The COVID-19 pandemic has injected significant and likely lasting uncertainty into K-12 and higher education across the globe. Classroom shut-downs, campus closures, the implementation of online, hybrid, pod and home schooling, abortive restarts, furloughing of staff, and near constant shifts in schedules and resource distribution have made for a dizzying 2020 school year. Beyond the many educators, students, and parents who have lost their lives to COVID-19, students have missed millions of hours of classroom learning time which will likely lead to educational delays. Perhaps the only area of growth in education over the last year is the rapid expansion…
As the summer in the US draws to a close and school districts across the country struggle to find a responsible way to reopen during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I have noticed a strange trend developing on social media: posts supposedly supporting educators while forcing a lopsided comparison between teachers and healthcare workers.
Many of these posts are coming from essential workers or their allies. I’m not particulary surprised by posts complaining about protesting teachers, especially in a time when teachers unions are actively attacked and the convoluted narrative of “failing schools” is persuasive in public discourse. …
After witnessing Chile’s 2019 social uprising, the protests and rioting in response to police brutality inside the United States feel like deja-vu all over again.
On May 25th George Floyd of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was killed by police officers. Police were responding to a call from a convenience store regarding a disagreement over a possibly counterfeit $20 bill. After confronting Floyd, hand-cuffing him behind his back, and forcing him facedown onto pavement, Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes. Floyd clearly verbalized that he could not breathe. Three other officers either stood by or helped…
It would be an understatement to say times are tough. The world is facing simultaneously a global pandemic from an infectious disease, social unrest in response to systematic police brutality and racism, and a dangerous rising tide of right-wing nationalism. We could all use a break. Inspired by “feel-good news” websites and “Smile of the Day” groups that share little bits of humor, happiness, and hope, here are five seemingly random pieces of creative media which might make you a little happier (or at least constructively distract you) as the world burns.
1. Your favorite German accents on a single podcast
A few lines from a more than 30-year-old speech can be a rallying cry for global cooperation and solidarity during the Earth rattling COVID-19 pandemic.
As the nations of the world continue to confront the COVID-19 pandemic in ways both responsible and irresponsible, I am reminded of a moment from US President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 address to the United Nations General Assembly. While mimicking the appearance of a thoughtful grandfather, Reagan ruminated on a hypothetical scenario pulled straight from science fiction pulp novels, last popular when Reagan was an actor in the 1950s. …
Esta información e imágenes se copian de un artículo del New York Times sobre el uso correcto de la máscara. El artículo fue escrito por Tara Parker-Pope y las ilustraciones fueron creadas por Eleni Kalorkoti. Estoy reproduciendo este artículo en español como servicio público.
Fuente original: “How NOT to wear a Mask” — NYTimes.com, April 8, 2020
Uno de los errores más grandes que comete la gente es que se inquieta con sus máscaras y se las pone debajo de la nariz o completamente fuera de la cara para descansar debajo de la barbilla.
“No deberías estar jalando y quitándote…
This past week during the State of the Union address, President Trump paid special attention to an elementary school student from Philadelphia named Janiyah Davis. Trump used the occasion to announce that Davis would be receiving an “opportunity scholarship” so she could learn at a quality school of her family’s choice. That announcement would prove to be (at best) a muddling of the truth. The Department of Education later explained that the “scholarship” in question would be personally paid for by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos; the tuition money supposedly coming from DeVos’ salary. Why was it worth it for…
The PSU (or University Selection Test in its English translated acronym) is a national level test taken by high school seniors in order to study at one of Chile’s top universities. Taken by nearly 300,000 students each year, the PSU is similar to the SAT or ACT in the United States, but the stakes are much higher. The test is used as the main admissions metric for the 30 plus members schools of the National Council of Rectors (CRUCh), which are often referred to as “traditional universities”. …
As Chile continues to experience civil unrest, the US and the rest of the world turns a cold shoulder. Why isn’t the Chilean crisis receiving more press coverage?
Ask the average US citizen where Chile is on a map and they will likely point in South America’s general direction, with the saying that Chile is the “skinny one”. Americans (a painfully vague moniker United States citizens have granted themselves) usually only learn geography when considering who and who not to bomb into submission. Americans can pin point Iraq, describe Afghanistan in general terms, and Americans over the age of 50…
This past Monday Santiago’s large central plaza played host to a massive demonstration against rising inequality and continuing military control.
On Monday, October 21st multiple groups, including CONFECH (the confederation of studunt unions in Chile) called for mass demonstrations and strikes as Santiago de Chile headed into day three of military control. A State of Emergency order has now been called for several Chilean cities, including Concepcion and Valparaiso, which hosts the country’s National Assembly. Roughly half the country’s population is now under some form of emergency order due to the ongoing backlash to growing economic and social inequality.
Keith Bevacqua
Exploring the political economy of Education Media and the good, bad & ugly of Education Policy. Currently living & researching in Indianapolis, Indiana.
