Blog

  • The ABCs of Assessments for Early Childhood Educators

    by Kathleen Woodward, Nationally Certified School Psychologist and Senior Assessment Consultant for Pearson

    Teacher smiling while engaging two very young children with a set of blocks

    Early childhood educators and allied professionals realize the benefits of fostering an environment that embraces every child’s distinctive self-expression. We also realize that children reach milestones at different times and in different ways.

    However, part of our professional role is determining when some of our child’s individual “quirks” or reticence may indicate a need for further support. Assessments can help distinguish individuality or preferences from potential issues that might require intervention. While we never want to extinguish a child’s spark, early identification of developmental delays allows us to nurture areas where they might need an extra boost during prime learning windows and help set them on a positive path for their learning future.

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  • What's new with the BOT-3?

    by Melinda Cooper

    Laughing dad piggy backing kids at home

    The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency™ (BOT™) was the first standardized test I came across on my first fieldwork placement as an occupational therapy student. Back then, it came in a clunky metal case and used real pennies for the coin activities (I'm showing my age now!) Like many therapists, I feel like I've "grown up with” the BOT so I'm thrilled to be part of the team bringing the original BOT's “grandchild” — the BOT™-3 — into the world! We are all excited about this new edition, and we think you will be too!

    Here's a preview of some of the changes you can expect to see in this latest version.

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  • How To Set Consistent Device and Social Media Rules at School — and at Home

    A diverse group of young students using cell phones

    As social media use surges among youth, educators are grappling with the need to manage device disturbances — while acknowledging that technology use is embedded in education. Although educators embrace digital tools to help surface diverse viewpoints, boost engagement and save time, clear guidelines are necessary to keep students on task during the school day and promote digital responsibility.

    As schools and districts aim to set consistent rules for device and social media usage, they should embrace a balanced approach that fosters a safe, supportive learning environment while minimizing distractions and risky behavior. Here are five guidelines to consider.

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  • Tackling Tough Social Media Conversations: 3 Common Issues and How To Address Them

    Young student using cell phone device discreetly while teacher is presenting

    Social media and the mobile devices used to access those apps have a pervasive pull on adolescents and teens, even when they’re supposed to be studying or socializing “IRL” at school. As a result, educators may be the first to notice social media- and device-related issues that need to be addressed with caregivers. Those can be tough conversations — it’s easy to feel as though addressing a student’s social media and device use could feel out of bounds.

    However, when a situation is affecting students’ physical or mental wellness, it becomes vital for an empathetic educator to start a dialogue with their family. In any conversation, take care to open by expressing concern (rather than blame or criticism), underscore the reasons social media can be beneficial to youth and emphasize your desire to work on solutions together. Listening is critical.

    Here are three potentially sticky situations involving social media and devices for which you might want to initiate this dialogue, along with ideas for how to frame the conversation.

    Note: Schools and districts likely have their own policies for how to handle student issues involving social media and devices. We intend for these examples to provide additional best practices to validate or enhance your own approach.

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  • Are You Empowering Your Educators? 4 Ways to Make a Difference

    by Natalie Barnard, Pearson Assessment Consultant

    Smiling teacher assisting young student

    Educators always remember those leaders who made a difference — those who encouraged, motivated and appreciated them. Before I joined Pearson as an assessment consultant, I spent 17 years in public education, and I know I remember those stellar leaders.

    One of my favorite principals knew we would all perform better when we recognized we had a voice, so he made sure we did. He assembled a leadership team to provide input, but he didn’t stop there: He also asked each of us to seek input from our departments to gain more robust insight. It was a concrete way for him to demonstrate that everyone’s opinion was sought-after and valid. He also had an open-door policy, literally, where he would welcome any of us into his office for a conversation.

    As we all know, administrators deal with some rough stuff, but he never let that infiltrate his demeanor with staff — or students and families. He was always positive and always welcoming. To me, he was the epitome of the type of leader I think most educators strive to be.

    How do you get there?

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  • Clinical trial considerations: All scores are not created equal

    genetic engineer working with analysis dna software on laptop in the genetic laboratory

    Dr. Lynsey Psimas, Ph.D and Dr. Paul Williams PsyD attended CNS Summit 2023 and were fortunate to have the opportunity to present their poster, Precision Matters: An Analysis on How Various Scores Behave When Measuring Change Over Time; Factors That Inform Score Selection for the Best Results”.

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  • Is It Time for a Rebranding of SEL to “Life Skills?”

    by Tyler Vassar, EdS, Licensed Specialist in School Psychology and Pearson Assessments Consultant

    Group of children smiling

    Over the past few years, we’ve seen the concept of social-emotional learning (SEL) become a political hot potato. Schools and districts caught up in that conflict are missing an opportunity to help students build critical skills. After all, nine in 10 public schools say the pandemic negatively affected students’ behavioral and socioemotional development, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

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