Blog

“Teamwork makes the dream work” is a common refrain among us. In education, we see examples of teamwork in every aspect of the school community​ ​—​ ​administration, staff, and families.  

You don’t have to look far to find an article detailing the state of student achievement these days. Math and reading scores are down from where they were pre-pandemic and educators and parents alike are scrambling to find ways to close the gap. Unfortunately, academic scores aren’t the only concern in need of attention; an extraordinary percentage of our students are facing mental health challenges — many of them dire.

School psychologists are well aware of the toll social media can take on students’ mental health. Yet educators often wonder how much to get involved with issues that might seem like “parenting,” and certainly social media use could fall under that umbrella. The good news is that our input is likely to be appreciated, as confirmed by a recent study from The Pew Research Center, in which nearly half of parent respondents said they’ve looked to teachers for advice on managing screen time.

Strong reading comprehension is fundamental to success in today’s information age. From academics to professional pursuits to personal growth, the ability to understand, analyze, and interpret written material at a high level plays a pivotal role in achievement.