The New York Times highlighted the power of phonics in a recent article. Usually you read of intensive reading interventions for elementary school students; however, schools in the Memphis area are providing teacher training and deeply embedding phonics to improve the reading of high school students. “One student said her grades had improved, and she was thinking about reading “The Vampire Diaries” novels, an undertaking, she said, that she previously would not have considered.” 

A strong push to emphasize and integrate phonics teaching into the school day has impacted every student’s high school career by providing more confidence and creating momentum in students’ learning. Moreover, students are seeing their futures in a whole new light: “[Devin] once dreamed of becoming a football player. These days, he thinks he would rather get a regular job, maybe in real estate.” 

Similar to this community in Tennessee, Gideon believes we should never put a limit on child’s capacity to learn no matter their age or their background. We strive to impact students’ lives across the country. We would love to have you on our team! Set up a call using the red button at the top right of this page.

You can also read the full article here.

Is universal preschool creating the results we all hoped? Unfortunately, two recent studies show it is not. The Hechinger Report explains, “In practice, as communities around the country offer free preschool to more and more tiny Americans, the results are uneven.”

This is a disappointing but eye-opening finding. For decades, we were all led to believe that universal pre-k could solve inequality, strengthen early learning skills, and a whole host of indicators of a successful adult. Yet, researchers of two different studies found that many preschools in the public school system had lower quality activities, less space for class, and poorly-trained teachers. Moreover, the researchers of one New York study found “[the young students] might have done better without preschool”.

Although this research is not what we would like to see, it does highlight areas of need that community members like you can improve. With Gideon, you can help students from 4 years and older get the low-ratio, mastery focused boost for school and their future. Your passion is needed now more than ever.

We’ve all seen the headlines about teachers leaving their profession in droves over the last two years. “Highly qualified teachers and administrators will find other professions that not only pay better but also publicly value their skill sets and do not subject them to constant abasement,” says an instructional specialist writing for the Hechinger Report.

Schools continue to be at an unfortunate impasse: “Qualified teachers will disappear, and in their place instruction will be conducted either by less experienced teachers or by substitutes. Students will suffer, and not just academically; the revolving door of adults circulating through classrooms will increase the social and emotional challenges for students who need stable teachers to rely on.”

We can all agree that our kids need strong, passionate individuals to teach them now more than ever. Thankfully, students and parents can look in and out of school for these people. Turn your passion for education into a lucrative business with Gideon.

At this point in the pandemic, we can see that “educators are looking at a long game, perhaps three or more years during which schools must do their core work better.” As the Los Angeles Times points out “[i]f we simply return to pre-pandemic methods, that won’t happen — because before the pandemic, we weren’t really following the science.”

What does the science tell us? “Shift to include much greater emphasis on the knowledge of facts…’The very processes that teachers care about most,’ like critical thinking and problem solving, ‘are intimately intertwined with factual knowledge that is stored in long-term memory,’ writes Daniel Willingham, a cognitive scientist at the University of Virginia.”

Long-term memory is built from repetition and chunking of information. Moreover, students can use their long-term memory to create connections between mastered concepts and novel material. Without a robust long-term memory, students can struggle to fully grasp new topics taught in accelerated programs, which many schools are using this year to catch students up.

With a strong phonics-based reading program and an emphasis on chunking and automation in math, Gideon provides a stout curriculum that develops students’ solid long-term memory. Additionally, we pride ourselves on the systems and support for center directors to individualize the program for each student.

Find the LA Times article here.

School is back in session. Parents and students are muddling through the ups and downs from school closures due to outbreaks to kids getting to see their friends and schoolmates in person. Schools and districts prepared as best they could “to do something different for the 2021-22 school year to make up for those losses.”

The Hechinger Report came out with a quick review of options along with their pros and cons. “No catch-up strategy can possibly benefit all students. But studies do point toward which strategies are most effective, how they can best be implemented.”

What is at the top of the list? Tutoring! Not just any tutoring though, “Research points to intensive daily tutoring as one of the most effective ways to help academically struggling children catch up.” While acceleration, remediation, longer days, and smaller class sizes are all being used and studied, high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring has shown time and again to be a successful approach for most all students.

“Education researchers have a particular kind of tutoring in mind, what they call “high-dosage” tutoring. Studies show it has produced big achievement gains for students when the tutoring occurs every day or almost every day. The tutors are specially trained and coached and adhere to a detailed curriculum with clear steps on how to work with one or two students at a time.”

“A 2020 review of 100 tutoring programs found that intensive tutoring is particularly helpful at improving students’ reading skills during the early elementary years, and most effective in math for slightly older children. One 2021 study found tutoring led to strong math gains for even high school students, enabling those who started two years behind grade level to catch up.”

Gideon can provide you the systems to train staff to provide quality tutoring, the curriculum to fill holes and gaps, and the support to make you the best center director for your community.