{"id":3638,"date":"2020-12-02T15:36:51","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T15:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/?p=3638"},"modified":"2020-12-02T15:36:51","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T15:36:51","slug":"be-relevant-teach-current-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/resources\/be-relevant-teach-current-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Be Relevant &#8211; Teach Current Events!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">K-12 education has an ongoing challenge to remain relevant (current event teaching)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As a public institution, shifting practice and policies is a slow process often resul<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ting in technological and<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0cultural lag<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">does not<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0feel good to admit that, but consider these two items:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"17\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Exhibit A \u2013 technology devices and bandwidth<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">in schools compared to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the private sector\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"17\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Exhibit B \u2013<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0public<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0school desegregation\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">largely\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">began<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0in earnest the 1960s or later<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Congress of Industrial Organizations (1936), professional baseball (1947)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">US military (1948) all opposed segregation decades earlier.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With this in mind, it<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0is easy to understand why people often refer to life outside of school as \u201cthe real world.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0 But it need not be that way.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3639 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/Capture-38-300x184.png\" alt=\"teaching with the news\" width=\"300\" height=\"184\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fortunately, p<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rioritizing relevance when it comes to student learning<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0happens at the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">classroom level<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And one of the best ways to do that is by teaching current events<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">To be clear, I mean teach current events as part of the core curriculum, not as a time filler or add on \u201cif we have time.\u201d\u00a0 Committing to relevancy through current\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">events<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0requires teachers to make intentional instructional and organizational shifts<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Facilitating those shifts so that it is an easy decision for teachers to make is whe<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">re you come\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">in.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Below are six<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0ways you can highlight how your product supports the teaching of current events.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"18\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Content Connections<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Some<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0courses, like social studies an<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">d<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0science, tend to have clearer connections between their content and what is going on in the world<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Contrastingly, math, world languages, and literature teachers may not see the possibilities as easily<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Providing<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0ways to use current events in all classes is valuable.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"18\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Perspectives<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: Current events can be controversial and are certainly open to interpretation. Providing a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">voice<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0about issues that are from across the political spectrum, representative of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">diverse groups<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">approaching<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0the topic with different lenses removes the burden of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">locating<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0these from teachers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"18\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Accessibility<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Be sure to consider how students can access information about current events<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For example, can the text be translated and have a read-aloud feature<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">?\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Can the reading level be adjusted<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">?\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Are there options for students to engage with current events\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">through visuals, videos, data sets, and animation? The greater the methods of accessibility the more relevant your resource is.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"18\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Class Integration<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Having<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">resources available is a major convenience<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Knowing how to use resources is another skillset<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Having current events options that are designed for class bell ringers, exit tickets, geared to student reflection, or are intended for \u201cdeep dives\u201d offer flexibility for teachers to elevate the relevance of their class.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"18\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Guest Speakers<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One way to engage with current events is with people who can engage with your students. Having a pool of experts who are available to be live guest speakers in a classroom is a feature often overlooked<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If your resource provides this\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">option<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0you will\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">stand<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0out \u2013 just be sure that they like working with kids!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"18\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Taking Action<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Learning about cur<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rent events in school is a reasonable expectation. Structuring ways that students can\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">act<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">regarding<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0contemporary issues is a necessity<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This feature brings the \u201creal world\u201d back into school<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Many people will conclude that this must be a form of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">activism but<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0need not be. Options that vary in the type, context, and purpose of the action should be provided.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is often said that the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0teacher is the most\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">crucial factor<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">regarding<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0a students\u2019 educational experience<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This claim<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0is true<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The resources that teachers have access to that support their craft are\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0close second.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Integrating <a href=\"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/education-sales-and-marketing-resources\/teaching-with-the-news-how-to-set-educators-up-for-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">current events<\/a> to your updated or new services and resources is essential.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Doing so makes you\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">more\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rel<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">e<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">vant too<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ready to reach out to your target group of educators today? <a href=\"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/contact-education-marketing-experts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reach out!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>K-12 education has an ongoing challenge to remain relevant (current event teaching).\u00a0As a public institution, shifting practice and policies is a slow process often resulting in technological and\u00a0cultural lag.\u00a0It\u00a0does not\u00a0feel good to admit that, but consider these two items:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Exhibit A \u2013 technology devices and bandwidth\u00a0in schools compared to\u00a0the private sector\u00a0\u00a0 Exhibit B \u2013\u00a0public\u00a0school desegregation\u00a0largely\u00a0began\u00a0in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1574],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-educator_perspective"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agile-ed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}