less-advantaged students by up to 12 percentage points, demonstrating how classroom support can break cycles of inequality. Studies Weekly reports that the average teacher influences more than 3,000 students during their career, and 98% of people believe a great teacher can change a student’s life. Together, these findings illustrate that teachers do far more than instruct—they inspire, create upward mobility, and strengthen the social and economic fabric of communities.

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Teachers are essential members of our society. They are pillars of knowledge, shaping the future of our kids- they are educators, mentors, guides, and inspirations.

Being a teacher is more than a job; it's a calling. You will encourage, lead, teach, and guide, leaving a lasting mark on every child's life.

Beyond the classroom walls, educators' influence extends into our society. Through molding young minds and instilling essential values, teachers contribute to developing well-rounded citizens equipped to navigate societal challenges.

In this article, we'll look at the 12 compelling reasons why teachers are essential for our society.

Let's get started:

Main Responsibilities of a Teacher

Teachers have many responsibilities that extend beyond the classroom, shaping the educational experience and fostering the growth of their students.

The primary duties of teachers include:

When getting ready for class, align your lessons with the established curriculum, define lesson objectives, and Incorporate diverse and engaging teaching strategies to cater to various learning styles.

Effective planning and preparation lays the groundwork for a positive and productive learning environment. With lesson planning, you create dynamic lessons that inspire curiosity for learning among your students.

As a teacher, you can encourage your class participation by establishing open lines of communication and employing diverse teaching techniques, such as group discussions and debates. Increased participation in class enhances the learning experience for each kid. It creates a vibrant and dynamic classroom environment and promotes a deeper understanding of learning.

Additionally, explore and integrate technology tools to create dynamic and interactive teaching materials. You can make your lessons more practical and meaningful by tailoring materials to accommodate different learning styles and developing materials that showcase real-world applications and concepts.

Marking and recording performance allows you to provide constructive feedback. You highlight areas of achievement and weakness and conduct assessments to gauge student understanding of the curriculum.

Grade recording enables you to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of student grades and performance so you can share assessment results with parents to keep them informed about their child's academic journey.

As a teacher, you identify and understand the learning needs of each student and adapt teaching methods, materials, and pace to suit the learning style and abilities. of the students.

You should actively participate in workshops, conferences, and training sessions to stay updated on the latest educational trends, tools, and research. By continuous learning, you enhance your effectiveness and inspire a culture of learning within your classroom.

Effective communication ensures that everyone involved is well-informed and strengthens the overall support system for students.

12 Reasons Teachers Are Crucial for Society.

Teachers are guiding lights in students' journeys, shaping their understanding of the world and unveiling the opportunities it holds.

As students grow and discover the numerous possibilities, teachers nurture their curiosity and ambitions. This influence makes teachers important members of our society.

The foundation laid by teachers shapes the future of a generation and contributes to the progress and prosperity of the broader community. Their impact extends beyond the classroom, resonating throughout society as they empower tomorrow's leaders, thinkers, and contributors.

Here are the reasons that make educators crucial in our communities:

1. Teachers pass their knowledge to younger generations.

Teachers transfer their knowledge to younger generations, creating a continuous societal learning and growth cycle.

As students graduate, they are equipped with the tools to address challenges and make informed decisions. For instance, history empowers students to understand their cultural roots and make informed choices about the future.

To instill knowledge in your class, incorporate real-world examples into your lessons, encourage interactive discussions, and utilize modern teaching aids that resonate with the younger generation's preferences.

2. Teachers help in developing critical thinking skills.

A society with critical thinkers contributes to innovation, effective problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of societal issues.

Employers also value employees who are critical thinkers, ask questions, offer creative ideas, and are always ready to offer innovation against the competition.

When a question is asked in class, students can think critically about what they learned and what they believe to be the answer.

As a teacher, developing critical thinking in school involves designing lessons that encourage analytical thinking, incorporating case studies that prompt discussion, and challenging students with open-ended questions.

Students can also work in groups and engage in discussions that expand their thinking and use their critical thinking skills.

3. Teachers inspire students and parents.

The enthusiasm and dedication teachers bring to their classrooms inspire a love for learning and personal growth. A teacher passionate about literature may inspire students to become advocates for literacy.

In society, inspired students become motivated individuals who, in turn, inspire positive change within their neighborhood.

To inspire your students in class, share personal stories of inspiration, connect lessons to real-world examples, and engage with parents to communicate the impact of education on their children.

4. Teachers are role models.

Teachers naturally become role models, influencing academic growth and shaping the values and character of their students.

Society often looks up to teachers, mirroring their behavior and attitudes. For instance, a teacher who is resilient to challenges can inspire children to adopt a positive mindset and pursue teaching roles.

To inspire your class, be mindful of your words and actions, and consistently demonstrate integrity, empathy, and a commitment to lifelong learning. As students continue to interact with you throughout their academic journey, speak to them about values, behaviors, and attitudes.

5. Teachers connect with their community.

Teachers connect with their communities, forging partnerships that enhance society's well-being.

Teachers actively engage with local stakeholders, parents, and community leaders. For example, a teacher organizing community outreach programs fosters shared responsibility for students' educational journey.

You can connect with your community by organizing community events, collaborating with local organizations, and involving parents in the learning process.

A strong connection with the community enriches the educational experience for students and creates a supportive network that positively impacts society.

6. Teachers connect students.

Students learn more when they feel cared for and valued by their teachers. Positive teacher-student relationships change student behavior for the good.

For instance, a teacher facilitating group projects encourages students to collaborate, fostering teamwork and mutual understanding, forming the foundation of a cohesive and interconnected society.

You can connect with your students by creating an inclusive classroom, encouraging open communication, and organizing team-building activities. Also, promoting a culture of respect and empathy helps students appreciate the unique strengths each of them brings to the learning experience.

7. Teachers boost confidence in their students.

Teachers build confidence in students since they are among the most influential figures for students throughout their learning years. Students' self-worth and confidence will increase if given leadership roles in class.

Confident students are better equipped to face challenges, express themselves, and contribute actively to their communities.

To boost confidence in class, you can offer your students leadership opportunities and organize talent shows and class presentations. Recognize individual strengths and create a supportive learning environment that encourages risk-taking.

8. Teachers motivate students to pursue their dreams.

Teachers are motivators, inspiring students to dream big and pursue their aspirations. For example, a teacher encouraging a student's passion for the arts may inspire them to pursue a creative career that enriches the cultural landscape of society.

Motivation is reflected in a society when members are driven to achieve their goals, contributing to personal fulfillment and societal progress.

As a teacher, you can identify and nurture students' interests, provide mentorship, and share stories of successful individuals who overcame challenges to achieve their dreams.

Cultivating a positive and encouraging atmosphere in the classroom encourages students to believe in their potential.

9. Teachers build communities for children's growth.

Building a community classroom is a great way to help students make new friends and work together as a team. Teachers build communities within classrooms, creating environments conducive to learning and nurturing growth.

As a teacher, you can build communities in class by facilitating collaborative projects, promoting inclusivity, and encouraging students to appreciate and respect their differences.

Establishing classroom routines that promote teamwork and empathy helps build a sense of community development.

10. Teachers assist in the holistic development of the child

Holistic learning is a way of teaching that covers academics, emotions, and social skills. Students learn to think about their actions and how they affect their community, as well as learn from their environment.

Holistic development results in an academically proficient society with strong interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and a sense of responsibility.

You can incorporate diverse teaching methods to assess students' needs and create a positive and inclusive classroom culture.

Encouraging extracurricular activities like clubs or sports provides additional avenues for holistic development.

11. Teachers develop peace in society.

Teachers guide students on behavioral issues like reducing anger, hostility, and other extreme emotions. As a result, they assist the students in learning how to cope with challenging situations without being violent.

Teachers contribute to developing a society that values peaceful coexistence and understanding by instilling these values.

To incorporate peace learning in your class, integrate lessons on tolerance, emphasize the importance of respectful communication, and create opportunities for students to engage in community service projects that promote social harmony.

Emphasizing the value of empathy and encouraging students to express their opinions while respecting others' viewpoints helps create a culture of peace within the classroom.

12. Teachers demonstrate the importance of education.

Teachers serve as living examples of the impact education can have on individuals and society. Their commitment to lifelong learning and passion for subjects inspire students to recognize the power of education.

By consistently demonstrating your enthusiasm for learning, you inspire students to value education and contribute to a societal mindset recognizing education as a lifelong journey of exploration and growth.

In class, you can share personal stories of educational achievements and challenges, connect lessons to real-world applications, and highlight the diverse career opportunities that education can unlock.

How to Become a Teacher and Make an Impact on Society.

Teaching is a fulfilling and rewarding career. You guide, teach, inspire, and shape the minds of future generations while contributing significantly to society.

There are various routes to becoming a teacher, but the traditional path remains the most common among prospective educators.

Here are the key steps to embark on this rewarding career and make a positive impact on society:

1. Get a bachelor's degree in education.

You must hold at least a bachelor's degree to meet the requirements of a teaching position. You can pursue a degree in education or a specific subject area, depending on the grade level and subject you intend to teach.

Requirements for admission to a bachelor's degree include a high school diploma or equivalent, standardized test scores, and completion of prerequisite coursework.

You should also ensure that the program you choose aligns with the certification or licensure requirements of the state or country where you plan to teach.

2. Pass the required teaching exams.

You need to pass state-required teaching exams to obtain certification or licensure. These exams assess knowledge of teaching methods, subject-specific content, and pedagogical principles.

Requirements vary by state, so you should familiarize yourself with the specific exams mandated in the region you intend to teach.

To pass these tests, you need test preparation programs , which include study guides and practice tests. Also, ensure timely registration to progress smoothly through the certification process.

3. Get Certified.

Certification requirements vary by state, so find out your state's teaching certification requirements to begin the process.

In many states, you usually have to pass three Praxis tests . These tests cover different subjects and teaching skills. Some states also require another test called Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching.

If you already have a college degree in a non-teaching field, most states offer alternative teacher certification programs .

These programs let you start teaching immediately with a more experienced teacher guiding you. After finishing this program, you'll get full certification.

4. Pass the background check.

You will undergo a background check as part of the teacher certification process. This check ensures that you have a clean legal record and are suitable to work with students.

You will provide relevant personal information and may submit fingerprints for a thorough background investigation. Address potential concerns or discrepancies in your background proactively and transparently during certification.

6. Start applying for teaching jobs.

Once certified, you can start applying for teaching positions in schools or educational institutions. Prepare a well-crafted resume highlighting education, relevant experience, and additional certifications or endorsements.

Tailor your application materials for each position, emphasizing how your skills and experiences align with the job's requirements.

Be proactive in networking, attend job fairs, and explore online platforms to increase your chances of finding suitable teaching opportunities. The application process may involve interviews, teaching demonstrations, and reference checks.

Become a Teacher Your Community Needs.

Teachers are important contributors to society. They pass on knowledge, foster critical thinking skills, inspire students and parents, serve as role models, and play a role in the holistic development of children.

Teachers are also promoters of peace, motivators for pursuing dreams, and builders of communities, thereby influencing society positively.

A career in teaching is noble and fulfilling, and Teachers of Tomorrow is here to guide you every step of the way with our alternative teacher certification program.

Teachers of Tomorrow is the leading alternative certification program with 16+ years of experience. We've successfully guided countless teachers, making their transition into teaching seamless and rewarding.

We have created a best-in-class alternative teacher certification program to ensure we meet the needs of career changers who want to come into the teaching profession, our schools who need talent now, and students who want a highly professional, engaging teacher.

We have streamlined the process of becoming a teacher by creating an affordable, convenient, and engaging route for teacher candidates. Begin your teaching journey now.

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12 Reasons Why Teachers Play A Crucial Role In Society 2024

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Teachers are essential members of our society. They are pillars of knowledge, shaping the future of our kids- they are educators, mentors, guides, and

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For Leaders, From Leaders: Mindset Shifts for Sustainable Change

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For Leaders, From Leaders: Mindset Shifts for Sustainable Change

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Strong leadership can make or break a shift to personalized, competency-based learning and a more student-centered approach. Investing in leadership training and focusing on mindset shifts at the outset can help create sustainable transformation. “When people started visiting Kettle Moraine, I could step back and listen to my teachers talk about the culture they worked in and realize that we built that. It wasn’t a Theresa thing,” said Ewald. “And when I left the district, the practices were so ingrained and so deep that a leadership change didn’t have the impact I thought it would have. People come to Kettle Moraine and they say, ‘I’ve never felt a school like this.’ Our kids love their school. People feel that. Experiencing that kind of a learning environment is an opportunity to feel hope.”

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While shifting practices in the classroom is still a critical part of implementing personalized, competency-based learning, a good leader can ensure long-term sustainability and systems-level change.

For Theresa Ewald, former assistant superintendent of Kettle Moraine School District in Wales, Wisconsin, her true passion is in coaching leaders to realize their visions for a more student-centered approach. After retiring with more than 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator, she recognizes the power of shifting thinking about instructional leadership.

"I believe in modeling and culture to my core, and that starts with changing how we lead." - Theresa Ewald

Bob Knisely, a middle school principal with Perry Local Schools in Perry, Ohio, agrees that it's important to model behavior and set an example for other teachers and leaders to follow as they advance in their own careers. Knisely, recently named the Ohio Principal of the Year, said, "You do things how you've experienced them," and credits the modeling of his principal when he was a classroom teacher for instilling this in him. "Especially at first, when you don't know any better. That's served me well."

Below are insights for leaders, from leaders, to support a shift to a more personalized, competency-based learning environment.

For educators to let go of control in the classroom, leaders and administrators have to cede power, too.

"We can't have teachers do for kids what we don't do for teachers," said Ewald. "We can't have a top-down management strategy or script all their stuff and expect them to do differently with kids."

Distributed leadership, where decision-making happens via a group versus a single person, is an example of what this kind of leadership approach can look like. Deion Jordan, a teaching and learning director at KnowledgeWorks, saw this in action in his previous role at Crosstown High School in Memphis, Tennessee.

"During my time at Crosstown High, we'd been in a state of stagnation, focused on administrative tasks as opposed to instruction. The leadership team made the decision to forgo the traditional principal role and opted for distributed leadership, or holistic leadership," said Jordan, former director of competency-based learning with Crosstown High School. "We created an instructional leadership team tasked with oversight of three primary areas: competency-based learning, project-based learning and pedagogy, while also empowering our strongest teachers to lead grade-level teams and academic departments."

Jordan said the school's shared vision held everyone accountable to the strategic plan, and to have an active role in continuous quality improvement. This distributed leadership approach enabled staff to distribute the learning, innovating, action and accountability across a group of capable individuals, including learners.

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For Leaders, From Leaders: Mindset Shifts for Sustainable Change

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A growth mindset for education leaders creates space for innovation and systems change. Here's how it could look.

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What Does It Mean to Embody Transformational Leadership in Education?

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What Does It Mean to Embody Transformational Leadership in Education?

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A transactional leader deploys penalties and rewards to motivate followers, while a transformational leader empowers followers to become leaders and work toward lasting change. Transformational leaders give individual consideration to their followers’ personal and professional development as part of any initiative. They model desired behaviors, challenge the status quo in their organizations, and encourage followers to reach their best selves.

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What Does It Mean to Embody Transformational Leadership in Education?

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Originally viewed through the lens of business and government, transformational leadership is particularly effective in education because it involves shared visions of success. This model emphasizes collaboration, open communication, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

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UNESCO: What you need to know about education and why it matters

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UNESCO: What you need to know about education and why it matters

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Education is one of the most powerful tools for lifting excluded children and adults out of poverty and is an enabler of other fundamental human rights. It is a cornerstone of peace, justice, and resilience in the face of today’s most pressing global challenges. It forms the foundation of democratic society, and the right to education is protected under international law.

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What you need to know about education and why it matters

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Education is a fundamental human right. It empowers individuals, strengthens communities and fosters inclusive societies. At the heart of UNESCO’s mission, education is a lifelong process that equips

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Education: Constitutional Democracy’s Predicate and Product

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Education: Constitutional Democracy’s Predicate and Product

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This is the context for renewed arguments for recognition of a federal right to education. Those arguments address not only courts but also legislatures and the broader public and can animate political and programmatic changes addressed to the pressing issues of quality, equity, and preparation of self-government that the Constitution both presumes and inspires.

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Education: Constitutional Democracy’s Predicate and Product - South Carolina Law Review

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Martha Minow[1]* The combination of a global pandemic and global jeopardy to democracies exacerbates deficiencies in American education for children and youth and underscores the critical importance of renewed and amplified investments of resources and ideas. Underinvestment and stark disparities in educational opportunities persist across the nation. Inequities follow zip code and students’ family income, […]

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It might seem counterintuitive to envision colleges in a metropolitan area cooperating (rather than competing) more in an era of financial pain than in times of plenty. But I’d argue that the old way of operating—vying for traditional-age students right out of high school—is going to be an insufficient strategy for most colleges going forward. The more fruitful approach for most will include providing new kinds of programs and services for learners they haven’t necessarily served before (like working adults), and most institutions are going to be better off doing that work with partners than on their own.

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Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs

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Should We Coordinate Higher Ed at the City Level? (column)

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Could we create metro-area councils to better organize the work that postsecondary providers do for their communities’ learners, employers and citizens?

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The $5.5 trillion talent crisis starts in kindergarten

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The $5.5 trillion talent crisis starts in kindergarten

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Education isn’t separate from workforce development—it is workforce development. And right now, we’re systematically underinvesting in the only people capable of building the pipeline at scale: America’s 3.2 million K-12 teachers. They are the largest workforce development system in the country. We just don’t treat them that way.

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The $5.5 trillion talent crisis starts in kindergarten

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Here’s why the talent pipeline is failing long before job training even starts.

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Envisioning Educator Roles for Transformation

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Envisioning Educator Roles for Transformation

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In Envisioning Educator Roles for Transformation, we look ahead 10 years to imagine future educator roles that promise to help education systems support students of all races and ethnicities, incomes and identities in pursuing learning experiences that enable them to uncover their passions and thrive in an evolving world.

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Envisioning Educator Roles for Transformation

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In Envisioning Educator Roles for Transformation, KnowledgeWorks looks ahead 10 years to imagine future educator roles that help education systems support all students.

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A Principles-Based Approach to Systemic Transformation

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A Principles-Based Approach to Systemic Transformation

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The Moravian University Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership embodies this reimagined approach. Unlike traditional doctoral programs that separate theory from practice, this program interweaves reflection and action through the lens of five learner-centered principles from Education Reimagined: agency, competency-based learning, personalized-relevant-contextualized learning, open-walled learning, and socially-embedded learning. Through these principles, leaders develop the capacity to turn their kaleidoscope of experiences while crafting solutions at their leadership workbench.

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At the intersection of AI advancement, systemic inequity, and an unpredictable future lies an opportunity to reimagine educational leadership. Two powerful metaphors illuminate this reimagined approach: the kaleidoscope and the workbench. Like a kaleidoscope, transformational leaders must constantly shift their perspective, allowing their identity, lived experience, and theoretical understanding to create dynamic patterns of possibility. When a kaleidoscope turns, new configurations emerge-just as leaders must help their communities discover new ways of thinking and being. The workbench represents the tactical space where these insights transform into action. Here, leaders prototype solutions, refine approaches, and craft interventions that address their communities' unique needs. Together, these metaphors capture leadership as both an art and a craft, where continuous reflection meets practical application.

This dual nature of leadership-reflective and action-oriented-is precisely what today's educational challenges demand. Schools, districts, higher education institutions, and workplace learning environments face unprecedented complexity: integrating rapidly evolving AI technologies, dismantling systemic inequities, and preparing humanity for a future we can barely imagine. These challenges require more than conventional leadership development-they demand a fundamental rethinking of how we prepare educational leaders to navigate complexity and drive meaningful change.

The Moravian University Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership embodies this reimagined approach. Unlike traditional doctoral programs that separate theory from practice, this program interweaves reflection and action through the lens of five learner-centered principles from Education Reimagined: agency, competency-based learning, personalized-relevant-contextualized learning, open-walled learning, and socially-embedded learning. Through these principles, leaders develop the capacity to turn their kaleidoscope of experiences while crafting solutions at their leadership workbench. This article explores how these principles come to life in the program, examining both the theoretical foundations and practical applications that are already transforming diverse learning environments. Through case studies and emerging impacts, we'll see how this approach is equipping leaders to redesign systems for a more equitable and human-centered future.

Living the Principles: Leadership Through Experience

The Moravian Ed.D. program transforms the five learner-centered principles from theoretical constructs into lived experiences. Through intentionally designed, interconnected learning experiences, leaders discover how these principles reinforce and amplify each other, creating a powerful framework for systemic change. Each principle serves both as a lens for understanding leadership and as a practical tool for transformation, allowing leaders to deeply internalize approaches they will later implement in their own contexts.

Agency manifests through experiences that challenge leaders to move beyond traditional notions of authority and control. In Adaptive Leadership sprints, leaders critically examine workplace challenges through the lens of their own involvement in maintaining current systems. By embracing vulnerability in reflective writing and engaging in structured partner dialogues, participants uncover how their beliefs and actions might inadvertently sustain the status quo. As one participant noted, "These exercises forced me to confront my own role in perpetuating outdated practices while giving me the tools to envision and implement new approaches." This deep engagement with agency not only builds self-awareness but also develops the confidence needed to catalyze change in complex systems.

The program's commitment to personalized, relevant, and contextualized learning manifests in every aspect of the leader's journey. Through structured co-design sessions, faculty collaborate with leaders to craft action research pathways that address pressing challenges in their specific contexts. An assistant principal exploring equity in support services, a corporate learning leader reimagining hybrid professional development, and a higher education administrator exploring initiatives to design for belonging, each receive tailored guidance to connect theoretical frameworks with their unique circumstances. This deliberate alignment ensures that every project, reading, and learning experience serves dual purposes: advancing the leader's immediate work while building transferable approaches to transformation. The result is a learning journey where theory and practice aren't just connected-they're inseparable.

Competency-based learning in the program transcends traditional assessment models by placing leaders' voices at the center of their developmental journey. Through structured self-reflection processes, leaders assess their growth across fourteen action research skills and mindsets, while regular updates to Leadership Manifestos and Impact Portfolios document their unique trajectory. One student wrote, "And in a sort of meta way, I have to keep reminding myself I don't always have to collect quantitative data as we often feel compelled to do...because that's just how we've been programmed to think within the larger system. It's one of those deep-seated assumptions we need to question." Rather than measuring progress against standardized benchmarks, leaders use their agency to determine, with faculty support, which competencies and strengths will best serve their unique contexts. They then craft personalized measures of success, treating their workbench as a laboratory for developing their leadership capacities. Progress is measured not by time spent, but by meaningful growth in areas that matter most to each leader's transformational work.

Open-walled learning expands leaders' perspectives beyond traditional academic boundaries through immersive experiences that illuminate systemic transformation. A visit to The High Line in New York City during the summer residency served as a powerful case study, demonstrating how collaborative leadership and adaptive thinking transformed an abandoned railway into a thriving community space. Leaders analyzed how stakeholders navigated complex challenges, challenged established norms, and reimagined possibilities-parallels they draw to their own work in educational transformation. Similarly, exploring the history of Bethlehem Steel revealed crucial lessons about organizational adaptation and the consequences of resisting change. These experiences are enriched by monthly dialogues with guest speakers and panelists who bring diverse perspectives from across sectors. From mindset experts to social entrepreneurs, these voices challenge leaders to expand their definition of what's possible in educational transformation. Through these open-walled experiences, leaders develop new mental models for understanding and approaching systemic change.

Socially-embedded learning permeates the program's design, fostering a vibrant community of practitioner-scholars who learn with and through each other. Through regular inquiry sessions, leaders engage in dialogical pedagogy-a collaborative approach where knowledge emerges through structured dialogue rather than traditional lecture. Together, they unpack foundational frameworks like The Three Box Strategy, The Human School Compass, and Adaptive Leadership, examining how these theories resonate within their diverse professional contexts. A leader implementing competency-based assessment might gain insights from a colleague redesigning corporate training, while another's experience with equity initiatives sparks new thinking about community engagement. This collaborative meaning-making builds more than just understanding-it creates a network of trust, belonging, and shared purpose that amplifies each leader's capacity to drive systemic transformation. The relationships formed through these socially-embedded experiences become a lasting resource for continued growth and innovation.

In the Moravian Ed.D. program, these five learner-centered principles aren't just theoretical constructs-they are the lived architecture of leadership development. The principles work in concert: agency empowers leaders to drive their learning journey, which becomes deeply personalized, relevant, and contextualized to their work. This growth is measured through competency-based progression, enriched by open-walled experiences, and amplified through socially-embedded learning. This intentional integration creates a powerful learning environment where theory and practice converge, preparing leaders who don't just understand transformation-they embody it. The following case studies illustrate how participants translate these principles into action, creating meaningful change in their professional contexts.

Leadership cannot be reduced to a standardized set of tools or competencies. Instead, it must be experienced, embodied, and lived-with each leader developing their unique capacity for transformative change.
Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss

Transforming Learning Through Action: Case Studies from the Moravian Ed.D.

Living the principles within the Ed.D. program is just the beginning-the real power emerges as leaders apply these frameworks to transform their own learning environments. Through carefully designed projects rooted in the five learner-centered principles, leaders in the Moravian Ed.D. program are beginning to create conditions for meaningful change in their diverse contexts. Their work demonstrates how theoretical understanding transforms into practical impact, as they help colleagues and stakeholders engage with new approaches to longstanding challenges. The following cases illustrate the beginnings of transformation in action, starting with a project that reimagined professional development for new teachers by leveraging technology to increase both agency and engagement.

In one PK12 learning environment, a persistent challenge emerged: how to deliver engaging, effective professional development for new teachers in a virtual environment. Traditional online PD often defaulted to passive webinars, leaving teachers disconnected and disengaged. Drawing on Malcolm Knowles' adult learning theory and constructivist approaches, this leader redesigned the experience to put teacher agency and personalization at the center.
The transformational work reimagined Zoom sessions as collaborative learning spaces where teachers actively shaped their development journey. At the start of each module, teachers selected focus areas relevant to their immediate classroom needs-from classroom management to student engagement strategies. Interactive tools like breakout rooms and collaborative whiteboards transformed passive listening into active co-creation of knowledge. Teachers worked in small groups to analyze classroom scenarios, share successful strategies, and prototype solutions to common challenges.

Two principles particularly drove this transformation. Agency manifested as teachers moved from passive recipients to active owners of their learning-choosing topics, contributing expertise, and directing their growth. The personalized, relevant, and contextualized nature of the experience emerged through teachers selecting challenges from their own classrooms and co-creating solutions applicable to their specific contexts. Through this approach, professional learning transformed from an imposed process to a teacher-driven journey of growth.

In a corporate learning environment, leaders faced a critical challenge: balancing the need for scaled digital learning with employees' desire for personalized development experiences. Traditional one-size-fits-all digital platforms often led to low engagement and limited application of learning. Informed by user experience design principles and adult learning theory, this leader undertook a systematic redesign of the learning ecosystem.

The transformational work began with deep listening-conducting surveys, interviews, and focus groups to understand learner preferences and pain points. The resulting intervention created flexible pathways that combined synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities. Scientists could choose learning formats aligned with their preferences while accessing a curated digital resource library. Regular feedback loops and collaborative design sessions ensured the learning experience evolved with learner needs. Most significantly, the project established communities of practice where scientists shared expertise and co-created learning resources.

Two principles anchored this transformation. Personalized, relevant, and contextualized learning emerged through tailored pathways that respected scientists' expertise and learning preferences. The socially-embedded nature of the intervention manifested in the collaborative design process and peer learning communities, shifting learning from an isolated activity to a collective endeavor. Through this approach, digital learning evolved from a standardized requirement to a dynamic, community-driven experience.

In a higher education music program, a persistent challenge emerged: how to help students manage performance anxiety while developing their artistic voice. Traditional approaches focused solely on technical skill development, overlooking the emotional and psychological dimensions of musical performance. Drawing on research in mindfulness and performance psychology, this leader designed an integrated approach to musician development.

The transformational work embedded mindfulness practices directly into individual music lessons. The intervention began with simple breathing exercises and centering techniques, gradually expanding to include visualization and pre-performance routines. Each practice was tailored to address specific challenges-from audition anxiety to creative blocks. Regular reflection sessions helped students identify triggers and develop personalized coping strategies. Faculty collaboration sessions created spaces to share successful approaches and adapt techniques for different instruments and performance contexts.

Two principles guided this transformation. Personalized, relevant, and contextualized learning manifested through individually tailored mindfulness practices that addressed each student's unique performance challenges. Agency emerged as students learned to recognize their stress patterns and actively choose appropriate regulation strategies, moving from passive recipients of instruction to confident managers of their own performance experience. Through this approach, music education transformed from a purely technical pursuit to a holistic journey of artistic development.

Across these diverse contexts-from PK12 professional development to corporate learning environments to higher education-leaders are demonstrating how learner-centered principles catalyze meaningful change. Each case reveals a common pattern: when leaders deeply understand and thoughtfully apply these principles, they begin to create conditions for transformation that ripple beyond their immediate intervention. Teacher professional development shifts from passive to active engagement, corporate learning evolves from standardized to community-driven experiences, and music education expands from technical training to holistic development. While these cases represent early steps in longer journeys of transformation, they illustrate the power of reimagining leadership through a learner-centered lens. They remind us that transformation begins not with sweeping reforms, but with carefully designed interventions that shift mindsets and create new possibilities.

Conclusion

The Moravian University Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership demonstrates that reimagining leadership development isn't just possible-it's essential for meeting today's educational challenges. By fully embedding the five learner-centered principles, the program creates a unique alchemy where theory and practice merge to foster genuine transformation.

The early evidence is compelling. Leaders are already redesigning professional learning environments, reimagining student support systems, and transforming approaches to growth and development. These changes, though still emerging, show how learner-centered principles can guide the redesign of educational systems at every level. From PK12 classrooms to corporate learning spaces, leaders are proving that transformation begins with reimagining what's possible.

Like a kaleidoscope, each leader's unique experiences and insights combine with theory and practice to create innovative patterns of possibility. But it's at their individual leadership workbenches where these patterns transform into reality. Unlike traditional programs that provide standardized tools and predetermined solutions, the Moravian Ed.D. offers leaders a rich array of theoretical frameworks, practical approaches, and adaptive strategies. Each leader selects, combines, and adapts these tools to craft solutions unique to their context and challenges. Some might reach for design thinking methodologies while others gravitate toward participatory action research. Some might employ narrative inquiry while others leverage systems mapping. The workbench becomes a deeply personal space where each leader's identity, context, and aspirations shape their approach to transformation.

This dual nature of leadership-reflective and action-oriented-is precisely what today's unprecedented challenges demand. As leaders navigate the integration of AI technologies, work to dismantle systemic inequities, and prepare learning communities for an unpredictable future, they need both the kaleidoscope's ability to reveal new patterns of possibility and the workbench's capacity to transform those possibilities into reality. The five learner-centered principles provide the framework for this transformative work: agency empowers leaders to take bold action, competency-based approaches ensure deep mastery, personalization connects theory to context, open-walled experiences broaden perspective, and socially-embedded learning amplifies collective impact.

As the first cohort approaches graduation in 2026, their diverse approaches to change validate a crucial insight: preparing leaders to reimagine systems begins with reimagining how we prepare them. Leadership cannot be reduced to a standardized set of tools or competencies. Instead, it must be experienced, embodied, and lived-with each leader developing their unique capacity for transformative change. The future of education demands leaders who can both envision new possibilities and create the conditions for transformation. This journey begins at the workbench, where reflection leads to action, where theory meets practice, and where each leader crafts their unique path toward systemic change. For it is here, at the intersection of reflection and action, that the future of education takes shape-one leader, one workbench, one transformation at a time.

Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss

Director of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Program in Transformational Leadership, Moravian University

Chad Evans

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Moravian Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership

Rachel Girman

Graduate Research Assistant, Moravian University

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A Principles-Based Approach to Systemic Transformation

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Unlike traditional doctoral programs that separate theory from practice, Moravian University's Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership program interweaves reflection and action through the lens of five learner-centered principles from Education Reimagined.

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UNESCO’s Futures of Education Programme anticipates and imagines new possibilities for education. It looks beyond the immediacy of today and tomorrow and takes a longer-term view of the purposes, functions and processes of education. Because education shapes the future, it is vital to generate ideas and suggest orientation to construct the future of education.

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In 2019 UNESCO Director-General convened an independent International Commission to work under the leadership of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, H.E. President Sahle-Work Zewde, and develop a global report on the Futures of Education.

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From Classroom to Catalyst: How Educators Are Reimagining the Future 

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From Classroom to Catalyst: How Educators Are Reimagining the Future 

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In this compelling TEDx talk, Benita Gordon draws on over two decades of experience in education to reimagine what learning can look like beyond the traditional school model. As a veteran teacher, consultant, and advocate for progressive and disruptive education, Benita explores how educators can step outside conventional boundaries to design new pathways for learners, communities, and leaders.

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From Classroom to Catalyst: How Educators Are Reimagining the Future | Benita Gordon | TEDxOvertown

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What kind of leadership will it take to transform education?

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What kind of leadership will it take to transform education?

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Around the world, bold and imaginative leaders are showing what’s possible. These leaders—from students to policymakers—remind us that leadership isn’t defined by position, but by the courage to ask deeper questions. If we’re serious about shaping a different future, we must ask: What is the purpose of education? And what kind of leadership do we need to meet this moment? At the Global Forum for Shaping a Better Future earlier this year, students, educators, and other system leaders from across the globe came together to take on these questions. Five key building blocks of the leadership we need to transform education—and to build a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world—emerged.

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Radha Ruparell, Chief Learning Officer, Inner & Systems Leadership, Teach For All

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What kind of leadership will it take to transform education?

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We are living through a convergence of global crises. Nearly half the world’s population is under 30, yet many young people are growing up amidst deep uncertainty: 244 million children and youth are out of school 1 in 7 adolescents experiences a mental health disorder Over 100 million young people are growing up amid instability or armed conflict Climate disasters are now displacing more young people than conflict The systems meant to prepare young people to shape and lead the future—especially education—are not keeping pace with the world’s realities. Designed for another era, our education systems are too often outdated, inequitable, and disconnected from the challenges young people face. Yet there is hope. Around the world, bold and imaginative leaders are showing what’s possible. These leaders—from students to policymakers—remind us that leadership isn’t defined by position, but by the courage to ask deeper questions. If we’re serious about shaping a different future, we must ask: What is the purpose of education? And what kind of leadership do we need to meet this moment? At the Global Forum for Shaping a Better Future earlier this year, students, educators, and other system leaders from across the globe came together to take on these questions. Five key building blocks of the leadership we need to transform education—and to build a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world—emerged: 1. Challenge Outdated Paradigms Education still clings to a paradigm shaped by the Industrial Age: narrowly focused on knowledge and skills, designed to produce efficient workers. In a world evolving faster than ever, that approach is no longer enough. The philanthropist and changemaker Lam Nguyen-Phuong describes the “triple divide” that defines our era: disconnection from ourselves, from one another, and from the planet. Responding to these challenges demands that we educate young people, and grow their leadership, in a radically different way than in the past. “Education is just a mirror of society, and it’s clear it’s not working,” Lam says. It’s time for leaders who aren’t just tweaking broken systems, but who are bold enough to reimagine them. There is a growing call to redefine the purpose of education—not only as a pathway to academic achievement, but also as a way to grow whole human beings who embody: a deep awareness of themselves and the world; a felt sense of interconnectedness; the agency to take on the challenges they’ve inherited; and the wellbeing and belonging to thrive in uncertain times. 2. Lead Systemically and Embrace Collective Intelligence Today’s challenges—conflict, inequity, environmental collapse—aren’t just complex, they’re deeply interwoven. We can’t address one without touching another. And we can’t transform education in fragments, because education itself is not separate from these broader societal crises; it’s shaped by them, and often reproduces them. We need to see our work as systemic, and we need the collective leadership of many diverse leaders tackling the challenge from different angles, across the whole system. This requires growing our relational capacities. Despite our best intentions, human relationships are often fraught—conflicts escalate into wars, and we harm each other. Our connection to the Earth mirrors this: we dump plastic into oceans, cut down forests, and urbanize spaces that once gave us clean air. The common denominator in all this is humans themselves, says Faith Abiodun, Executive Director, United World Colleges (UWC) International: “We must invest in humans and ensure that a different kind of human emerges.” Faith calls for leadership that is deliberately inclusive, bringing people together across lines of difference, and building systems that equip young people to see interdependence and act collectively. Many of UWC’s 85,000+ alumni have gone on to lead in government, civil society, and across sectors, not because they are taught the “right answers,” but because their education developed their ability to hold complexity, navigate difference, and think systemically. That’s the kind of capacity we need to grow in more young people, those who will inherit these increasingly “wicked” intertwined challenges. But as Xavier Prats Monné, former Director-General for Education and Culture at the European Commission, reminds us, thinking systemically isn’t enough. Systemic change isn’t possible without engaging across siloes, and that’s often where things break down. Collaboration gets tripped up by the small things: the words we use, the assumptions we make, the unspoken pressures that remain unnamed. Too often, we lead with our own solutions instead of listening deeply to others’ truths. Even when we claim to value multiple perspectives, we often don’t slow down long enough to really hear them. If we want to co-create something genuinely new, we must build the muscle to sit with discomfort longer, and listen more fiercely. 3. Elevate Lived Experience and Stay Proximate Transforming education demands the active participation of many diverse stakeholders, especially those whose wisdom has been excluded by the very systems we seek to change. Angie Murimirwa, CEO of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), challenges us to move beyond celebrating exceptional “success stories” and instead build systems that serve every child. The goal isn’t to applaud the 5% who survive the odds: it’s to dismantle the odds altogether. “How do we go beyond celebration of monuments,” she urges, “and build movements for education for the most marginalized?” Raised in a rural village in Zimbabwe, Angie herself beat a system stacked against her from birth. That deep knowledge of what’s truly at stake fuels her work, igniting a movement that educates girls from the most marginalized communities. Her organization has activated over 315,000 women across Africa, each personally supporting three more girls to complete their education. This is the multiplier effect in action: investing in those who have experienced injustice unleashes urgency and deeply-rooted wisdom essential to tackling entrenched challenges. Angie’s example reminds us that leadership is not just about stepping forward, it’s also about lifting others to lead. That means including voices often overlooked: parents who never attended school, community elders, religious leaders wielding real influence in their communities. Transforming education is not a single-sector issue, but a societal one: only a broad, diverse coalition can take it on together. And for those in power, it means staying proximate—co-creating change with, not for, those most affected. Kira Orange Jones, CEO of Teach Plus and former elected official, embodies this principle. She combines high-level systemic leadership with deep listening to frontline educators, demonstrating how proximity can fuel resilience and creativity. Amid political division and daily upheaval shaking the education system, Kira found her anchor in a group of 24 dynamic teachers committed to changing US national policy. Working tirelessly with congressional offices nationwide, their firsthand understanding of student realities motivated them to “roll up their sleeves” and stay persistent and generative, rather than falling into polarized extremes. Proximity is not a gesture, it is a leadership commitment. Without it, lasting, broad change remains out of reach. 4. Treat Students as Equal Partners Too often, students are excluded from shaping decisions about their own future. Even when they are included, it’s often in tokenistic or performative ways. The example of Lindsey Huahuamullo, a student leader from Peru and CEO of Wake Up Now—a youth-led organization impacting over 13,000 students across Latin America—shows us why that’s a mistake. Her team of teens leads peer-to-peer programs on emotional wellbeing, critical thinking, and student-designed social innovations—from podcasts to video games that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and improve local communities. “Students must be treated as equal partners in the fight for equity and in the fight for a better future of education,” Lindsey says. “We are not just leaders of the future. We are leaders of today.” True leadership means treating students as real co-creators in redesigning the education systems they live inside every day. It also means listening, not just inviting them to speak. The experience of Indian student leader Sairaj Sagaram and his classmates offers a grim proof point: even after they took the initiative to form a student advisory council and raise urgent concerns about mental health, it took a student’s suicide before adults in the system finally acted. “There was space for us to raise our voices,” Sairaj shares, “but they were not ready to listen.” Tokenism isn’t partnership. Listening without acting isn’t leadership. If we want education to be relevant and just, we must trust students as full partners in shaping it. 5. Cultivate Love and Compassion with Discipline Love is not a soft skill. It is a leadership discipline, and perhaps the most urgent one. Kathleen Chew, a Malaysian lawyer, social entrepreneur, and mother of seven, tells the story of a 24-year-old Irish nun who founded the mission school where Kathleen herself was educated decades ago. This nun had no résumé of accolades or a national policy agenda. But she had vision—and love. She saw each student deeply, valuing not just academic excellence, but also character, kindness, and courage. From that school emerged leaders like Malaysia’s first female Central Bank Governor. But for Kathleen, the nun’s real impact wasn’t about titles, it was how her love shaped generations. “It was child-centered education without the jargon: it was her love for each one and her desire to see each one thrive,” Kathleen says. Shaheen Mistri, CEO of Teach For India, reminds us that leadership isn’t about grand gestures, but about small acts of love—and that this takes practice to cultivate. “It is small, messy, difficult inner work to be able to respond in the way that you would want, with the value system that you want to lead with, when life throws situations at you,” she shares. One of the most valuable lessons about this came through an ambitious student-led production: a 90-page, Sufi-inspired, Hamilton-style musical. Far more than a performance, it became a vehicle to grow student leadership and bring to life the values of liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice. In early rehearsals, tensions ran high: kids fighting and screaming, some refusing to sit with peers from different faiths. Shaheen knew their bold vision would only be possible if the love in the room was greater than the task ahead. She led with love, and helped the students do the same. When the 10-year-old lead fell ill on the day of the performance, it was her peers—showering her with love—who lifted her up. Their belief in her gave her strength. And she rose to give the performance of her life. * * * We are at a turning point. The challenges we face are deeply ingrained in our social fabric, demanding more than surface-level change. Transformation will take not just new learning, but unlearning—of the mindsets, beliefs, and systems that do not serve our shared future. Education can be a force in this: not just preparing young people to navigate the world as it is, but enabling them to shape the world as it should be. This moment calls for collective leadership, fiercely generative thinking, and everyday acts of love, so that young people can grow into leaders who will shape a better future for all. The Shaping a Better Future Blog Series explores the purpose and practices of education and the progress we can collectively make to ensure all students have access to the holistic education they need to shape a better future.

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Empathy, Dignity, and Courageous Action in Schools

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Empathy, Dignity, and Courageous Action in Schools

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Tim Shriver and Stephanie Jones wanted to better understand how to foster inclusion and shift mindsets to create more accepting communities. Shriver is chair of the Special Olympics, and Jones is a Harvard professor. They identified the key elements of an inclusive mindset and the behaviors that support it. An inclusive mindset means embracing and accepting people who are different from us. By developing this, they argue, we can enhance our ability to see the world through another's perspective. It's something we can learn to do.

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Empathy, Dignity, and Courageous Action in Schools

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Special Olympics Chair Tim Shriver and Professor Stephanie Jones discuss how to teach and create more welcoming environments

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Higher Education: Transforming Learning with the CDP Toolkit

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Higher Education: Transforming Learning with the CDP Toolkit

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Interactivity Foundation’s free Collaborative Discussion Project (CDP) Toolkit is helping educators rise to this challenge, by providing teachers of all kinds with adaptable activities and tools to cultivate the discussion skills, mindsets, and inclusive environments necessary for students to engage and have meaningful dialogue on campus.

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Higher Education: Transforming Learning with the CDP Toolkit

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In today’s classrooms, fostering meaningful dialogue and equipping students with skills to engage across differences are more vital than ever. IF’s free Collaborative Discussion Project (CDP) Toolkit…

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Six Ways Education Leaders Can Encourage Risk-Taking in Schools

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Six Ways Education Leaders Can Encourage Risk-Taking in Schools

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This article offers a new lens through which to consider how you can influence change. An often-overlooked element of a thriving school is its receptiveness to risk-taking. That ideal school culture described above? It isn’t possible to create without giving students and teachers the permission and safety to take risks in their journeys as teachers and learners.

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“What is a microschool?” The answer changed Ashley Soifer’s life

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“What is a microschool?” The answer changed Ashley Soifer’s life

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Defining a microschool can be tricky. By nature, they can look very different depending on the unique needs and conditions of the students they serve.

Most of them emphasize unique approaches to education, such as project-based learning, student-directed curriculum, classical education, Montessori, and other educational approaches not typically found in traditional schools. They come in many varieties of size, structure, and educational focus, to offer options to the equally variable talents and interests of students.

However, all microschools have the same mission at their core: to empower children and parents to individualize education and reach their fullest potential.

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“What is a microschool?” The answer changed Ashley Soifer’s life.

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Ashley Soifer knew early on that her daughter Layla learned differently than her peers. What she didn’t know was that learning differently was causing her daughter to see herself as a failure – to the point that no parent can imagine.

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Lessons from Communities Creating Their Own Schools

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Lessons from Communities Creating Their Own Schools

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After surveying more than 100 out-of-system education providers and talking with more than 20 experts, Picucci and Nitkin identify "instructive lessons for extraordinary learning." Particularly, they found that the most promising models shared these qualities.

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Communities Creating Their Own Schools - July 2022.pdf

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Improving student success through social belonging

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Improving student success through social belonging

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Stanford psychologist Gregory Walton – joined by 36 collaborators from 24 other institutions – sheds light on the relationship between the psychological mindsets students use to navigate college and the opportunities students have in higher education settings.

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A massive, Stanford-led study has found that a brief exercise addressing common concerns about belonging in college increased first-year completion rates on students' local campus, especially for students in racial-ethnic and social-class groups that were less likely historically to complete the first year at that school.

In the new paper published in Science, Stanford psychologist Gregory Walton - joined by 36 collaborators from 24 other institutions - sheds light on the relationship between the psychological mindsets students use to navigate college and the opportunities students have in higher education settings.

"If colleges don't offer students adequate opportunities to belong, then just working with students psychologically won't move the needle - and we need to create better settings," said Walton, a professor of psychology in the School of Humanities and Sciences. "At the same time, many students have reasonable concerns about whether 'people like me' can belong in my college but do have opportunities. That's where the intervention helps."

Acknowledging uncertainties about social belonging

Coming to college is hard. Many students feel homesick at one time or another, or struggle sometimes to make friends, to find an academic direction, or to talk with professors. Some students, particularly those from groups that have historically been excluded in higher education, may see these experiences as confirming that "people like me" don't belong. As Walton's previous research has found, this uncertainty about belonging can undermine academic performance and achievement, which left unaddressed can perpetuate inequalities into adult life.

"Past research has focused on canonical groups, like African American students or first-generation college students. It's as if being, say, African American is the same thing everywhere. But we know that's not true. One of the innovations here is to understand that any given group has different vulnerabilities and different opportunities in different settings."

-Gregory Walton

Professor of Psychology

For over two decades, Walton has developed a range of interventions to help students surface and address belonging worries. This project was conducted by the College Transition Collaborative (CTC), a group founded in 2014 at Stanford by Walton together with former Stanford post-doctoral scholar Christine Logel (now at the University of Waterloo), and former Stanford graduate students Mary Murphy (Indiana University) and David Yeager (University of Texas at Austin). CTC recently spun out of Stanford and became the Equity Accelerator, led by Murphy.

Here, the social-belonging intervention is put to its largest test. With some 22 colleges and universities across the country and a diverse sample of 26,911 students participating, Walton and his collaborators were able to examine the conditions that made the intervention more or less effective.

The researchers took a unique approach in their analyses. Rather than compare students by single, broad categories - such as Black or first-generation college students - the scholars broke the sample into what they called "local-identity groups" - students of a given race-ethnicity, with a given first-generation status, at a given college, in a given cohort. That allowed them to study the nuances of identity and belonging in different college settings.

"Past research has focused on canonical groups, like African American students or first-generation college students," said Walton. "It's as if being, say, African American is the same thing everywhere. But we know that's not true. One of the innovations here is to understand that any given group has different vulnerabilities and different opportunities in different settings. We map that."

Offering students adaptive ideas about belonging at college

The intervention was administered online to students before matriculation.

Related Stories

Drawing on an extensive body of research, Stanford psychologist Gregory Walton lays out a roadmap to positively influence the way people think about themselves and the world around them. These changes could improve society, too.

A paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports on benefits of certain remedies to close achievement gaps.

First, students saw results of a survey of older students about how worries about belonging were normal and improved over time. Then, they read personal narratives from diverse students about their worries about belonging and what helped lessen them.

For example, one narrative read: "I found a comfort zone by exploring my interests and taking the leap into an active life on campus. But this took time and before I found my niche here there were times when I felt quite lonely."

Last, students were asked to reflect on these stories and write an essay for future students about belonging concerns, and how they are normal and improve with time.

"What we're doing here is offering students the idea that it's normal to worry at first about whether you belong, and it can get better with time," said Walton. "Then students can try out that idea in their world and see if it holds and if they can use it to grow their belonging."

Overall, the scholars found that when the intervention was administered in a supportive environment, first-year full-time completion rates for students in groups that had been persisting at lower rates rose by two percentage points, an impressive impact for an online exercise that took less than 30 minutes to complete (the average time students spent on a key aspect of the exercise - sharing their story - was just 7½ minutes).

The intervention is not enough on its own

Walton uses a "seed and soil" metaphor to understand the relationship between psychological messages and school contexts.

In this analogy, sharing a hopeful way to think about belonging (planting a "high-quality seed") will make a difference only in contexts in which that way of thinking is true and useful (in "fertile soil").

But if the soil is inhospitable for a given group - for example, if racial, gender, or social class biases or other barriers make it prohibitive for students to build friendships, find mentors, develop an academic direction, or see their group valued and respected on campus - the seed will wither. Students will drop the idea, and it won't help them succeed.

The findings generalize to 749 four-year institutions in the United States, which together welcome over a million new students to college each year. If every institution offered incoming students the belonging exercise, an estimated 12,136 additional students would complete the first year of college full time each year. And the results point to the possibility of larger gains if colleges expand opportunities for belonging.

"What's key is for institutions to look at the student groups they are trying to serve, and ask how well they're doing with the expectation that they will be doing well with some groups but not as well with others," said Walton. "How can you expand opportunities for belonging for all groups? And how can you convey the truth of the belonging message in compelling and authentic ways for everyone?"

The belonging module is freely available to all colleges and universities in the United States and Canada at https://perts.net/orientation/cb.

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Improving student success through social belonging

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Cultivating both a culture and adaptive mindsets about belonging can help incoming students succeed.

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The 2026 Driving K-12 Innovation Report: A Roadmap for What’s Next

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The 2026 Driving K-12 Innovation Report: A Roadmap for What’s Next

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From the rapid rise of generative AI to escalating cybersecurity threats, shifting approaches to assessment, growing workforce challenges, and the expanding role of data in decision-making, school systems across the world are navigating unprecedented complexity. To help educators and IT professionals make sense of this moment — and move forward with confidence — CoSN is excited to announce the release of the 2026 Driving K-12 Innovation Report.

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The 2026 Driving K-12 Innovation Report: A Roadmap for What’s Next | CoSN

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The pace of change in K-12 education has never been faster…and it’s not slowing down. From the rapid rise of generative AI to escalating cybersecurity threats, shifting approaches to assessment, growing workforce challenges, and the expanding role of data in decision-making, school systems across the world are navigating unprecedented complexity. …

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Twenty Years, Ten Lessons: Community Schools as An Equitable School Improvement Strategy

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Twenty Years, Ten Lessons: Community Schools as An Equitable School Improvement Strategy

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his article features two leaders of the contemporary community school movement who share their reflections on key lessons learned by community school practitioners and advocates over the past two decades and outline ideas about the challenges facing the field in the years ahead. They offer a brief history of community schools in the United States and provide an update on the evidence of the strategy’s effectiveness, particularly in high-poverty urban schools.

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In a 1902 speech to the National Education Association, John Dewey outlined a comprehensive approach to American schooling that encompassed adults as well as children, fostered holistic development and brought community resources into strong partnerships with schools. More than 100 years later, even in a challenging educational environment dominated by marked economic inequality and technical solutions (such as test-based accountability and privatization of public education), Dewey's vision is being enacted across America through the community school strategy. As two of the leaders of this modern-day movement, we want to reflect here on recent progress in realizing Dewey's vision of every school a community school, with a focus on how this strategy is being adapted to contemporary economic and societal conditions.

We served as directors respectively of the Children's Aid National Center for Community Schools and the Coalition for Community Schools, working together over the past 20-plus years to advance the community schools agenda across the country. The Coalition led national advocacy efforts, building a broad alliance of education, youth development, human services, higher education, and community organizing, and creating tools to support the field. The National Center focused on capacity building at the school, district, and community levels, assisting most of the country's major community school initiatives through training, consultation, and on-site coaching. Throughout our collaboration, we witnessed both encouraging successes and formidable challenges. Our intent in this article is to outline key lessons learned by community school practitioners and advocates over the past two decades and to consider the challenges ahead as we hand over the reins to the next generation of capable community school leaders. We begin with a brief history of community schools in American education, then move to our reflections on the role of this strategy in contemporary reform efforts.

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS: A BRIEF HISTORY

In an incisive history of the field, UCLA Professor John Rogers described the current era of community schools, starting in the early 1990s, as constituting the fourth generation of such work (Rogers, 1998). Rogers cited the earlier "generations" as including, first, the innovations during the Progressive Era, summarized by John Dewey as the "school as social center" (Dewey, 1902); followed during the 1930s by the second phase, in response to the problems generated by the Great Depression; and then, a third wave in the 1960s, during the period of great social unrest and social reform that included battles over community control of public education. Rogers concluded that, despite the very appealing and sensible nature of the community school approach, the earlier generations of reform did not gain permanent traction in American education because of two factors: first, earlier reforms tended to frame discussions of community schooling's purposes in a narrow way, thereby failing to convey the comprehensive nature of the intended approach; and, second, previous community school advocates did not adopt an adequate political strategy. Leaders in the current era have taken these analyses to heart, making sure to articulate the multifaceted goals and elements of the community school strategy and to create strategic political alliances and robust advocacy campaigns.

Rogers also observed that community schools gain prominence as a strategic intervention during periods of socio-political upheaval and disequilibrium. Specifically, he noted that there are three kinds of societal pressure that have contributed historically to the rise of community schools in the United States: (1) when existing social institutions cannot meet the demands of society; (2) when the public challenges the validity of existing solutions and knowledge; and (3) when the public questions the capacity or intent of the professionals charged with educating children. The socio-political environment of the past two decades reflects these factors, thereby creating receptivity to the many advantages of community schools. The current generation of community schools in America began in earnest during the early 1990s, with the development of the Beacon schools and the Children's Aid community schools in New York City, the Netter Center's university-assisted community schools in Philadelphia, and the United Way's Bridges to Success model in Indianapolis. All these initiatives started around the same time, each with a slightly different emphasis. What the models had in common, however, were strong partnerships between schools and community resources that could build on the strengths and respond to the needs of students and their families. Researcher Joy Dryfoos observed these developments and began writing about them, first in articles and monographs, then in a pioneering book entitled Full-Service Schools: A Revolution in Health and Social Services for Children, Youth, and Families (1994). Shortly thereafter, Dryfoos joined forces with colleagues from Children's Aid and the Netter Center (then called the Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania) to create a unified networking and advocacy organization, which became the Coalition for Community Schools at the Institute for Educational Leadership. Marty Blank was selected to lead the group, which received initial funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. Jane Quinn, then the Program Director at Wallace, moved to Children's Aid in early 2000 to direct its National Center for Community Schools.

KEY LESSONS FROM OUR TWENTY YEARS OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP

Lesson One: Community schools is a strategy for supporting student learning and development, not a specific program model.

Although community schools do offer extended hours and services during and beyond the school day, what distinguishes a community school is its deliberate responsiveness to the strengths and needs of its constituents-primarily its students and their families-and its alignment of the assets of educators and community partners. A leading urban superintendent, Patricia Harvey (former head of St. Paul, Minnesota public schools), gave voice to this idea when she observed: "As we implemented the Achievement Plus initiative in St. Paul, I came to see community schools as a strategy for organizing the resources of the school and community around student success." The effectiveness of the strategy depends, in no small measure, on conducting a thorough needs and assets assessment at the building level-and responding to that assessment's findings. We have seen too many traditional schools with community partners that operate in silos, without a coherent plan for achieving results. We have observed good programs being implemented in isolation, lacking any influence on the school's culture or demonstrable contribution to the school's stated goals. Many schools, for example, do not bring together educators and existing community partners offering after-school programs, health, and mental health services, or parent leadership supports to examine how they can coordinate and integrate their resources and expertise. The community school strategy uses joint planning teams and related mechanisms to align the many moving parts and multiple programs of the school around an agreed-upon set of results.
Lesson Two: The field has developed a consensus about the core elements that need to be included and adapted in a community school.
People asked us for many years: Just what is a community school and how does it work? A recent (2017) study conducted by the Learning Policy Institute and the National Education Policy Center (LPI-NEPC) provides a solid answer. These researchers found considerable consensus on the structures and programs within community schools across the country, noting that their comprehensive review of 143 evaluations identified common features found in different types of community schools. The four community school "pillars" include: (1) integrated student supports; (2) expanded learning time and opportunities; (3) family and community engagement; and (4) collaborative leadership and practice. The LPI-NEPC research team went on to observe:

The four pillars are fundamental to the success of community schools. Individually and collectively, they serve as scaffolds (or structures, practices, or processes) that support schools to instantiate the conditions and practices that enhance their effectiveness and help them surmount the barriers to providing high-quality learning opportunities in low-income communities. (Maier, Daniel, Oakes & Lam, 2017, p. 13).

We were heartened but not surprised that rigorous research identified this consensus; in fact, we both observed and advocated for these very structural and programmatic elements over the past two decades. A similar consensus emerged when the Coalition for Community Schools convened leaders in 2015-6 to develop school-level and systems-level quality standards. The site-level standards help new community schools more effectively develop and implement their reform plans, assist existing community schools to strengthen the quality of their practice, document outcomes, and provide a consistent language and a framework for advocacy, technical assistance, research, funding, and policy efforts. Similarly, the systems-level standards identify specific actions that school systems and community partners-families, community- and faith-based organizations, local government, higher education, public agencies, law enforcement, United Ways, and others-must take, together and individually, to create the conditions that enable a network of community schools to thrive across an entire district (Coalition for Community Schools, 2017).
Lesson Three: Community schools represent a long-term strategy, not a quick fix.
America's recent history of school reform revolves around the search for panaceas and quick fixes-despite no available evidence that such solutions exist or are appropriate. The highly influential federal policy known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which undergirded American education from 2001 through the end of 2015, exemplified the search for a quick fix. This 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act emphasized a narrow approach to student achievement, one that relied on standardized tests and grades as the principal measures of student learning. Furthermore, it called for a series of sanctions to be applied to schools that failed to make what was designated as Adequate Yearly Progress. The NCLB strategy-of accelerating desired outcomes without supporting additional inputs-is now deemed a failure for having fostered an environment in which the real-life challenges faced by students and families could be ignored.

NCLB's successor, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), takes a broader view of success factors and requires states to name at least one additional indicator of school quality or student success, other than student test scores and grades, that they will use as a school accountability measure. In crafting ESSA state plans for submission to the United States Department of Education, many states have struggled to determine such results, and more than 35 states have named reducing chronic absence as their indicator of choice. As states tackle the underlying causes of chronic absence, they are discovering the salience of the community school strategy-a strategy designed to address the range of factors that affect attendance, including physical and mental health issues, family challenges, and a lack of student engagement. Building the capacity to address these difficult and complex issues is not amenable to a quick fix. But we have seen that when educators work together with families and community partners, by using the community school strategy, they can make significant inroads in reducing chronic absence and addressing its underlying causes. For example, New York City Department of Education data released during the Fall of 2019 indicates that over the five-year period covering the academic years 2013-14 through 2018-19, New York City community schools decreased chronic absenteeism by 9.6%, nearly 20 times the citywide decrease of 0.5%.
Lesson Four: Solid theoretical and empirical research undergirds the community school strategy.
The underlying theory of community schools draws on decades of solid research into the conditions and ingredients that foster healthy human development-including Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and Werner's resilience theory. As leaders in the community school field, both our organizations articulated that strong theoretical case in several early publications (Coalition for Community Schools, 2003; Children's Aid Society, 2001). Since then, the empirical evidence has mounted, demonstrating that the community school strategy works. The most thorough analysis to date about the processes and results of community schools-the Learning Policy Institute and National Education Policy Center study cited above-concluded that community schools represent an evidence-based practice consistent with standards established by ESSA. Specifically, this review concluded that "well-implemented community schools lead to an improvement in student and school outcomes and contribute to meeting the educational needs of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools" (Maier et al., 2017, p. v). The LPI-NEPC research team marshaled evidence about the effectiveness of each of the four pillars of community schools as well as of the comprehensive implementation strategy, noting that these normative supports provide the conditions for learning that all young people require.

Lesson Five: Community schools take an asset-based approach and build on the strengths of communities, schools, and individuals.

Unlike many prominent school reform approaches that characterize low-income students as at-risk and low-income schools as "failing," community schools root their efforts in the premise that all students and schools can succeed if they have access to needed financial and human resources. The principles of asset-based community development first articulated by Kretzmann and McKnight (1993), which demonstrate how to mobilize the strengths of neighborhoods and their residents and institutions, animate community schools. Enrichment rather than remediation is a hallmark of after-school and summer programs in community schools; families are key informants, resources, employees and leaders rather than recipients of services; neighborhood institutions are encouraged to participate in, and benefit from, community school offerings; and instruction is culturally responsive and engages students in the real world. When schools actively listen to what their students and families want from them, they find that both constituencies often describe the features of a community school-schools that are safe, challenging, welcoming, and engaging. Several of the country's largest community school initiatives-including those being implemented in Cincinnati, New York City, and Oakland-emanated from authentic community engagement processes that gave voice to the hopes and expectations of students and their families. To cite one example, the Oakland community schools year-long strategic planning process engaged more than 5,000 stakeholders--including parents, students, educators, civic and non-profit leaders, and other community residents.

MORE LESSONS
Lesson Six: A good student support system cannot compensate for a weak core instructional program.
In another recent landmark study, Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago, Anthony Bryk and his colleagues at the Consortium for Chicago School Research provided a rigorous and compelling analysis of the ongoing work required to improve low-income urban schools (Bryk, Sebring, Allensworth, Luppescu & Easton, 2010). Without using the term "community schools," Bryk and his team outlined five key ingredients of school improvement: strong principal leadership committed to an inclusive approach; authentic family and community engagement; coherent curriculum; student-centered school climate; and ongoing capacity-building. This research team emphasized the importance of the interaction among these five ingredients, using the analogy of cake-baking-the ingredients support and reinforce one another to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Bryk and colleagues also focused on the ongoing nature of school improvement, noting that the long-term combination of these five ingredients was associated with the effects they observed in successful schools.

For those of us in the community school field, this study helped to undergird an argument we had been making since the inception of the current "generation" of efforts-strong student supports and additional opportunities cannot compensate for weak instructional programs. Too often we observed that schools would recruit partners to provide health services, offer student and family counseling, and expand after-school programs without doing anything to improve their core instructional programs. Frequently the term "community school" came to be viewed as the provision of additional student supports rather than the combination and integration of the academic core with expanded learning opportunities and services designed to remove barriers to learning. The LPI-NEPC report corroborates the message of the Bryk et al. (2010) school improvement study-the ability to generate positive results from the community school strategy requires a solid instructional core and responsive student supports. These researchers observe that "community schools would benefit from maintaining a strong academic improvement focus to support students' educational outcomes" (Maier et al., 2017, p. 112). From a community school perspective, that academic improvement would incorporate learning that engages students with issues in their lives, their communities, and our society, as the Coalition argued in its paper, Community Based Learning: Engaging Students for Success and Citizenship (Melaville, Berg & Blank, 2006).
Lesson Seven: Practitioners (educators and their community partners) benefit from consultation, coaching, and other forms of professional development as they shift their practice in the direction of community schools.
This same LPI-NEPC study made an explicit connection between high-quality implementation and the achievement of results. The research team observed that effective implementation yields more positive results for students and schools (Maier et al., 2017). Both the Coalition for Community Schools and the National Center for Community Schools (NCCS) have supported high-quality implementation over the past two-plus decades, regularly providing an array of publications, planning tools, networking opportunities, and national conferences. Also, NCCS developed a fee-for-service technical assistance practice, based on Children's Aid's implementation of 22 community schools in New York City. We have seen that community schools benefit from the kinds of intensive, often on-site, capacity-building work that NCCS and other groups offer. Such assistance ideally involves working with colleagues to understand each site's strengths and challenges, including their political and economic circumstances to customize the implementation advice. Key services include: consultation (initial assessment and development of a technical assistance plan, followed by additional on- and off-site consultation as the plan is implemented); training at various levels, from educators and staff of community partners to city and district leadership; facilitation of strategic planning processes; application of planning tools for needs and asset assessments, partnership development, analysis of progress, sustainability and other issues that are central to the work of building a community schools initiative and system; and study visits to successful implementation sites. While there have been some successes in integrating community schools into the pre-service preparation of principals, teachers, and other educators, much work remains to be done. For example, most higher education institutions have not yet adopted this broader view of what it takes to educate our increasingly diverse student population.
Lesson Eight: Committed, collaborative local leadership is fundamental to the growth, sustainability, and effectiveness of community schools.
Roughly 8,000 to 10,000 American schools now identify as community schools, and more than 100 districts and cities have tackled implementation at multiple sites. The level of scale ranges from small districts like West Chicago, IL with all eight of their schools, to medium-sized cities like Lincoln, NE with 23, to New York City where 258 out of the district's 1,800 schools are community schools. In communities from Boise, ID to Fairfax County, VA, from Salt Lake City, UT to Vancouver, WA, from Knoxville, TN to Austin, TX, leaders are supporting community schools. Because most of the implementing districts and municipalities have adopted community schools as a long-term strategy, the numbers in these sites continue to grow each year. For example, Multnomah County's SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods) initiative in the Portland, OR metropolitan area grew from eight sites in 2001 to 90 schools in 2019.
The LPI-NEPC study and the new community school standards affirmed what these and other initiatives learned, as they applied collaborative leadership practices that were effective in scaling pilot efforts. Key practices include community leadership structures that engage multiple stakeholders; similar shared-leadership structures at the school site; the engagement of community school directors or site coordinators who can mobilize community resources and integrate them into the life of the school; a focus on results that matter for students, families, and schools; and mechanisms to engage teacher unions and education organizers. Local leadership is the heartbeat of community schools, at both the school district/community and school levels.

Mayors have played critical leadership roles in Newark, Philadelphia, New York, and San Pablo, CA; county governments have led the charge in Multnomah County, OR and Kent County, MI; superintendents in places as diverse as Chicago, Nashville, and Vancouver have developed city-wide initiatives; and United Ways and higher education institutions have led and contributed to initiatives in Asheville, Binghamton, Indianapolis, Miami, and Orlando, among other places. Leadership has also proved vital at the school level, where principals function as facilitators who share leadership with parents, students, and community partners. A key role, one that is unique to community schools, is that of the community school director/coordinator, hired by a community partner or the district. This leadership role involves mobilizing community resources and integrating them into the life of the school, communicating with parents and teachers, and enabling principals to focus on their responsibilities as instructional leaders (Children's Aid, 2018).
Lesson Nine: Advocacy is necessary at all levels-federal, state, and local-and requires strategic organizing, consistent attention, and a multi-faceted approach.
The kind of political strategy envisioned by John Rogers in his historical analysis, one that would overcome the shortcomings of past community school efforts, demanded that this generation's leaders create strong organizational partnerships--ones that share a commitment to the community school vision. Not all this could happen at the same time, of course. As the designated leader of the field's advocacy work, the Coalition for Community Schools started with a two-pronged organizing strategy: engage national organizations with substantial reach through their memberships and allies; and ensure that these partner organizations represented all the constituencies working in community schools-educators, health and mental health providers, education organizers, teacher unions, youth-serving organizations, parent groups, and others. This work began with a two-year process to build an early vision and shared language for the Coalition and its partners and proceeded in an evolutionary way. Today, the Coalition's member organizations number nearly 200.

Over the past 20 years, this initial and ongoing organizing effort has resulted in many successes. A National Policy Work Group of partners successfully advocated that the Full-Service Community School Program become part of the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act/ESSA in late 2015. Other provisions of the law reflect the principles of community schools: community engagement, broader measures of accountability, and a focus on issues related to the whole child. Specific partners are now actively engaged in organizing community schools. The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association currently employ staff devoted to community school development. Community organizing groups such as Journey for Justice, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools, and Coalition for Educational Justice build grassroots support for sustainable community schools.

The Coalition also collaborates with other advocacy alliances in the field-Communities in Schools, Beacons Network, and Strive Together-which have slightly different approaches to the broad community school vision. These relationships work because the Coalition has never prescribed a specific model of community schools but has rather sought partners willing to work toward a broad vision of what the strategy entails.
As local community school initiatives emerged, the Coalition organized leaders of these efforts into the Community Schools Leadership Network, a learning and advocacy affinity group, in 2005. The community school collaboratives developed by these leaders advocated for local school board and city policies in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Hartford, Pittsburgh, and other communities. These local network leaders worked on national issues and, over time, became the backbone of the 20 state community school networks, started in 2012, which operate in alliance with state-based affiliates of national partners. State networks, with little, if any funding, have influenced state policy and gained resources for community schools in New York, Maryland, Minnesota, and California, among others.
Lesson Ten: The community school strategy is all about equity.
In our work as leaders in this field over the past two decades, we have witnessed the passion and commitment that drive the work in cities and districts around the country-passion and commitment that are based on a deep understanding of the inequities that characterize contemporary American life. The early adopters of the community school strategy in this latest generation of the work used language in the 1990s like leveling the playing field, removing barriers to learning, and enriching the learning environment as a way to convey their understanding that large groups of American students have been marginalized by long-standing systemic policies of under-investment and discrimination in low-income and minority neighborhoods. At the city or neighborhood level, these policies have included housing and employment discrimination as well as severely regressive taxation and resource allocation decisions. Consistent with political decisions made in the broader operating context, discriminatory education policies have included inequitable school financing mechanisms and persistent patterns of school segregation and within-school tracking. While recognizing the wide-ranging underpinnings of these and other oppressive policies, these leaders saw opportunities to begin ameliorating the policies' effects by taking concerted action to organize school and community resources around student success through the community school strategy. This implicit emphasis on equity gradually evolved into a more explicit focus as community school proponents joined forces with civil rights leaders, such as Policy Link, to involve community schools in the emerging national conversation on equity. A key development in connecting these two movements was the Coalition's 2014 publication of a monograph entitled Community Schools are an Essential Equity Strategy.

The relationship between community schools and equity has been recognized by several national studies in recent years. For example, the 2013 final report prepared by the Congressionally-appointed Equity and Excellence Commission outlined a set of strategies designed to meet the needs of students in high-poverty communities. These strategies included the development of partnerships between schools and community resources that support at-risk children, encouragement of family engagement, and provision of health care, health education, and expanded learning time. As an example of such partnerships, the Commission cited the Cincinnati Community Learning Centers Initiative-a community school model. The Commission recommended including an annual needs assessment process at each high-poverty school as an essential element of this approach (Equity and Excellence Commission, 2013). Similarly, the 2017 landmark community schools study cited earlier called attention to the equity orientation of the work its researchers observed, noting:

Today's community schools build partnerships between the school and other local entities...These partnerships intentionally create structures, strategies, and relationships to provide the learning conditions and opportunities-both in school and out-that are enjoyed by students in better-resourced schools, where the schools' work is supplemented by high-capacity communities and families...Community schools cannot overcome all problems facing poor neighborhoods-that would require substantial investments in job training, housing and social safety net infrastructures, and other poverty alleviation measures. However, they have a long history of connecting children and families to resources, opportunities, and supports that foster healthy development and help offset the harms of poverty (Maier et al., 2017, p. 5-6).

In an October 2019 interview with Chalkbeat, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza described New York City's approach to educational excellence and equity, one that is completely consistent with the vision and strategy of community schools across the country: "We have a high bar of achievement for every student--this is excellence. And we are prepared to deliver the support that each of them needs to meet that bar. This is equity."

CONCLUSION

Today's turbulent political climate creates both challenges and opportunities for education reformers. The key challenge is how to rise above the constant noise and rampant cynicism that characterize much of our public discourse. The opportunity resides in providing an alternative vision-one of hope, thoughtfulness, feasibility, and fairness. The community school strategy is increasingly recognized as offering such an alternative. It returns the public school to its rightful place as a vital center of community life--where the community's many assets are mobilized in support of students, families, and neighborhoods. This alternative involves public schools that listen to, belong to, and are responsible to the communities in which they operate. With students facing increasingly difficult challenges every day--violent shooter drills, immigration raids, serious mental health problems, family crises emerging from opioid addiction, inadequate housing, racial injustice, and a deeply unequal society, among others--our schools and communities must stand up for young people. Only then will we overcome the emphasis on test scores as the single measure of student success, the drive toward privatization, and the relentless criticism of public schools that has dominated recent education debates. The growth and effectiveness of community schools over the past two decades demonstrate the viability of this strategy as a solid response to such formidable challenges. Through strategic partnerships that do the grinding work of social change, we can create the kind of schools that our students and families deserve.

REFERENCES

Bryk, A. S., Sebring, P. B., Allensworth, A., Luppescu, S. & Easton, J. O. (2010). Organizing schools for improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Children's Aid Society. (2018). Leading with purpose and passion: A guide for community school directors. New York, NY.

Children's Aid Society. (2001). Building a community school. New York, NY.

Coalition for Community Schools. (2017). Standards for community school initiatives. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership.

Coalition for Community Schools. (2014). Community schools are an essential equity strategy. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership.

Coalition for Community Schools. (2003). Making the difference: Research and practice in community schools. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership.

Dewey, J. (1902). The school as social center. The elementary school teacher, 3 (2) 73-86. https://www.jstor.org/stable/992485.

Dryfoos, J. G. (1994). Full-service schools: A revolution in health and social services for children, youth, and families (1st ed). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Equity and Excellence Commission. (2013). For each and every child: A strategy for education equity and excellence. Washington, DC.

Kretzmann, J. D. & McKnight, J. L. (1993). Building community from the inside out: A path toward finding and mobilizing a community's assets. Evanston, IL: Institute for Policy Research.

Maier, A., Daniel, J., Oakes, J. & Lam, L. (2017). Community schools as an effective school improvement strategy: A review of the evidence. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.

Melaville, A., Berg, A., & Blank, M. (2006). Community based learning: Engaging students for success and citizenship. Washington, DC: Coalition for Community Schools, Institute for Educational Leadership.

Rogers, J. S. (1998). Community schools: Lessons from the past and present: A report to the Charles S. Mott Foundation. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA.

______________________

Jane Quinn served as Director of the Children's Aid National Center for Community Schools from January 2000 through June 2018. She is currently a doctoral student in urban education at the City University of New York.

Martin Blank was the Founding Director of the Coalition for Community Schools. He also served as President of the Institute for Educational Leadership.

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Twenty Years, Ten Lessons: Community Schools as An Equitable School Improvement Strategy

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This article features two leaders of the contemporary community school movement who share their reflections on key lessons learned by community school practitioners and advocates over the past two decades and outline ideas about the challenges facing the field in the years ahead.

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How to Transform Schools: Put Wellness at the Center

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How to Transform Schools: Put Wellness at the Center

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Life has no quick fixes, but if I could recommend one single change that would improve our schools dramatically, it would be this: build high-quality advisory programs for everyone. I mean everyone: learners AND adults. Advisory programs are how we bring wellness into the center of our learning environments. They’re a key step to address burnout and high turnover among educators. And, they pave the way toward deep social-emotional learning (SEL), creating opportunities for young people to engage with it in ways that are relevant, personal, and memorable.

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If I could recommend one single change that would improve our schools dramatically, it would be this: build high-quality advisory programs for everyone.

Life has no quick fixes, but if I could recommend one single change that would improve our schools dramatically, it would be this: build high-quality advisory programs for everyone. I mean everyone: learners AND adults. Advisory programs are how we bring wellness into the center of our learning environments. They're a key step to address burnout and high turnover among educators. And, they pave the way toward deep social-emotional learning (SEL), creating opportunities for young people to engage with it in ways that are relevant, personal, and memorable.

Here's how we can do it.

First, we celebrate. We're already over the biggest hurdle to accomplishing this change: time in the school day. Working a new program into the already-packed school day is near impossible, so let's celebrate that most middle and high schools in the U.S. already have some form of advisory period set aside. The question is how to use it meaningfully.

Second, let's be real: the average advisory experience right now is a solid "meh." It might involve learners hanging out in a homeroom, chatting or working on homework. It might involve some SEL curriculum, but often it's scripted and impersonal. And, let's be even more honest: asking overstressed educators to talk about social-emotional wellness, as yet another thing they have to do, is ineffective and almost cruel.

The kind of advisory I'm talking about is something very different. It begins with better supports for adult wellness.

The kind of advisory I'm talking about is something very different. It begins with better supports for adult wellness. It thrives when adults learn the skills of facilitating safe, honest spaces for conversation. Advisories like this capture young people's attention because they get to learn more about their peers and reflect on their own identity-two of their most powerful motivations. But remember, this can't be another mandate: it works when it's built on adult wellness. This brings us to the next point.

Third, focus on adult wellness first. Yes: advisory for adults. Though not immediately obvious, I would argue this is the first and essential step toward high-quality advisories for young learners. It's not fair, or logical, to expect an overtaxed adult to be great at fostering a learner's social and emotional wellness. We have to support the adults first. This doesn't mean "fixing" anyone or magically transforming educators into zen masters. It begins with something simple: creating safe spaces. Having a trusted group of colleagues where you can speak honestly and listen deeply, without judgment or administrative agendas.

As a school founder, advisor, and former head of school, I've seen adult advisories make a powerful difference. Groups of educators and administrators establish a regular meeting time, ideally at least once per month, for at least an hour. The groups are not too big-about 10 per group-and stay consistent, so that closeness and trust can develop over time. Within each group, we do the same things practiced in learner advisories. We check-in; we share how we're doing as openly as we want; we practice listening deeply; we use basic tools for mindfulness; we offer empathy and support if it's requested. That's it. I've seen it lead to important and powerful outcomes.

Teams grow far closer, feeling more like fellow humans on an adventure together versus distant colleagues passing in the halls. And, it makes educators better advisors. When they know what it feels like to be in a safe, connected group where honest words are spoken, they have a beacon to follow to make their learner advisories function in this same spirit.

Advisory becomes the heart of a great learning environment. It generates a sense of belonging and connection to the learning community.

This brings us to the fourth and final step: building high-quality advisories for learners. When you do this well, advisory becomes the heart of a great learning environment. It generates a sense of belonging and connection to the learning community, not to mention all the other well-documented outcomes that result, from greater mental health to greater academic success and fewer behavior problems.

At the school I co-founded, Millennium School , and in a program I now lead called , we create this kind of advisory. They're consistent, small groups (8-12 learners), mixed gender but similar ages, with one adult facilitator.

To take Argonaut groups for example, each group meets twice per week and follows a clear and consistent three-act structure. They begin with an arrival practice, which can range from mindfulness, to a question to journal or talk about, to a brief check-in from each member. They then move to an exploration, which works best when it's a topic emerging from learners, but can also be a social-emotional tool or topic. We might explore something a student shared, like a conflict with a friend, or might offer a social-emotional tool, like conflict resolution. Finally, the third act is integration: a brief chance to reflect on what you felt, what you noticed in others, or what you hope to do, along with an appreciation to those who spoke and shared themselves in the group.

This is real social-emotional learning: not something abstract or scripted, but a response to our everyday challenges. A learner might bring up a screaming match with their sibling, or nerves about asking someone out for a date, or a question about mental health. The advisory can listen and offer empathy, support, and sometimes advice. The facilitator may step in to offer a resource or prompt the group in ways to respond, always oriented around safety and connectedness.

Just as often as a learner may share a struggle, they might also share personal milestones or an exciting life update-with the advisory there to cheer them on and multiply their happiness. At heart, this offers what just about all adolescents want: membership in a trusted group of peers, connecting as they turn life's ups and downs into a shared adventure.

This sense of shared adventure is what we adults need, too. It may even be a defining element of a healthy, resilient worldview. After all, wellness is not about becoming impervious to pain or avoiding all struggle. Life will have its ups and downs for all of us-wellness is about riding those waves with the tools and relationships to not only survive them but to turn them into meaningful parts of our story.

That's the adventure we need. We need it as educators, breaking out of the isolation of our classrooms, and we need it as learners, securing a vital sense of belonging and the tools to have childhood be a positive adventure.

Life will have its ups and downs for all of us-wellness is about riding those waves with the tools and relationships to not only survive them but to turn them into meaningful parts of our story.

So there you have it: the single leap that I believe would improve our schools the most is to offer advisories for all. If done well, it's a powerful way to boost the resilience of educators so we can sustain ourselves in these roles. And equally so, it's the ideal way to reach our aspirations for deep social-emotional learning.

Prioritizing advisory programs is the concrete expression of prioritizing human wellness in education. The skills and research are here. The time is in the schedule. The need is real. Let's make it happen.

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How to Transform Schools: Put Wellness at the Center - Education Reimagined

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If I could recommend one single change that would improve our schools dramatically, it would be this: build high-quality advisory programs for everyone. Life has no quick fixes, but if I could recommend one single change that would improve our schools dramatically, it would be this: build high-quality advisory programs for everyone.

# data[].attributes.headline
Metamorphosis of the Student's Role in Modern Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.subject
Metamorphosis of the Student's Role in Modern Pedagogy

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Characterizing today’s student is a complex and challenging task, as the profiles, experiences, and educational paths of modern youth are highly diverse. Over the past decade, the heterogeneity of the population has significantly increased. Notably, within the university walls, we now have a diverse community with various educational backgrounds-professionally trained individuals, recent graduates, international students, working students, and so forth. This new, composite student population, with its socio-demographic characteristics, has moved away from the “traditional” ideal figure of a school graduate and increasingly demands new approaches.

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Tamar Gagoshidze Grigol Robakidze University, Georgia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Metamorphosis of the Student’s Role in Modern Pedagogy | European Scientific Journal, ESJ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Characterizing today’s student is a complex and challenging task, as the profiles, experiences, and educational paths of modern youth are highly diverse. Over the past decade, the heterogeneity of the population has significantly increased. Notably, within the university walls, we now have a diverse community with various educational backgrounds-professionally trained individuals, recent graduates, international students, working students, and so forth. This new, composite student population, with its socio-demographic characteristics, has moved away from the “traditional” ideal figure of a school graduate and increasingly demands new approaches.
In this paper, we will attempt to introduce the historical path that pedagogy has taken and illustrate how the student of a past era transformed into the modern student. To demonstrate this transformation, we will rely on empirical, comparative, and quantitative scientific research.

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Metamorphosis of Higher Education: Navigating Complexity through Interdisciplinary Pedagogy and Cutting-Edge Technological Integration for Global Excellence

# data[].attributes.subject
Metamorphosis of Higher Education: Navigating Complexity through Interdisciplinary Pedagogy and Cutting-Edge Technological Integration for Global Excellence

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With their transformative influence on teaching methodologies, these technological enablers became keystones in the global collaboration mosaic within the academic sphere. As the study meticulously unveiled the layers of this educational transformation, it became evident that the fusion of interdisciplinary pedagogy and cutting-edge technology constituted more than a mere convergence. It represented a synthesis—a harmonious orchestration of diverse elements shaping the future contours of higher education. In this symphony of change, the resonance of collaboration, facilitated by interdisciplinary pedagogy, harmonized with the cadence of technological prowess, creating a transformative melody reverberating across the academic landscape.

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View of METAMORPHOSIS OF HIGHER EDUCATION: NAVIGATING COMPLEXITY THROUGHINTERDISCIPLINARY PEDAGOGY AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATION FOR GLOBAL EXCELLENCE

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Return to Article Details METAMORPHOSIS OF HIGHER EDUCATION: NAVIGATING COMPLEXITY THROUGHINTERDISCIPLINARY PEDAGOGY AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATION FOR GLOBAL EXCELLENCE

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Metamorphosis is a community of experienced, committed educators and Master Coaches serving as a provider of Content Coaching for teachers, coaches, and administrators, a process for transforming schools and districts into high-performing learning communities where a culture of learning is embedded at every level of the organization.  The method, developed by Lucy West, builds essential links between content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and reflective and collaborative practices.

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Metamorphosis creates scholarly teaching and learning communities that are self-sustaining, interconnected and informed through sound theories of teaching and learning across all grade levels and content areas.

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Introducing Flexibility into Educational Programs: The Macquarie University Experience

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Introducing Flexibility into Educational Programs: The Macquarie University Experience

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Macquarie University's vision is to provide flexible learning options for all students. This will involve the dual development of resource-based curricula and information technology (IT) capacity across the University. This paper highlights major issues underpinning the design, development and delivery of c) flexible learning and how these relate to the Macquarie context. It introduces a three-stage IT-based developmental model which accommodates both curriculum redesign and the wider institutional changes needed to ensure the delivery of high quality flexible learning.

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Meta-Learning: A Nine-Layer Model Based on Metacognition and Smart Technologies

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Meta-Learning: A Nine-Layer Model Based on Metacognition and Smart Technologies

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This article investigates the concept of meta-learning and describe the meta-levels of learning through the lens of metacognition. In addition, the potential of smart technologies to provide fertile ground for the implementation of meta-learning training strategies is examined. The results of this article provide a new meta-learning theoretical framework supported by smart devices capable of supporting future meta-learners or, more accurately, meta-thinkers, to transcend the usual states of knowing and move to the next meta-levels of human intelligence.

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Meta-Learning: A Nine-Layer Model Based on Metacognition and Smart Technologies

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The international organizations of education have already pointed out that the way students learn, what they learn, and the skills needed, will be radically transformed in the coming years. Smart technologies are ready to come into play, changing the conditions of learning, providing opportunities for transformative learning experiences, and promising more conscious, self-directed and self-motivated learning. Meta-learning refers to a set of mental meta-processes by which learners consciously create and manage personal models of learning. Meta-learning entails a cluster of meta-skills that are progressively and hierarchically transformed, ensuring the transition to the highest levels of understanding termed meta-comprehension. The current article aims to investigate the concept of meta-learning and describe the meta-levels of learning through the lens of metacognition. In addition, the potential of smart technologies to provide fertile ground for the implementation of meta-learning training strategies is examined. The results of this article provide a new meta-learning theoretical framework supported by smart devices capable of supporting future meta-learners or, more accurately, meta-thinkers, to transcend the usual states of knowing and move to the next meta-levels of human intelligence.

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Nothing is new, but everything has changed: A viewpoint on the future school

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Nothing is new, but everything has changed: A viewpoint on the future school

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Consumerist trends in education have been accentuated, now with the massive use of digital tools. These trends, which, since the beginning of the twenty-first century, have supported “personalization of learning”, can lead to the disintegration of the school. But dynamics of transformation and metamorphosis of the school have also emerged, reinforcing education as a public and common good. The authors seek to enunciate these dynamics that redefine three bases of the school model: the social contract around education, the organizational structure of the school, and the pedagogy of the lesson.

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Nothing is new, but everything has changed: A viewpoint on the future school

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This Viewpoint argues that the debates about the future of education and the need to rethink the school model started long before the pandemic crisis. But the situation we are experiencing has accelerated this need and showed that changes are ...

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The Smartest Kids in the World—and How They Got That Way

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The Smartest Kids in the World—and How They Got That Way

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TIMES reporter Amanda Ripley was in the habit of sidestepping stories on education—until she saw a graph showing the United States’ educational standing compared to other nations. The United States was consistently average. By contrast, three countries—Finland, Poland, and South Korea—had come out of nowhere, and are now topping the charts. What were they doing that the United States was not? Has the United States failed to understand what does and does not make for a quality education? The Smartest Kids in the World is the story of what these countries teach us about educating effectively. Ripley’s conclusions will surprise some.

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TIMES reporter Amanda Ripley was in the habit of sidestepping stories on education—until she saw a graph showing the United States’ educational standing compared to other nations. The United States was consistently average. By contrast, three countries—Finland, Poland, and South Korea—had come out of nowhere, and are now topping the charts. What were they doing that the United States was not? Has the United States failed to understand what does and does not make for a quality education? The Smartest Kids in the World is the story of what these countries teach us about educating effectively. Ripley’s conclusions will surprise some.

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Action research plan: a methodology to examine the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the cognitive abilities of university students

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Action research plan: a methodology to examine the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the cognitive abilities of university students

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As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly transforms various sectors, its integration into education raises important questions about its impact on students' cognitive abilities. This research proposes a comprehensive methodology to evaluate how AI-powered Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) enhance cognitive skills such as memory, critical thinking, and problem-solving among university students, ultimately advocating for a balanced approach to AI in educational settings.

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Action research plan: a methodology to examine the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the cognitive abilities of university students - Discover Education

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This research suggests a methodology to examine the effectiveness Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the cognitive abilities of college students so that future researchers can utilize this experimental project to focus on how AI-powered Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) affect learning outcomes. As AI continues to revolutionize all walks of life, so has its integration with education. ITS is a key application of AI in education, providing a personalized learning experience by analyzing student data and tailoring instructional materials accordingly. This provides a research program to study the effectiveness of ITS in improving cognitive skills such as memory, critical thinking, and problem solving abilities in college students. The research project combined quantitative and qualitative research methods including surveys, pre-tests, post-tests, and in-depth interviews to assess the cognitive differences between students using ITS and those using traditional learning methods. The research project also recognized potential challenges, such as dependence on technology and the risk of increased educational inequality. The action research program concluded by advocating for a balanced integration of AI into education, highlighting the need for ongoing research to optimize its use across different stages of education and to ensure equitable access to AI-powered tools.

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We are living in times of profound transformation in education. It’s not just a question of skills, methods or organization. It’s a deeper process that questions the very foundations of the social contract of school modernity signed in the 19th century. We don’t know what the future will look like, but there are already all the signs, both negative and positive, that herald fundamental changes in education.

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Mental Health America founded Mental Health Awareness Month in 1949 and has led the effort every May to promote mental wellness nationwide.

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The vital role of mental health is more visible than ever before, but awareness alone isn't enough. Now is the moment to turn awareness into powerful, positive action for lasting change.

Every action-seeking help, supporting others, practicing self-care, or advocating for change-matters. This May, let's turn awareness into meaningful action for ourselves and our communities, building a future where everyone can thrive.

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Mental Health Month | Mental Health America

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The vital role of mental health is more visible than ever before, but awareness alone isn't enough. Now is the moment to turn awareness into powerful, positive action for lasting change. Every action-seeking help, supporting others, practicing self-care, or advocating for change-matters.

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Dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Our Alliance includes more than 650 NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education to those in need.

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The technological revolution in mental health: opportunities, challenges, and practical recommendations

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The technological revolution in mental health: opportunities, challenges, and practical recommendations

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Recent advancements in communication technologies, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) hold the potential to revolutionize the field of clinical psychology. What will this technological revolution entail? Will it alleviate the current mental health burden, or could it exacerbate issues that characterized the previous biomedical revolution? This article explores these questions from the joint perspective of researchers in Communication Studies and Clinical Psychology.

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The global burden of mental health disorders is a major concern today, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis (Arias et al., 2022; Hossain et al., 2022). Despite decades of research and development in psychiatry and clinical psychology, rates of mental health diagnoses and pharmacological prescriptions remain high (e.g., Ormel et al., 2022; Piper et al., 2018). For instance, a 2023 survey by the American Psychological Association found that nearly half of U.S. adults (aged 18-44) suffer from some form of mental disorder (APA, 2023). In Sweden, a large-scale study reported that ~80% of the population has received a lifetime diagnosis or prescription for psychiatric medications (Kessing et al., 2023). Finally, in Israel, our own country, a representative sample (collected before the October 7, 2023 war) revealed high rates of anxiety and depression (25% and 31%, respectively), signaling these common disorders as the predominant psychological struggles of our era (Levi-Belz et al., 2024).

While the exact causes of this ongoing mental health crisis are varied and somewhat controversial (e.g., Ormel et al., 2022), recent advancements in online communication technologies, Virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) offer a potential turning point. These technologies have the capacity to transform mental health care by improving diagnostic and treatment efforts, increasing accessibility, and democratizing psychosocial services.

The goal of this article is to offer a broad audience an informed and accessible synthesis of the emerging technological revolution in mental health. Drawing on our complementary expertise in Communication Studies and Clinical Psychological Science, we examine four potentially transformative applications: (1) AI-driven detection and diagnosis, (2) VR-based psychotherapy, (3) online therapy and counseling, and (4) AI-assisted psychotherapy. We analyze the key opportunities and challenges associated with each, and propose practical recommendations aimed at enhancing public well-being and critically reflecting on professional paradigms that may have contributed to the current mental health burden.

To strengthen methodological rigor, we drew on recent standards for qualitative inquiry in mental health (Beg, 2025a). Specifically, we emphasize transparency, reflexivity, and the contextualized presentation of findings and ideas. Scientific sources were accessed through PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, with primary attention to literature published between 2010 and 2025. These were complemented by our prior empirical and theoretical work. In this way, our interdisciplinary synthesis provides a conceptually robust foundation for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers navigating the accelerating changes in mental health care.

AI-driven detection and diagnosis

The list of technologies begins with the buzzword of our times: Artificial Intelligence [AI: In this article, we use the broad term of AI to refer to computational models that learn from data to generate predictions or decisions]. Over the last decade, there has been increasing interest in the potential of deep learning-based technologies to enhance the accuracy of mental health diagnoses and facilitate the early detection of emotional distress and risk behaviors. A key family of such models includes random forest, support vector machine, decision trees, deep neural networks, and convolutional neural networks, the latter often providing the highest quality predictions (Zhang et al., 2022). Within this landscape, large language models (LLMs), such as GPT-type systems, are specialized architectures trained on massive text corpora to process and generate language.

A particularly promising concept in this area is digital phenotyping-the measurement of behavior, mood, or cognition through data collected from digital devices (e.g., GPS, activity trackers, smartphone use)-which leverages the multimodal computational capabilities of AI to analyze diverse real-time data from smartphones and wearables, such as GPS-based locations and heart rate (Insel, 2018; Moura et al., 2023). Considering the wide research on this topic, the following, deeper examination of the opportunities and risks of AI-driven detection and diagnosis focuses on the first author's subfield of expertise: The use of AI for early detection of suicide risk (e.g., Badian et al., 2023; Ophir, Tikochinski et al., 2020; Ophir et al., 2022).

Suicide prevention is one of the most challenging and painful issues in mental health. The causes of suicide are multifaceted, involving intricate interactions among various biological, psychiatric, and psychological factors (Turecki et al., 2019), which, in practice, create a 'hard-to-predict' phenomenon (Franklin et al., 2017; Ribeiro et al., 2019). In fact, a comprehensive meta-analysis covering 50 years of suicide research found that professional predictions of suicide risk are often "only slightly better than chance" (AUCs = 0.56-0.58) (Franklin et al., 2017). Consequently, many individuals at risk are not identified by the mental health system and do not receive the necessary medical and social support (Bruffaerts et al., 2011).

Key methodological constraints of this progress, however, should be presented here. Notably, the primary measure used to assess suicide risk in these studies often relied on posts containing explicit suicidal content, which was labeled by external judges (experts or non-experts) as high-risk. Conversely, posts without such content were labeled as neutral. The AI models then learned to differentiate between these two types of postings during their training phase and produced predictions regarding new (unseen) postings during their test phase. While this method may be useful to detect postings with suicide content, it does not allow us to determine whether these suicidal posts are genuine (i.e., that the users posting them are indeed at risk, and not just joking or seeking attention). But more importantly, this method does not allow us to identify individuals at risk who do not publish explicit suicidal content online, which seems to be the majority of the users, i.e., most people are cautious and rarely share explicit suicidal content online (Ophir et al., 2019).

The main recommendation in this area is to expand high-quality research that makes use of valid predictive criteria, such as direct suicide assessments of real users, rather than their posts (Badian et al., 2023; Ophir, Tikochinski et al., 2020). Similar studies should be conducted outside of social media, in real therapeutic setups, for instance (Elyoseph and Levkovich, 2023), and extended to other areas of mental health beyond suicidology. This approach could lead to the development of automatic monitoring software that will be able to identify early signs of distress, encourage treatment-seeking, and potentially save human lives.

The main ethical concern with such a monitoring technology is, of course, the fear of infringement of privacy. Currently, the implementation of this technology mostly occurs within a relatively safe research environment, which must adhere to strict ethical standards, including the security of informed consent forms. But it is difficult to know what will happen in the future-when the technology reaches the wider public. How exactly will this valuable and personal information about users be collected and preserved? How do we make sure that this information does not leak out to commercial companies that do not necessarily prioritize the patients' welfare? How will we maintain basic principles of medical ethics and make sure that users receive all the information they need in order to make this decision, whether to share their data or not? These are just some of the issues that will have to be discussed and settled in the upcoming years.

Another key reservation is related to the problems that arose following the previous revolution-the biomedical revolution in mental health. During the second half of the 20th century, many mental health professionals began to understand and conceptualize emotional and cognitive problems through a technical 'biomedical model', as if they were concrete deficits (Bracken et al., 2012; Moncrieff and Crawford, 2001). Essentially, multiple psychosocial issues were now conceptualized as objective physiological deficits involving biology, genetics, and neurology, and the proposed solutions to these deficits were accordingly neurophysiological solutions through surgeries and psychoactive drugs. This perception (alongside other sociological factors) might have led to a dramatic increase in psychiatric diagnoses and medication prescriptions. The main concern here is that AI models, which are trained on existing knowledge, will only deepen this biomedical perception and lead to further inflation of diagnoses and medications (which will be offered to those individuals who will be identified by the AI as 'disordered' or 'at risk').

Finally, a widely recognized issue with AI tools in mental health is their dependence on historical data, which often carries embedded social biases and inequalities (Timmons et al., 2023). If these models are biased against certain groups, they may exacerbate existing disparities by affecting who is diagnosed, who accesses treatment, and even how effective that treatment is, potentially leading to persistent and unequal outcomes over time.

VR-based psychotherapy

The next technology poised to revolutionize mental health is virtual reality (VR). Although explored for decades (Meyerbröker, 2021), VR has seen only limited integration into clinical practice, largely due to its cumbersome nature and relatively high costs compared to more accessible technologies like smartphones. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, marked a turning point, creating fertile ground for renewed interest and rapid development of VR-based interventions, particularly as lockdowns and social distancing disrupted traditional mental health services (Hatta et al., 2022). As technical and economic barriers continue to diminish, we are likely to witness the unfolding of VR's substantial therapeutic potential.

Individuals who have not yet experienced high-quality virtual reality are missing the opportunity to engage with a remarkable technological advancement. With the appropriate equipment, virtual environments become convincingly immersive, evoking physical and emotional responses similar to those triggered by real-world situations. For example, users placed in a virtual scenario where they appear to be standing on a precarious beam between two high-rise buildings often hesitate to move forward, even while fully aware of their actual safety on solid ground. Such experiences demonstrate the profound psychological impact of virtual reality, often leaving a lasting impression on the mind.

As of today, the primary application of VR is in the treatment of anxiety disorders, including specific phobias, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder (Kothgassner et al., 2023). VR treatments are predominantly grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which posits that gradual exposure to feared stimuli or events is a key therapeutic strategy (Kendall et al., 2005). Traditionally, individuals with fears such as flying, using elevators, or engaging in social interactions had to confront these anxieties in real-world situations, often outside the therapeutic setting. Now, however, they can undergo gradual exposure in a controlled virtual reality environment, during a clinical session, and under the guidance of the therapist. Just as pilots can refine their skills in a flight simulator that mimics the flight experience while remaining safely grounded, patients can practice 'conquering fear' through a therapeutic 'simulator', enhancing their ability to manage their anxieties in a safe and supportive environment. Correspondingly, a comprehensive meta-analysis on this topic demonstrated that VR exposure therapy yielded outcomes comparable to traditional cognitive behavioral treatments and significantly outperforms control groups that did not receive any form of therapy (Opriş et al., 2012).

The primary clinical gap we identify in this area is the ability to extend VR applications to a broader range of mental health conditions, and particularly to depression, which is one of the most common mental disorders of our era (WHO, 2017). Indeed, gradual exposure can play a therapeutic role in treatments for depression as well, but traditional CBT for depression typically relies on other key strategies, such as behavioral activation and cognitive adaptations, which might be more complicated to implement in VR settings. However, promising developments are emerging in VR-based treatments for depression as well (Zeng et al., 2018).

First, VR can provide depressed patients with a unique opportunity to increase their overall activity, which is considered a fundamental therapeutic step in CBT (Martell et al., 2004), as implied above. The ability to engage in a physical activity within the typically fun environment of the VR, as well as the inherent playfulness and excitement of VR settings, may provide individuals with depression a boost of energy and vitality, often lacking in traditional treatments. Traditional therapists often face the challenge where, despite patients' awareness of the importance of behavioral activation, they struggle to implement this strategy due to the heaviness and helplessness imposed by depression. This difficulty often leads the therapists to refer the patients to psychiatric consultation, hoping that medications will provide the necessary energetic 'boost' that is hard to achieve through psychotherapy alone. Thus, VR interventions could potentially offer an effective therapeutic alternative to psychiatric medications, aiming to fulfill a role similar to that associated with pharmacological interventions, but without exposing patients to their potential adverse outcomes (McGirt et al., 2023).

Second, VR can bring to life the often abstract and amorphous cognitive interventions typically used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Using VR, patients can 'train their minds' in a concrete manner (even from home, between sessions) to identify cognitive distortions and reframe their maladaptive beliefs. For example, patients can engage in cognitive bias modification (Fodor et al., 2020), directing their attention away from negative stimuli in the virtual environment, while reducing the emphasis they place on negative events, and redirecting their attention towards more positive and optimistic experiences.

The entertaining nature of VR treatments also means that people may choose to utilize them, even without being formally diagnosed. In this way, VR-based treatments are closer to contemporary views in clinical psychology (e.g., Bohlmeijer and Westerhof, 2021), which prioritize promoting positive mental health over focusing on pathologies and disorders (which is a hallmark of the previous, biomedical revolution). VR treatments, in this regard, can be viewed as low-intensity interventions aimed to foster resilience and positive feelings in non-clinical populations over time (Pira et al., 2023).

Given these promising opportunities, it is highly recommended to continue researching this field, ideally through longitudinal and controlled studies that can better define the specific advantages of VR treatments (e.g., compared to more traditional psychotherapies), as well as their constraints and limitations. Additionally, identifying potential shortcomings of this technology in advance could eventually facilitate its (somewhat delayed) transition from the experimental realm to the clinical practice (Valmaggia et al., 2016). As research progresses and technology improves, VR is expected to become more accessible and user-friendly, potentially allowing individuals to use it at home regularly. In the meantime, we recommend implementing structured professional training for medical and therapeutic teams to ensure its effective and beneficial use in clinical settings.

Our primary concern regarding VR treatments arises from the very potential we previously highlighted-their ability to evolve into a powerful self-help tool. While the idea of purchasing a VR headset and using it to 'train the mind' at home, akin to a treadmill for physical fitness, is appealing, the risk of unsupervised use leading to unintended side effects, such as blurry vision, disorientation, nausea, dizziness, or headaches (Simón-Vicente et al., 2024; Szpak et al., 2019), cannot be overlooked. This emphasizes the need for further studies to validate the safety and efficacy of VR treatments before they become widely accessible. Additionally, once implemented, it will be crucial to continually monitor both positive and negative outcomes by carefully analyzing feedback from users. Such vigilance is necessary, in our view, even if it delays the broader adoption of VR in clinical practice.

Online therapy and counseling

1. i.
Online treatment provides unique access to individuals with physical disabilities, social anxiety, or those living in remote areas.

2. ii.
The fact that therapeutic sessions do not require travel may also improve adherence to the therapy and reduce cancellation rates. In fact, for many clients, the 'time' required for a telepsychology session is exactly the length of the session itself-without the additional time needed for commuting, parking, or rearranging work and family schedules. The format of the therapy can also easily accommodate more frequent sessions, sometimes even more than once a week.

3. iii.
Online patients receiving treatment in their natural environment may also feel less intimidated or uncomfortable compared to those attending in-person sessions. This increased comfort may foster greater honesty and openness with the therapist, potentially enhancing the therapeutic process.

4. iv.
Finally, the economic advantages of online therapy are significant, helping to address the 'bottleneck problem' caused by long waiting lists for face-to-face care in the public system. Online therapy expands the pool of available therapists, reduces travel expenses, and lowers the ongoing costs associated with maintaining a physical clinic (Stoll et al., 2020).

Of course, these advantages do not diminish the challenges and limitations inherent in online therapy. Online patients (and therapists) may struggle to establish a sense of emotional connectedness, which many consider essential for deep and meaningful therapy (Békés et al., 2021). Moreover, technological disruptions and lack of professional space can detract from the emotional salience of therapy, making it harder to achieve the same level of engagement as in-person sessions (Day and Thomas-Anttila, 2021; Kotera et al., 2021). Finally, current clinical programs do not always contain designated training in online therapy. As a result, therapists (and patients) may miss important non-verbal communication cues, such as body language and subtle shifts in interpersonal dynamics, which are crucial for effective therapy.

Ethical concerns in online therapy often center around issues of boundaries and confidentiality (Bolton, 2017). The same comfort advantage discussed earlier may blur professional boundaries, as some patients may attend sessions in their nightclothes or even from bed. Legal jurisdiction also presents challenges, as therapists and clients may reside in different regions with varying laws and regulations governing mental health care. Finally, one of the most frequently discussed ethical concerns in online therapy pertains to the security and privacy of client data, as online communication platforms can be vulnerable to breaches or hacking, potentially exposing sensitive information (Kingsley and Henning, 2015).

A particularly pressing challenge involves managing crises remotely, especially when dealing with clients at risk of suicide or severe psychological distress. The lack of non-verbal cues and physical distance can complicate assessment, limit intervention options, and make real-time safety planning more difficult. As the field rapidly evolves, the absence of standardized procedures for identifying and managing online clients in crisis remains a major concern. There is an urgent need for formal training programs and professional workshops to equip therapists with the skills necessary for identifying and managing such situations, particularly as insurers and policymakers increasingly promote digital care.

A 'softer' type of care, potentially less affected by the limitations above, is the one-time online consultation for emergency situations, such as the support given by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, and Veterans Crisis Line in the U.S. While individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts or severe trauma may ultimately require more structured and long-term in-person therapy, this initial support appears to provide significant therapeutic value.

In a study we conducted over a decade ago, during the 2014 Israel-Gaza war, we found that more than half of the high school students in the Israeli towns that were close to the warzone were communicating with their teachers via social media, including WhatsApp groups. The primary focus of this online communication was emotional support. The students not only welcomed this interaction with their teachers but also regarded it as a valuable and calming intervention during challenging times (Ophir et al., 2016).

In practical terms, teachers employed a variety of strategies to provide emotional support to their students on social media (e.g., showing care, sending soothing messages, encouraging emotional sharing, fostering belongingness, and posting distracting content). However, the key insight from our previous work on this topic was that the very relationship-the ongoing online connection between teachers and students-significantly contributed to the students' sense of resilience (Rosenberg et al., 2018). This finding aligns with a longstanding understanding in psychotherapy that highlights the importance of a positive and warm relationship, or 'therapeutic alliance,' between clients and caregivers (Horvath and Luborsky, 1993). Such supportive, social media-based relationships may also exist during routine periods (not just times of crisis), and they are reported to be highly beneficial for youth at risk (Rosenberg et al., 2021).

It is important to recognize here, as noted beforehand, that the very advantage of this type of communication could also become its significant drawback. The informality that characterizes social media counseling might lead to a dangerous blurring of boundaries and potentially even harm to patients. Therefore, governmental bodies should consider supervising organizations providing such online counseling, regulating their legal responsibilities, and possibly offering structured training. Specifically for at-risk youth, it is crucial to ensure that online counselors are aware of their unique vulnerabilities and equipped with the professional tools necessary to establish a warm, yet professional and appropriate, therapeutic relationship.

AI-assisted psychotherapy

Indeed, such 'machine-based' psychotherapy might provoke substantial resistance, as it challenges our fundamental understanding of the therapeutic [human-based] relationship, or therapeutic alliance mentioned above. However, as technology evolves, conversations with AI models are expected to increasingly resemble human interactions, providing a sense of being heard and receiving empathy. These AI models can also be integrated into online avatars or VR figures, enhancing their human-like qualities. A decade of research on therapeutic chatbots, for instance, indicates significant efforts to improve their empathic capabilities and make them more human-like in terms of visual presentation, body language, and facial cues (Rapp et al., 2021).

Moreover, the fact that AI models are not human can actually enhance a crucial aspect of psychotherapy: the patient's willingness to openly discuss sensitive issues, such as hidden desires, fears, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation, and drug use (Miner et al., 2019). Users of AI-assisted psychotherapy may comfort themselves with the thought that "it's only a computer," consistent with previous findings showing reduced fear of self-disclosure and impression management, alongside greater openness in expressing sadness and sharing personal information (Lucas et al., 2014). Additionally, users may be further encouraged to disclose more freely once they recognize the AI model's unlimited memory capacity (Miner et al., 2019), a challenge that human therapists often face in remembering numerous stories and details, as well as synthesizing and extracting integrative meaning from them all.

Of course, potent interventions can also carry risks. A randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers at MIT and OpenAI raised important concerns that therapeutic chatbot use might lead to unintended consequences such as emotional overdependence or increased loneliness (Fang et al., 2025). However, our critical review of this otherwise rigorous study found that its own results do not provide convincing support for these concerns (Ophir, Tikochinski et al., 2025). At the same time, a separate randomized controlled trial involving 210 adults showed that a generative AI-powered chatbot, carefully fine-tuned by clinical experts, significantly reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders (Heinz et al., 2025). Notably, the observed effect sizes were comparable to those in conventional therapy, suggesting that well-designed AI-based tools may offer clinically meaningful support-potentially even serving as a temporary bridge for individuals in acute distress until qualified human care becomes available.

Finally, the nearly limitless nature of discourse with AI can help foster what Donald Winnicott, the influential psychoanalyst, termed 'potential space'-a subtle, internal experience that exists between fantasy and reality (Ogden, 2018). In this space, both children and adults can engage in spontaneous and creative expressions, actions, and play, while still remaining connected to others and their concrete environment (as opposed to dreaming, for example). For children, in particular, who may be less suited to traditional 'talk therapy,' this dynamic space may provide an opportunity to process difficulties and emotional distress through narrative, artistic, and experiential methods. Therapists may also encourage patients to use the 'generative' capabilities of AI to create images and metaphors that reflect their psychological struggles, aiding in the externalization of these issues (Haber et al., 2025) in alignment with the narrative approach to psychotherapy (e.g., Madigan, 2011; Ophir, Rosenberg et al., 2025; White, 2007).

In our view, if future applications can effectively address inherent ethical challenges of AI technologies, such as mitigating algorithmic bias in large language models (Lissak, Calderon et al., 2024), AI-assisted therapy holds the potential to be applied across a broad range of difficulties (Beg and Verma, 2024), while also significantly democratizing access to mental health services and alleviating growing pressure on overstretched care systems (Stade et al., 2024; Beg et al., 2025). Yet, due to the novelty and disruptive nature of these technologies, there remains a considerable path ahead in terms of empirical validation and regulatory readiness (Sedlakova and Trachsel, 2023).

One of the most urgent and unresolved challenges in the field of AI-assisted therapy is ensuring patient safety. As recently emphasized by the American Psychological Association, generic AI chatbots may overlook signs of psychological distress or suicidal ideation, provide misleading or inappropriate responses, and in worst-case scenarios, even reinforce harmful thoughts (Abrams, 2025). These risks are compounded by the phenomenon of hallucinations-instances in which AI models generate inaccurate or irrelevant content-which can have particularly grave consequences in clinical contexts. In response to such safety concerns, regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have begun developing formal oversight frameworks aimed at promoting transparency, traceability, and accountability in AI-based Software as a Medical Device (FDA, 2025). In our view, such regulatory infrastructure within general medicine is a vital precondition for the responsible and ethical integration of AI technologies into the highly sensitive domain of mental health care.

In parallel to these urgent safety concerns, a more conceptual, yet equally consequential, challenge lies in defining the mechanisms that underlie the effectiveness of psychological treatment, and translating them into computable frameworks for AI models. This is a complex and demanding task (hundreds of articles and books have been written on this topic), and until satisfactory answers are found, the effectiveness of AI-based therapy will likely remain limited (Grodniewicz and Hohol, 2023). The promising news is that AI tools actually have the potential to help us decipher the 'magic' that occurs during therapy sessions by analyzing the vast amount of verbal and non-verbal information exchanged. However, until we reach that point, it remains prudent to adhere to the aforementioned foundational principle in psychotherapy of therapeutic alliance (Horvath and Luborsky, 1993). This naturally leads to the critical question: can such an alliance be established between a human and a machine?

Discussion and future directions (with a focus on innovation in the AI era)

Inspired by the famous musical quote, "anything you can do, I can do better," the technological revolution in mental health might be summarized as follows: Anything we can achieve manually today in detection, diagnosis, and even some forms of treatment, we will likely 'do better' in the near future with the help of the technological advancements reviewed in this article. The four major applications discussed here hold immense potential to enhance public well-being-whether through suicide prevention apps, treatments in virtual reality, online therapies, or AI-based interventions that could reduce waiting times for in-person care and increase the accessibility and perhaps democratization of mental health services.

However, these advancements alone are not sufficient, and they even carry certain risks, particularly if we consider the possibility that some aspects of our current [biomedically inspired] conceptions and practices may be contributing to the mental health burden outlined in the opening statements of this article. At this pivotal moment, we believe there is a unique opportunity to leverage AI to identify the gaps in current professional paradigms and to uncover new theoretical insights and practical solutions.

To ensure that this hope does not remain an empty cliché, we'll briefly outline the two prevailing approaches to innovation. In the classic scientific approach, new findings are typically uncovered through a 'top-down' process-starting with a theory, followed by hypotheses derived from it (e.g., the hypothesis that a certain drug will enhance well-being), and then testing these hypotheses in the lab or in the field through controlled experiments or other observations. However, this approach often makes it challenging to uncover groundbreaking innovations, as such discoveries are usually preceded by a predefined hypothesis based on a theory that the researcher already possesses, even if this theory is not fully developed.

On the other hand, the more intuitive 'bottom-up' approach involves observing raw data without prior hypotheses and attempting to extract insights directly from them. This method, however, often relies on guesses and can lead to spurious findings that may not be reproducible in follow-up studies (e.g., for example, a dataset might coincidentally show that eating potatoes is associated with feelings of well-being: Orben and Przybylski, 2019). While there are several systematic methodologies in the field of innovation designed to enable discoveries without prior hypotheses (e.g., logical flow charts, brainstorming, branching thinking, and systematic mapping of existing concepts), these methods, too, ultimately rely, to some extent, on a form of educated guessing.

At this point, bottom-up oriented AI models can offer valuable assistance (Ophir et al., 2022). To explore this possibility, we suggest revisiting the first technology reviewed in this article: AI-driven detection and diagnosis. The fact that computational models have been able to predict suicide risk more accurately than traditional statistical models suggests they are likely identifying systematic patterns we were previously unaware of-namely, risk factors and interactions we had not anticipated or could not define properly. In other words, AI has the potential to reveal new insights about the human psyche that previously could only have been discovered through chance or sudden inspiration.

Brightening the "black box" of AI

The main obstacle in front of this promising potential of AI is the "black box" problem (Alishahi et al., 2019). Unlike traditional statistical analyses, which often rely on a limited number of predictors, AI models are based on a vast array of subtle cues. On the one hand, this is their strength; on the other hand, it is our weakness. As humans, we find it challenging to fully comprehend what is happening inside the black box of AI models. To put it more technically, the vectors in language models (based on Deep Contextualized Word Embeddings), which map texts within a multidimensional space, are enormous, and we often cannot interpret what each value in these vectors represents.

To address this limitation, the emerging field of explainable AI (XAI) develops methods to make model predictions more interpretable. For example, instead of merely predicting that a given text suggests elevated suicide risk, an explainable model may highlight that this prediction is driven by the unusual frequency of words related to boredom, hopelessness, or withdrawal. Such explanations do not eliminate the complexity of the underlying algorithms but provide a meaningful bridge between statistical patterns and human understanding.

To illustrate this point, we draw on two examples from prior research experience that demonstrate how explainability-oriented approaches can yield new theoretical insights. In one study, a bottom-up AI-based analysis uncovered a previously unrecognized risk factor for suicide: social media users at high risk exhibited increased references to boredom (Lissak et al., 2024). In another, an image-based model trained on social media posts predicted suicide risk using theory-inspired features with clear psychological meaning, such as negative or dark imagery, markers of social connectedness (e.g., family photographs), and depictions of loneliness (Badian et al., 2023). Importantly, these interpretable features not only improved predictive transparency but also offered valuable perspectives for evidence-based treatments, such as interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and attachment-based family therapy (ABFT). Together, these examples suggest that explainability is not merely a technical challenge but a prerequisite for transforming AI's predictive power into both theoretical innovation and practical progress in mental health care.

Limitations and practical recommendations

While this article offers an expert-driven narrative synthesis of emerging technologies in mental health, it does not aim for exhaustive coverage of all available literature. Our purpose was to highlight conceptual developments, opportunities, and risks through selected peer-reviewed sources and our own prior research. This approach prioritizes breadth and interdisciplinary integration over systematic comprehensiveness. In line with recent standards for qualitative inquiry in mental health (Beg, 2025a), we sought to ensure transparency, reflexivity, and contextualized interpretation throughout.

Against this backdrop, we also outline several practical recommendations to guide the responsible development and implementation of mental health technologies:

First, rigorous standards must be set for testing future technological applications to ensure their effectiveness and safety before they reach the market. This includes requiring clinical trials and pilot studies with standardized measures for mental health outcomes (Torous et al., 2025), such as symptom reduction and quality of life, along with comprehensive safety evaluations.

Second, regulations on data collection and user privacy are critical. Ethical guidelines must clearly define secure data storage, anonymization techniques, and informed consent procedures, modeled on frameworks like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These should be adapted specifically for mental health technologies to ensure sensitive data is handled responsibly.

Third, the implementation of new technologies should be monitored independently rather than relying on commercial self-regulation. Independent review boards, composed of clinicians, ethicists, and AI specialists, should conduct periodic audits of usage data, adverse effects, and real-world efficacy, with mandatory reporting requirements for companies.

Fourth, therapeutic teams should receive professional training in integrating these technologies. Accredited training programs, including workshops on AI-assisted diagnostics, VR protocols, and ethical dilemmas in digital health, should be developed and incorporated into professional development and continuing education frameworks. While hesitation in adopting new technologies is understandable, it is essential to foster a culture of thoughtful innovation. This is especially relevant among biomedical-oriented professionals, whose reluctance may stem from limited exposure to non-pharmacological approaches (e.g., psychosocial, lifestyle, and nutritional interventions), rigid adherence to a biologically reductionistic view of human suffering, or underestimation of the pharmaceutical industry's influence on clinical practice (Ophir, 2022).

Fifth, it is essential to adapt these technologies to the needs of minority and disadvantaged groups to ensure accessibility for the entire population. This can be achieved through government-subsidized partnerships with developers, focusing on underserved areas and populations. Pilot programs should evaluate and refine strategies to reduce barriers to access.

Sixth, transparency about the limitations and risks of mental health technologies must be maintained. Companies and researchers should publish clear and user-friendly summaries of potential risks, similar to medication leaflets. Therapists should also discuss these limitations openly with patients to manage expectations while emphasizing the enduring value of a genuine human connection.

Finally, mechanisms must be in place to retract harmful technologies from the market when necessary, even at financial costs. An industry-funded oversight body should be established to manage this process, with systems for clinicians and users to report issues and trigger formal investigations when harm is suspected.

Ultimately, as of today (September 2025), the appropriate approach to incorporating technology in the field of mental health is to treat it as a complementary tool rather than a sweeping alternative to human care. Many scholars and practitioners have voiced concerns about the potential negative consequences of the uncareful implementation of the technological revolution in mental health and have proposed valuable frameworks for responsible AI integration (e.g., Beg, 2025b). Building on this growing literature, the present article joins the call that any progress in this area must be made with caution, especially if we wish to earn the public's trust and avoid the mistakes of the past.

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The technological revolution in mental health: opportunities, challenges, and practical recommendations - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

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Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - The technological revolution in mental health: opportunities, challenges, and practical recommendations

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As another challenging and exhausting school year grows to a close, a mass teacher exodus looms on the horizon. Districts and school leaders better move fast because, according to a new RAND Corporation survey, teachers and principals are experiencing job-related stress at a rate about twice that of the general population of working adults. Not surprisingly, both teachers and principals cited poor-well-being and adverse working conditions as factors in their stated intention to leave their jobs.

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Educator shortages across the nation this past year pushed too many school districts to the brink. As schools struggled and failed to fill key positions, educator workloads, always heavy, became almost overwhelming.

"Teaching never stops," says Samantha Twohig, a special education teacher in West Virginia. "I don't recall the last time I got a full lunch break - without behavior check-ins, a parent phone call, or the extra coverage needed due to lack of subs. Instead of planning periods. When the bell rings at 3:30, and students go home, my grading and planning work is far from finished."

As another challenging and exhausting school year grows to a close, a mass teacher exodus looms on the horizon. Districts and school leaders better move fast because, according to a new RAND Corporation survey, teachers and principals are experiencing job-related stress at a rate about twice that of the general population of working adults. Not surprisingly, both teachers and principals cited poor-well-being and adverse working conditions as factors in their stated intention to leave their jobs.

The RAND reportuses data from the annual State of the American Teacher (funded in part by the National Education Association) and State of the American Principal Survey to examine the state of educator well-being, specifically looking at job-related stress, burnout, symptoms of depression, coping, and resilience. RAND also interviewed a nationally representative sample of working adults.

While the survey results are sobering, the report lays out a roadmap for districts to get serious about addressing the sources of teacher stress and strengthening the profession in the long-term.

"Improved well-being could bolster job satisfaction and engagement and help retain educators of all backgrounds in the profession," the authors write. "Improving the reputation of the teaching and principal professions might be an important lever for attracting a diverse group of future educators to the profession."

The State of Teacher Well-Being

Regardless of the specific measure, teachers are more likely to experience poor well-being than other working adults. Fifty-nine percent of teachers experienced burnout, compared to 48% of other working adults.

A Gallup survey, also released this week, reported similar results. Gallup found that 44% of K-12 workers felt burned out "very often or always," compared to 30% of all other workers.

The RAND survey also found that compared to their colleagues with 20 or more years of classroom experience, mid-career teachers were more likely to report symptoms of depression, frequent job-related stress, feeling less resilient, and less able to cope. And female teachers were more likely to report experiencing stress and less likely to report feeling resilient than their male counterparts.

Looking at the sources of stress for teachers, the RAND survey underscores the enormous impact teaching during COVID has had on the profession. Almost half the teachers surveyed cited supporting student learning during the pandemic. Around 30% of respondents pointed to managing student behavior and taking on extra work due to staff shortages. Twenty-three percent of teachers also cited working too many hours and low pay. Staffing has been a top source of stress for principals.

"When they cannot find someone [to substitute] . . . we have to take those students into our classes. That is very stressful." - Teacher interviewed by RAND

Sources of stress were fairly uniform for educators, except for one key factor:

The survey found that 36 percent of teachers of color (44 percent of Black teachers, 30 percent of Hispanic/Latinx teachers, 46 percent of API teachers) experienced at least one incident of racial discrimination in the 20201-22 school year. Forty-three percent of teachers exposed to discrimination reported symptoms of depression, compared with 25 percent of their peers who had not experienced any incidents.

The Decision to Leave the Profession

Racial discrimination could be a key reason why teachers of color are more likely to leave the profession than white teachers. The RAND survey found that forty-one percent of teachers of color reported that they intended to leave their jobs before the end of the 2021-2022 school year, compared with 31 percent of White teachers. Overall, one-third of teachers reported their intention to leave the profession in 2022.

Dissatisfaction with pandemic-era working conditions has taken a significant toll on the workforce. More than half the teachers interviewed by RAND attributed their dissatisfaction with their jobs and their desire to leave to factors that have been more prevalent since the pandemic.

"We're not paid what we're worth. . . . No one wants to go into this profession because the pay is terrible and the demands are way too much." - Teacher interviewed by RAND

In 2020-21, school districts saw a disturbing increase in harassment and threats over COVID mitigation measures and, later, classroom curriculum. These trends, along with incidents of school violence, were also strongly linked to the intention to leave the profession

The study notes that burnout and racial discrimination are also predictive of this decision, but both have been factors long before 2020.

Needed: System-Wide Strategies

So how do educators cope? Not surprisingly, they depend on one another. The RAND survey found that most teachers find social support from colleagues, family members, and friends. They also prioritize self-defined boundaries for work-life balance and self-care activities.

These approaches are always helpful, but school districts have a greater responsibility to address and improve educator well-being.

For those educators that did have access, reviews were at best mixed. According to the study, relatively few teachers consider those services valuable or useful. Among other issues, teachers generally did not have confidence that the supports were anonymous or confidential or they did not consider the services particularly relevant to their needs.

The report's authors urge district leaders to "avoid the appearance of treating wellness as a superficial or short-term problem and offer mental health and well-being supports tailored to educators' needs."

"They offer things like wellness programs and mindfulness activities . . . those things are not helpful.. . . They were adding things to my plate just to check a box." - Teacher interviewed by RAND

Districts need to ramp up efforts to fill staff shortages in the short-term but also implement new strategies to keep the educator pipeline flowing. The authors call attention to "Grow Your Own" programs as a promising avenue. NEA Great Public School grants have funded these programs in California, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina and elsewhere.

Despite the enormous challenges facing educators, the RAND survey also found that many educators believed they were coping well. One half of teachers said they were able to find the necessary resilience to manage stress.

And they continue to find joy in their work.

lead author of the report. "

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Make Educator Well-Being a Priority Now | NEA

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According to a new survey, teachers are twice as likely to experience job-related stress compared to other working adults.

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The Well Beings Educator Toolkit includes resources from WETA National Programming, including Ken Burns Presents Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, and various partner organizations who are experts in their field and have significant experience producing materials to support students.

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Welcome to the Well Beings Educator Toolkit! This is a comprehensive, curated collection of resources for use by educators, administrators, school support staff, counselors, social workers, and first responders who work directly with, and for, young people.

The Well Beings Educator Toolkit includes resources from WETA National Programming, including Ken Burns Presents Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, and various partner organizations who are experts in their field and have significant experience producing materials to support students.

We believe that a school is a community and it is important that every level of that community works together to support students. That is why we work with our partners to adapt existing materials to produce a curated toolkit with lesson plans, professional development, workbooks, discussion guides, arts and performance assets for classrooms, access to helplines and support, and resources to support caregivers' own needs - each tailored to serve the broader education community.

The materials in the resources section below are available in several formats from our partner websites including downloadable PDFs, printable posters, art files, infographics, videos, PowerPoint decks and much more.

The Toolkit is designed to grow as new materials and resources become available and will be updated regularly.

For the latest Well Beings updates, subscribe to the Well Beings newsletter here.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness is now streaming on PBS Passport.

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Well Beings Educator Toolkit - Well Beings

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An educational resource kit for educators, administrators, school support staff and counselors who work directly with, and for, young people.

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The Complete Guide to Self-Care for Educators

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The Complete Guide to Self-Care for Educators

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Self-care practices can help. According to the National Comprehensive Center, self-care can aid educators in both improving their overall wellness and being more effective for their students. In this article, we look at the elements of self-care, why teachers experience burnout, and several strategies educators can use to help maintain their overall wellness.

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The Complete Guide to Self-Care for Educators

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Self-care is much more than just taking a spa day. This article provides teachers with several strategies to help enhance their overall wellness.

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“SHIELDing” Our Educators: Comprehensive Coping Strategies for Teacher Occupational Well-Being

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“SHIELDing” Our Educators: Comprehensive Coping Strategies for Teacher Occupational Well-Being

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A novel SHIELD model incorporating Support, Health, Interaction, Empathy, Leadership, and Development strategies was formulated as a holistic coping strategy for enhancing teachers’ occupational well-being. Conclusions: The findings highlight the necessity of a holistic approach to teacher well-being, integrating both personal and institutional support systems. Schools can enhance teacher well-being by fostering a supportive and empathetic culture, providing necessary resources, and encouraging healthy lifestyles. The SHIELD model offers a comprehensive framework for supporting teachers and improving educational outcomes.

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*Correspondence: joy.nwokomy.jcu.edu.au †These authors contributed equally to this work.

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“SHIELDing” Our Educators: Comprehensive Coping Strategies for Teacher Occupational Well-Being

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Background: Teaching is a physically and mentally challenging profession that demands high emotional involvement, often leading to stress and anxiety. Understanding how teachers cope with these demands is essential for enhancing their well-being and…

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Speaking Up in Schools: Educators Share Their Mental Health Journeys

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Speaking Up in Schools: Educators Share Their Mental Health Journeys

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More educators are speaking up, sharing their lived experiences with mental health to break down stigma and foster a culture of support and understanding. Their stories remind us that caring for ourselves is as vital as caring for others—and that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Together, by sharing these journeys, the education community can build resilience, connection, and healthier schools for everyone.

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From toolkits to podcasts and more, here are a few of the great online resources available to learn more about mental health.

Protecting Your Mental Health - Mental Health America
Learn strategies to manage stress, prioritize self-care, and maintain mental wellness, including improving sleep, nutrition, and coping with workplace pressures.

Free Counseling Options for Teachers - WeAreTeachers
Find free counseling services tailored for educators, including online therapy, support groups, and crisis helplines, and connect with professional mental health support when you need it.

Student Mental Health Matters Toolkit - PBS LearningMedia
Explore a comprehensive toolkit designed for educators and school staff to discover strategies to support student mental health while fostering a healthier classroom environment.

Teachers' Mental Health: A Silent Crisis - Teachers Off Duty Podcast
Listen to candid discussions and personal stories about the mental health challenges educators face, building connection and understanding among teachers.

Teacher Wellness - Edutopia
Access practical tips to manage burnout, maintain work-life balance, and help build sustainable wellness habits in daily teaching life.

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Mental Health Stories From Educators | Deconstructing Stigma

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Teachers and school staff share their lived experiences with mental health to push back stigma and foster a culture of support and understanding.

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Five things school leaders can do to support educator wellbeing

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Five things school leaders can do to support educator wellbeing

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NY-RISE, a three-year series of professional development and technical assistance workshops to strengthen the individual and collective capacities of charter school stakeholders, funded through a Charter School Programs grant from the New York State Education Department, convened a panel of educators and experts in July 2022 to share some promising strategies for supporting educator wellbeing.

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Five things school leaders can do to support educator wellbeing

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Five things school leaders can do to support educator wellbeing

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Best Practices To Support Teachers’ Mental Health

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Best Practices To Support Teachers’ Mental Health

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Education leaders need to take the initiative here, and emails aren’t going to cut it. Whether it’s coordinating group meetings face-to-face, in-person or through Zoom, leadership can start by addressing concerns, providing support, and showing compassion. Creating a culture of support for “mentally healthy workplaces” can be as simple as setting an away message in your email or social media that indicates a digital detox to fully recharge and practice self-care or as vulnerable as sharing your own stresses and struggles as a means to open lines of supportive communication.

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Supporting Teacher Mental Health - Proximity Learning

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Learn ways to support teachers struggling with mental health and burnout due to the grueling pandemic.

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Preparing School Leaders to Support Educator Mental Health

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Preparing School Leaders to Support Educator Mental Health

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This article argues that educator mental health must be treated as a core leadership responsibility and, therefore, as a central component of leadership preparation. Using a practitioner narrative as an anchor, we examine leadership responses to a real mental health crisis, identify explicit leadership practices that should be developed in preparation programs, and reflect on how leadership preparation can be strengthened to better prepare future leaders for this work.

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Teacher Support: Mental Health and Retention

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Teacher Support: Mental Health and Retention

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There are many strategies schools can use to support teachers’ mental health both in and out of the classroom; however, one in particular stands out as an effective and engaging tool for retaining quality teachers: professional development.

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Teacher Support: Mental Health and Retention - Effective School Solutions

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Discover how professional development enhances teacher support, fostering retention of quality educators and strengthening school districts.

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Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment

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Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment

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Excitement about the huge range of opportunities technology offers for mental health treatment has led to a burst of development. Thousands of mental health apps are available in iTunes and Android app stores, and the number is growing every year. However, this new technology frontier includes a lot of uncertainty. There is very little industry regulation and very little information on app effectiveness, which can lead people to wonder which apps they should trust.

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment

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Learn about technology and mental health treatment, including pros and cons of using apps, current trends, & evaluating app effectiveness.

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Early Teacher Burnout: A Growing Reality 

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Early Teacher Burnout: A Growing Reality 

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Novice teachers, specifically those in their first five years, are leaving the teaching profession at an escalating rate. Demands that go beyond teaching and assessing curriculum in the classroom are piling up and becoming unattainable. Not only are teachers experiencing heavy workloads that require them to combine work with their personal lives, but it is accompanied by emotional strain and a lack of support. This leads to stress and burnout, and ultimately to many leaving the career. Alleviating such stress can come from adding supports, prioritizing mental health and well-being, and reducing administrative expectations that go beyond the workday.

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Balancing the Scales: The Impact of Faculty Workload in Relation to

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Balancing the Scales: The Impact of Faculty Workload in Relation to

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This study explored the relationship between faculty workload, burnout, and teaching efficacy among instructors in the Bohol Island State University (BISU) system. Using a descriptive-correlational design, the research examined faculty perceptions across three major domains: workload engagement, burnout experiences, and instructional efficacy. Results indicated a high level of faculty workload engagement (M = 2.81), suggesting that faculty frequently face time constraints and overlapping commitments. Despite this, burnout levels remained low (M = 2.52), and teaching efficacy was rated very high across all domains, including preparation, classroom techniques, subject mastery, student relations, management, and evaluation.

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Teachers’ Mental Health and Their Involvement in Educational Inclusion

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Teachers’ Mental Health and Their Involvement in Educational Inclusion

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The study is carried out with 542 teachers of therapeutic pedagogy and special educational needs using the Psychological Need Thwarting Scale PNTS questionnaires as a research method, the Resilience Scale (RS-14), the Trait Meta Mood Scale 24 (TMMS-24), the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Index for Inclusion. The results revealed positive correlations, on the one hand, between the factors of frustration among themselves and with burnout and, on the other hand, the positive correlation between emotional intelligence, resilience and the inclusion index. In conclusion, the resilience of teachers plays a protective role in the inclusion of students with SEN in the face of emotional exhaustion and the frustration of psychological needs.

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Checking your browser before accessing pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov…

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Teachers are often expected to fill many roles—educators, counselors, mentors, and caregivers. They invest their time and energy into supporting their students’ well-being, often neglecting their own. This neglect, in addition to persistent stress, emotional exhaustion, and a lack of work–life balance can contribute to feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and even a loss of passion for their occupation. Data supports this as more than 270,000 teachers have left the profession each year since 2016, and the trend is expected to continue through 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Published May 17, 2024 Updated May 17, 2024

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The mental health crisis has affected individuals across various ages and professions. With increasing academic stress and institutional challenges, teachers & school staff are no exceptions.

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Here’s What Teachers Say They Need Most to Manage Stress, Mental Health

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Here’s What Teachers Say They Need Most to Manage Stress, Mental Health

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As teacher stress and burnout levels remain high, and the pressures of the job continue to grow, educators say one thing can go a long way in making teaching a more sustainable profession: more time.

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As teacher stress and burnout levels remain high, and the pressures of the job continue to grow, educators say one thing can go a long way in making teaching a more sustainable profession: more time.

"We want the gift of time," said Anna Aguilar, an elementary teacher in the Twin Rivers Unified school district in Sacramento, Calif. "We don't need more [professional development]. We don't need to be told what to do. We have plenty to do, which is part of the problem. You keep adding stuff to our plates. I'm telling you I need time to do those things."

Yet school districts often don't seem to be listening, Aguilar and four other educators said in a roundtable discussion at the National Education Association's representative assembly here in early July. Many educators say that teaching has gotten harder since the pandemic, as student academic needs have gotten greater, behavioral challenges have increased, and substitute and other staffing shortages have continued to plague schools.

"We're always asking more of our educators and not less," said Robert Gould, a special education teacher and the president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association. "We never take anything off their plates."

A recent RAND Corp. study found that teachers are nearly twice as likely as other working adults to report having difficulty coping with job-related stress, and 10 percentage points more likely to experience burnout. Frequent and long-term stress increases the risk of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

Yet a nationally representative survey of teachers, conducted by the EdWeek Research Center in January, found that districts' mental health programming for their employees is sparse, even as more than half of respondents said that the mental health and wellness of teachers in their school had declined over the course of the 2022-23 school year.

Some teachers are leaving the profession altogether because of the stresses of the job, while many others are pushing through-which experts say is bad for both their own mental health and that of their students.

"When you have burnout, you're coming to work with a very negative attitude and very negative energy," said Donna Christy, a school psychologist and the president of the Prince George's County Educators Association in Maryland. "And kids are so empathic that they feel your negative energy, and that spurs their negative energy, which causes more behavior problems and challenges.

"It just becomes this really vicious, horrible cycle of a really negative climate within our schools where the educators are dysregulated, and the students are dysregulated, and we're all feeding each other's dysregulation, and it's just a time bomb-and it erupts frequently."

What educators say could help improve employee mental health

The educators said they need time and space to do their jobs well. They want to teach-and spend less time doing administrative tasks and paperwork.

Christy called for an audit of the educator workload: "What's a must versus a want in terms of what you're asking educators to do?"

For example, she said, officials in her district want teachers to call home every time a child is absent, but a robocall system could take care of that. Teachers are also expected to pull reports on every student who is in danger of failing, but the central office has access to that data, too, she said.

"What's burying [teachers] is all this work that they shouldn't have to do-just let them teach," Christy said. "Let them plan their lessons, let them teach. And everybody outside of the classroom should be thinking, 'What can I do to support what's going on within those four walls of the classroom?'"

Her teachers' union in Prince George's County focused on reducing educator workload and protecting planning time during bargaining last year. Ultimately, the district agreed to build in more planning time in the contract. Middle and high school teachers, for instance, now have at least 45 minutes of planning time every day-and a full class period for two days each week.

Wayne Spangler, a 2nd grade teacher in Peterstown, W.Va., said his principal has made sure that all grade-level teachers have the same planning period. Sharing that time "helps our mental health," he said, since it allows them to go over what is working and what's not.

But the lack of substitutes in his district sometimes cuts into his planning time, he said. Administrators will ask teachers if they're willing to give up their planning period to cover this class, and offer a $25 incentive.

"It's hard to say, 'No, I don't want to do that,'" Spangler said, because he knows that if he doesn't step up, the students will either be missing out on instruction or will be spread across other teachers' classes-which brings class sizes to "almost an unmanageable point."

In general, large class sizes are also a major time-suck for teachers, said Gould, the Denver teachers' union president. With smaller class sizes, educators would have more time to implement the inclusive practices that they want to do and that support students, he said.

Other educators in the school building can also lessen teachers' loads, but staff shortages have made that harder as everyone in the building is stretched thin. For example, Christy said school counselors are often tapped to coordinate tests and facilitate special education meetings-reducing the amount of time available to lead social-emotional learning in the building or respond to students' mental health needs.

Nicolle Reyes, an education support professional in Harrisburg, Pa., said she wishes every classroom had an assigned paraprofessional. She is often sent into classrooms to help students with behavioral challenges, but she said her presence can make the entire classroom run more smoothly and alleviate the teacher's stress.

"I was sent into a classroom to support the kids, but truthfully, it turned into a support to the teacher," Reyes said. "She kept saying, 'Thank you for being here.' ... She would give me a group [of students], and we'd divide and conquer."

Mental health days are not necessarily the answer

A dozen states allow students to take a day off from school for mental health reasons, but the practice is less common for teachers. In the EdWeek Research Center survey, about half of teachers said their school or district permitting or encouraging mental health days would support their well-being.

But the educators at the roundtable weren't convinced-in part because that time off won't solve the root of the problem.

"Having a day off to take care of my mental health to recover from my job is not the answer," Christy said. "The problem is fixing the job so that it's not so stressful that you need to be taught how to cope with it."

In many districts, sick days can be used for mental health as well, but "teachers don't always feel like they can take that day," Gould said, pointing to the lack of substitutes and a general desire to want to be there for students.

Aguilar, the California elementary teacher, works with children with disabilities. She hesitates to take days off because she wants her students to have consistency. It can be stressful for them to have somebody new at the front of the class.

Also, she added, it's "stressful for you as a teacher to have to plan literally every second of the day as if you're there, to explain to [a substitute] in words how to do what you do."

Aguilar said her union did successfully bargain for bereavement time for pregnancy loss-part of a growing trend in certain districts to support educators who have a miscarriage or stillbirth but are unwilling or unable to take sick time. (Oftentimes, teachers are trying to save their sick time to take when a future baby is born, since many districts do not provide paid parental leave.)

"If we value mental health, it should come from the adults," Aguilar said. "Adults should put on our [oxygen] masks first, so we can help our children. If we're not OK, it's going to be very, very difficult to do that."

Removing barriers to mental health support

In a small town, teachers might be deterred from taking a mental health day or visiting a therapist for fear of word getting out, said Spangler, the West Virginia teacher.

And there's a generational divide, he said: He's noticed younger teachers being more open about struggling with their mental health and being proactive in seeking support.

But for veteran teachers like himself, "we don't do that. We power through," Spangler said.

School and district leaders have to create a culture where it's normalized to seek mental health care, the educators said. Part of that is reducing any barriers to access.

For example, Gould said the Denver Classroom Teachers Association has successfully negotiated with the district that starting this year, educators won't have to pay any co-pays for mental health support, relieving a big financial burden.

"That was a major reason why people didn't go-I want to have this relationship with somebody over time, but if I'm going to be shelling out a thousand dollars over time, it doesn't make much sense," he said.

Above all, the systemic issues that make teaching so hard must be addressed, the educators in the roundtable discussion said.

"People come into the education profession thinking it's one thing, and then the reality is something so completely different," Christy said. "That's why they leave. ... If we could make the job what people think it is, people would actually enjoy it and stay. They would not be burned out, and we would not have mental health crises."

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Here's What Teachers Say They Need Most to Manage Stress, Mental Health

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Topping their list: Time, including dedicated planning periods and fewer administrative duties.

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If you’re feeling tired and disengaged, there’s a good chance it’s related to trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and/or “battle fatigue.” Teachers are often focused on taking care of and supporting others, but without prioritizing your wellbeing, those stress levels won’t lift. Your mental health isn’t only important to you—teacher wellness is also linked to stability in schools and student achievement.

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Teachers: Protecting Your Mental Health | Mental Health America

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According to several studies and reports, teaching is one of the most stressful jobs in the country. The American Federation of Teachers’ 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey found that 61 percent of teachers said their jobs were always or often stressful—more than double the rate of non-teaching working adults—and 58 percent said they had poor mental health due to stress levels [1]. That was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and since then, the transition to online learning, debates over reopening, and individual safety concerns are making teachers’ mental health worse. [2]

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Supporting Teachers With Anxiety and Depression

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Supporting Teachers With Anxiety and Depression

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Teachers with anxiety and depression often navigate a unique set of challenges that shape teaching practices and influence relationships with students and colleagues. Teaching requires constant practice of empathy because many teachers’ diagnoses stem from the stress that teaching causes. Supporting teachers who have anxiety and depression is critical, as these issues significantly impact the teaching profession.

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Supporting Teachers With Anxiety and Depression

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Administrators can create a environment that helps all teachers feel a sense of belonging, even when they are struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression.

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Wellness is about systemic and ongoing efforts to support mental health in multiple ways. While teachers may appreciate school-provided massages or a single mindfulness training, “wellness requires ongoing and long-term schoolwide change and should not be treated as a superficial, siloed, or short-term goal” (Santoro & Price, 2021, p. 1). Addressing mental health requires a multifaceted approach, often involving a combination of individual strategies, school-level programs or interventions, and policy changes. Here we describe research-based and promising strategies for supporting teacher mental health.

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Neurodiversity in the Workplace Resources

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Neurodiversity in the Workplace Resources

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The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) promotes the adoption of workplace disability policy strategies and effective practices. In addition, EARN provides resources and technical assistance to help organizations of all sizes recruit, hire, retain, and advance people with disabilities.

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Neurodiversity in the Workplace Resources

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Learn more about neurodiversity in the workplace.

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These Neurodivergent Students are Helping Each Other Build More Inclusive Schools

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These Neurodivergent Students are Helping Each Other Build More Inclusive Schools

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A peer-to-peer movement of high school and college students is hitting campuses this fall to foster that same sense of liberation among their fellow neurodivergent classmates, whose brains function differently from what is considered typical. Known as The Neurodiversity Alliance, they’ve increased the number of schools reached from 60 to more than 600 in the past year. Building on the visibility that followed rising diagnoses and pandemic-era awareness, the alliance says it empowers youth to build more inclusive spaces together. In early August, more than 130 students took up that mantle at a Denver summit. They exchanged recruitment tactics, asked professionals about navigating “neurotypical” work cultures and named their favorite neurodiverse fictional characters. Throughout the week’s sessions, many stimmed — making repetitive movements to self-soothe — by building LEGO blocks, braiding yarn or using fidgets.

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These neurodivergent students are helping each other build more inclusive schools

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A peer-to-peer movement of neurodivergent youth is hitting campuses this fall to build more inclusive spaces together.

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From Awareness to Advocacy: How Early Educators Support Families of Neurodivergent Children [VIDEO 58:20]

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From Awareness to Advocacy: How Early Educators Support Families of Neurodivergent Children [VIDEO 58:20]

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In this informative webinar, the Becker's Education Team shows how educators can support neurodivergent learners and build strong, trusting partnerships with families. Learn practical strategies to recognize early signs, advocate effectively, and create strengths-centered, inclusive learning environments. Walk away with actionable tools and reflective practices to deepen family engagement in any early childhood setting.

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From Awareness to Advocacy: How Early Educators Support Families of Neurodivergent Children

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Leadership from a Neurodiverse Perspective

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Leadership from a Neurodiverse Perspective

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Being a leader is traditionally associated with qualities such as intelligence, confidence, and decisiveness. However, I have learned that it is important to recognize that effective leadership can emerge from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including those with learning disabilities. While a learning disability presents unique challenges, individuals who navigate and overcome these obstacles can offer exceptional leadership skills rooted in their lived experiences with determination, resilience, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and empathy. As a result, leadership is broader than a specific set of abilities or characteristics commonly understood. Neurodiverse individuals can be found in all walks of life, making meaningful contributions in different fields, including higher education.

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Salvador B. Mena
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Division Director

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Leadership from a Neurodiverse Perspective

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Storied Minds: Transforming Education for the Neurodiverse through Narrative Therapy

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Storied Minds: Transforming Education for the Neurodiverse through Narrative Therapy

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In an era where neurodiversity is increasingly recognized, educators face the challenge of creating truly inclusive learning environments. "Storied Minds" offers a groundbreaking approach to supporting neurodiverse students by harnessing the power of Narrative Therapy in educational settings. The author, Devashish Sarkar, presents a comprehensive guide that bridges the gap between therapeutic practice and classroom strategies.

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Devashish Sarkar (Author, Publisher), Mandy Grant-Grierson (Narrator)

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Storied Minds: Transforming Education for the Neurodiverse through Narrative Therapy

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Amazon.com: Storied Minds: Transforming Education for the Neurodiverse through Narrative Therapy (Audible Audio Edition): Devashish Sarkar, Mandy Grant-Grierson, Devashish Sarkar: Books

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Supporting Neurodivergent Teachers: How Schools Can Help the Helpers

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Supporting Neurodivergent Teachers: How Schools Can Help the Helpers

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Neurodivergent educators, like those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other forms of cognitive diversity, are essential voices in our schools. We bring innovation, empathy, and authenticity. Yet we often work within systems that weren’t built with us in mind. Recognizing and supporting the needs of neurodivergent teachers doesn’t just benefit those individuals … it strengthens entire school communities.

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Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD: How colleges are helping ‘Neurodivergent’ Students Succeed

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Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD: How colleges are helping ‘Neurodivergent’ Students Succeed

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At its simplest, neurodiversity is the idea that everybody’s brains work differently, and that these differences are normal. Neurodivergent, which is not a medical diagnosis, is an umbrella term that refers to people who have autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, or other atypical ways of thinking, learning and interacting with others. “Embodied equity,” the other term in the new center’s name, refers to an anti-discrimination approach that considers all aspects of people’s identities — including race, gender, ability, socioeconomic status — when addressing social problems.

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Autism, dyslexia, ADHD: How colleges are helping ‘neurodivergent’ students succeed

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University of San Diego professors are developing programs to empower neurodivergent students to thrive.

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Resilience in the Face of Neurodivergence: A Scoping Review of Resilience and Factors Promoting Positive Outcomes

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Resilience in the Face of Neurodivergence: A Scoping Review of Resilience and Factors Promoting Positive Outcomes

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Neurodivergent individuals, including a range of conditions impacting neurological function, are at an increased likelihood of poor life outcomes, such as in functional adaptation, mental health, and well-being. Yet, many live meaningful and fulfilling lives. Resilience may provide some explanation for the heterogeneity in outcomes observed in neurodivergent populations. This study is a scoping review embedded in a neurodiversity-affirmative approach to provide an understanding of resilience in neurodivergent populations. A total of 176 articles were included in this review and were synthesized using a two-phased process.

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Please confirm you are a human by completing the captcha challenge below.

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Recognizing and Supporting Neurodiversity in Schools: A Comprehensive Guide for Teachers

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Recognizing and Supporting Neurodiversity in Schools: A Comprehensive Guide for Teachers

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This paradigm shift from a deficit-based model to one of appreciation underscores the importance of valuing neurodiverse individuals for their contributions. In the realm of education, this entails redefining success, inclusion, and equitable learning opportunities. Educators are encouraged to recognize the distinct talents of neurodivergent students, such as creativity, problem-solving abilities, and focused attention. Educators play a pivotal role in creating environments that celebrate differences, thereby enhancing the educational experience for all students. By utilizing collaboration, empathy, and evidence-based practices, educators can effectively address the needs of neurodivergent learners, which ultimately benefits the entire student body. This approach cultivates a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and respect, preparing students for a world that values diversity.

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Recognizing and Supporting Neurodiversity in Schools: A Comprehensive Guide for Teachers

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Neurodiversity acknowledges the variations in human brain functioning, encompassing conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, and dyslexia. It perceives these neurological differences as diverse expressions of human cognition rather than deficits, thereby emphasizing the unique strengths that individuals bring to our communities.

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Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Learners in the English Language Classroom

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Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Learners in the English Language Classroom

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Thanks to advancements in neuroscience, significant progress has been made over the past three decades in addressing neurodiversity in the context of learning. Organizations such as CAST, the Center for Applied Special Technology, have developed principles and strategies to teach neurodiverse students and accommodate multiple learning styles.

With the above in mind, let’s examine some inclusive teaching strategies for supporting neurodivergent students.

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BridgeUniverse - TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources

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Neurodiversity and teaching neurodivergent learners are familiar topics for educators. Most teachers have a few students with individual learning plans (ILP) or struggling with ADHD or dyslexia.

Neurodiversity refers to the idea that no individual experiences the world exactly like another. Just like fingerprints, no two brains are alike. Australian sociologist Judy Singer coined the term in the 1990s to remove the stigma associated with disorders such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities.

While individuals impacted by autism, ADHD, and dyslexia may be more markedly different than those who are considered 'normal,' in a sense, we are all 'neurodiverse' because we all have personal learning modalities.

The issue of neurodiversity has come to the fore in recent years because of the rising number of neurodiverse learners in education. For example, it is estimated that 1 in 36 children is affected by autism in the United States. Whether these numbers reflect better diagnostic screening or the negative influence of factors such as socioeconomic status, nutrition, or environmental causes, the fact remains that these students face challenges that most learners do not.

Thanks to advancements in neuroscience, significant progress has been made over the past three decades in addressing neurodiversity in the context of learning. Organizations such as CAST, the Center for Applied Special Technology, have developed principles and strategies to teach neurodiverse students and accommodate multiple learning styles.

With the above in mind, let's examine some inclusive teaching strategies for supporting neurodivergent students.

Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment

A significant development arising from the focus on neurodiversity is the recognition that teaching strategies must be inclusive and cater to the unique needs of all students. To this end, it is essential that neurodiverse students are placed in an environment that feels safe, where they are listened to, and where they are part of a supportive community.

How to foster psychological safety

A safe environment is essential for all learners to thrive, but it is especially critical for neurodivergent students. Feeling psychologically safe means being comfortable expressing oneself, asking questions, and taking risks without fear of judgment or retribution.

Some steps teachers can take to create a safe psychological environment in the ESL classroom are:

Encouraging students to ask questions and advocate for their needs

Valuing the unique perspectives that neurodivergent students can bring to the class

Eliminating the fear of judgment and ridicule by presenting failures as opportunities to learn

Avoiding constant corrections and adopting other strategies to correct mistakes. The ESL class is all about communication. When students are constantly being corrected, they will be hesitant to express themselves. Instead, try repeating their statements back in the correct form. Eventually, they will internalize it.

Celebrating success to build confidence and pride

Take a deeper dive into the dos and don'ts of error correction when teaching English.
Use active listening and body language

We all know that communication doesn't just happen through words. Body language is equally important. As teachers, we are used to evaluating students' engagement based on these clues.

However, when it comes to neurodiverse students, we must acknowledge that they receive, process, and express information in ways that may differ from neurotypical students. We can convey our understanding and engagement to neurodiverse learners by paying attention to their verbal and non-verbal communication, asking open-ended questions, gently encouraging them to elaborate on their answers (paraphrasing or summing up what they say to show our engagement and understanding), and providing feedback.

We can also use body language by nodding, looking at students in the eyes (if they seem comfortable with it), and maintaining an open and relaxed posture. We must be aware of our deliberate or involuntary body language and remember that neurodivergent students may interpret it differently than neurotypical students.

Build a supportive community

Being part of a supportive community can greatly enhance one's self-confidence and sense of safety. When teaching English to neurodiverse students, teachers can help create such a community by directly engaging parents, caregivers, and the students themselves in developing accommodation plans.

By listening to them, educators can come to know and understand their students' needs better. Parents and caregivers will be familiar with the issues students face and will be able to articulate what strategies have worked for them.

Adapting Teaching Methods for Neurodiverse Learners

Another component of a supportive environment for neurodiverse English learners is the adaptation of teaching materials to their needs. Below are some strategies to accomplish this goal.

Implement multisensory instruction

Multisensory learning is based on the idea that most people learn best when more than one sense is engaged. This strategy can benefit all learners but is especially effective for students with dyslexia who cannot learn the traditional way.

According to the International Dyslexia Association, "Multisensory learning involves the use of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously to enhance memory and learning of written language. Links are consistently made between the visual (language we see), auditory (language we hear), and kinesthetic-tactile (language symbols we feel) pathways in learning to read and spell."

Examples of multisensory learning for English learners include activities focusing on visuals, such as:

using colorful charts, diagrams, or images to illustrate concepts

illustrated flashcards for vocabulary, color-coded grammar, or using different colors to identify different speech components (for example, red for nouns, green for adjectives, blue for verbs)

activities focusing on hearing, e.g., choral reading or listening to a recording while reading its script, using songs and rhymes to learn words in a fun way

kinesthetic activities such as role-play, Total Physical Response, and storytelling with props and gestures

Contextualize learning

Another way to make learning content more approachable for neurodiverse students is to place it in a context they can relate to or that caters to their interests and life experiences. In fact, contextualizing learning makes content meaningful to all students because placing information in a context, rather than presenting it in isolation, enhances students' understanding and ability to recall.

This can be as straightforward as selecting reading materials that reflect students' interests, extracting grammar points and vocabulary from written or audiovisual materials, or even class discussions that engage learners' attention because they are relevant to them.

Use project-based learning (PBL)

This is another valuable tool in the ESL teacher's toolbox when teaching English to neurodiverse students. PBL engages students in meaningful and purposeful tasks connected to the real world. In this process, language emerges naturally from the class activities. PBL also promotes collaboration, communication, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Incorporate student-created materials

When students are directly involved in creating their study resources, they develop a sense of ownership and pride in their learning, which in turn nurtures self-confidence and initiative.

Student-created material can range from vocabulary flashcards to presentations, videos, summaries, or personal glossaries. The process of generating one's own study resources further helps students develop self-reliance and independence.
Explore all the English language learning methodologies and find the best teaching methods to implement in your ELT classroom.
Addressing Individual Needs

One of the hurdles teachers face in the classroom is tailoring their teaching strategies to address multiple learning styles, individual needs, and neurodiversity in the classroom. One relatively simple way to solve this problem is to create multiple points of entry through which students can access and engage with learning and show their progress.

Let's look at some steps teachers can take to make learning accessible to all students.

Adjust learning materials for accessibility

Among the problems neurodiverse students may encounter in the ESL classroom is difficulty reading the learning material. This is a well-known problem for dyslexic students. Fortunately, some fonts, such as sans serif or Open Dyslexic Alta, are dyslexia-friendly or were created with the explicit goal of helping individuals with dyslexia.

For students who struggle with reading, teachers can also provide audio versions of the text or alternative reading formats. These include large print texts, digital versions, Braille, and Immersive Reader, among others.

Offer flexible assessment options

Students with learning disabilities should be offered alternative ways to demonstrate their learning. For example, students with dysgraphia can be allowed to type their assignments instead of writing by hand. Teachers can allow students to present orally or use speech-to-text tools.

Break down instructions clearly

For neurodiverse students, understanding instructions can sometimes be challenging. To ease these difficulties, it is important that teachers break down instructions into smaller chunks by providing step-by-step directions and reinforcing them with verbal instructions.

Before starting any task, teachers should ensure that their students clearly understand what is expected of them. Teachers can then monitor students regularly to verify they are on task and that there is no confusion about the why or how of the activity.

Use supports like movement

Neurodivergent learners may find it difficult to sit or concentrate on a task for extended periods of time. In truth, all school-age children and even adults may have trouble attending to a task for too long. When attention is waning and students are becoming restless or fidgety, it may be time to give them a break.

Breaks come in many forms, from allowing students to move around the room or stretch for a few minutes to playing a game like Simon Says or practicing relaxation through deep breathing. Far from being a waste of precious time, breaks allow learners' brains to process and consolidate information.

Students with autism or ADHD can also benefit from fidgeting. Research shows that fidgeting, a behavior particularly common in ADHD students, can help learners relax and focus on a task. Alternatively, teachers can suggest using a fidgeting tool like sensory disks, stress balls, or spinner rings.

However, the research suggests that the efficacy of fidget tools varies widely from person to person and that, in some individuals, it can increase rather than reduce distraction.

Implement a Collaboration and Support System

If your students include neurodivergent learners, you don't have to go it alone. The good news is that in many schools, there is a support system that teachers and students can rely on. Some actions teachers can take to seek support are:

Leverage district resources

ESL teachers can collaborate with speech and occupational therapists and special education teams. They can work together to identify the necessary steps to assist their neurodivergent students.

Encourage cross-team collaboration

ESL teachers can collaborate with school counselors and administrators to implement individualized lesson plans (ILP). In many schools, the work of ESL teachers is critical to ensuring that ESL students perform well across subjects.

By keeping open communication with their colleagues, ESL teachers can be aware of the challenges their students are facing in other classes and find ways to assist and support them. For example, if a student is proficient in math but has trouble understanding instructions, the teacher can provide her with a bilingual math glossary. Or the teacher may choose a specific reading to assist her students with a Social Studies topic, and so on.

For both neurodivergent and neurotypical ESL students, the greatest challenge is often demonstrating what they know in a language they are still learning.

Adopt a strengths-based approach

We all face challenges. Both students and teachers have strengths and weaknesses. What matters is how we address them. By recognizing and confronting them with resilience, we can overcome. By modeling self-awareness and resilience and sharing our challenges with our neurodiverse students, we can help inspire and motivate them.

The focus on neurodiversity over the last thirty years has yielded results that have also impacted the instruction of neurotypical students. Recognizing that all students have individual learning styles and needs has prompted educators to develop more inclusive teaching strategies while gradually moving away from the traditional model of teacher-centered education.

A crucial outcome of research and teacher-led inquiries into neurodiversity is the recognition that, in order to thrive, neurodivergent students require a psychologically safe, structured, flexible, and engaging environment.

Teaching students to advocate for themselves, creating an environment where learners feel safe expressing themselves, and adopting flexible, student-centered teaching strategies are all steps teachers can take to ensure their neurodivergent students have the same opportunity to learn as neurotypical students.

Finally, by engaging families, leveraging the available resources, encouraging cross-team collaboration, and working together with school counselors and administrators, we can help to build a support community for students and teachers alike.

ESL teachers play a crucial role in fostering an inclusive learning community, as students cannot showcase their proficiency in any subject if their English skills are lacking. A significant first step toward a more inclusive classroom is reflecting on current teaching strategies and gradually implementing research-based changes. Ultimately, these changes will benefit all students.

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Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Learners in the English Language Classroom - BridgeUniverse - TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources

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Discover practical, inclusive strategies to support neurodiverse learners in your English language classroom and meet diverse learning needs.

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Do Public Schools Meet the Needs of Neurodiverse Children?

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Do Public Schools Meet the Needs of Neurodiverse Children?

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In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the question of how well public schools cater to the needs of neurodiverse children remains a topic of significant debate. As the understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity grows, it's crucial to examine whether public schools are equipped to provide an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.

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Do Public Schools Meet the Needs of Neurodiverse Children? — Linden Neuropsychological Services

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Do Public Schools Meet the Needs of Neurodiverse Children?: In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the question of how well public schools cater to the needs of neurodiverse children remains a topic of significant debate.

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Neurodiversity Is a Competitive Advantage

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Neurodiversity Is a Competitive Advantage

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Harvard Business Review shares how many people with neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia have extraordinary skills, including in pattern recognition, memory, and mathematics. Yet they often struggle to fit the profiles sought by employers. A growing number of companies, including SAP, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, and Microsoft, have reformed their HR processes in order to access neurodiverse talent—and are seeing productivity gains, quality improvement, boosts in innovative capabilities, and increased employee engagement as a result.

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The Problem

Many people with neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, dyspraxia, and dyslexia have extraordinary skills, including in pattern recognition, memory, and mathematics. But the neurodiverse population remains largely untapped.

The Cause

Conventional recruitment and career-development methods (for example, job interviews) and the belief that scalable work processes require absolute conformity to standardized approaches screen out neurodiverse people who could be valuable employees.

The Solution

A growing number of companies-among them SAP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, Willis Towers Watson, and EY-have reformed HR practices to capitalize on the talents of neurodiverse people. In the process, they are becoming better able to fully leverage the skills of all workers.

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Neurodiversity Is a Competitive Advantage

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many people with neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia have extraordinary skills, including in pattern recognition, memory, and mathematics. Yet they often struggle to fit the profiles sought by employers.