The 15-Minute Advocate

Parents are busy.  Busy with their jobs, their children, their families and their community commitments.

Our busy lives can make staying on top what’s happening in education challenging.  There is so much information out there; trying to carve out time on a regular basis to access even a small percentage of it can be a daunting task.  Many schools, teachers and districts across the country are doing remarkable work in the classroom.  How can parents learn more about what works, and then possibly advocate for something like it in their school?

There are lots of online resources available to help parents stay current on best practices and emerging trends in education.  Below are my “Starting Five” – these are five information sources that can keep you up to date without overloading you.  Most of these are email blast services that can be sent to your inbox each day; they are also typically available as apps, Facebook pages, or Twitter feeds.

I like these resources because I can read them in the 15 to 20 minutes I might have while waiting for sports practice to end or during a coffee or lunch break.

If you want to take your advocacy to the next level, start sharing articles from these resources with parents, policy makers and others who like to stay current on best practices.  It’s a great way to start a conversation about education in your community.

So go ahead – sign up for any or all of my “Starting Five.”  I promise you’ll feel more engaged and connected to what works in education.

• Education Week – national in scope, Education Week covers the landscape of policy, best practices, emerging trends and a host of related education policy issues. Think of this as the Washington Post or New York Times of education news. You can sign up for free weekly or daily e-newsletters.
• ACSD Smartbrief – this daily free email service provides the top stories on education policy, technology and classroom innovation.  I like how it provides real life examples of what’s working in classrooms across the country.
• Accomplished Teacher by Smartbrief – another e-newsletter, it provides a daily snapshot of the latest news about teaching and education excellence.  It focuses on best practices in the teaching profession, including work related to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
• Edutopia – this website is the main platform for the George Lucas Educational Foundation.  It examines developments in project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and access to new technology.  Be sure to check out the “Schools That Work” section for inspiring stories about schools and districts making dramatic strides in improving how students learn.  Includes a free newsletter sign up.
• Getting Smart – Created by Tom Vander Ark, Getting Smart is all about how schools and educators can best deploy digital learning in a way that personalizes education and improves outcomes for all students, regardless of background or economic circumstance.

Beth Sigall, VP Advocacy
Lake Washington PTSA Council