Blog

The start of a new school year is an exciting time that offers a fresh start for both educators and students. In those first few weeks when you’re getting to know the individuals in your classroom and establishing a routine, a key piece of that process is developing a picture of how well each student is understanding the concepts you’re teaching. Getting a clear picture of student learning at the beginning of and throughout the year can help to inform and personalize instruction to each student's specific needs. 

The new school year offers students and educators a fresh start, but not all students will be ready to jump into new concepts. Since learning flows from one year to the next, students who advance in grade level without mastering the previous grade’s core concepts can quickly fall behind. Summer learning loss can compound these learning gaps.

K-12 educators are more likely to feel burnt out than workers in any other industry¹ — and the gap is widening. While summer is typically seen as a break from school, the reality is that most educators spend their summers retraining and planning for the year ahead, which leaves little time for recharging.

With teacher retention predicted to be one of the biggest challenges in K-12 in 2023,² here’s how you can recognize the warning signs of burnout and find ways to battle burnout to prepare for a successful new school year.

The final weeks of the school year can be hectic. You’re squeezing in the last instructional lessons and preparing students for exams at a time when they are easily distracted. It’s also likely you have a long list of administrative tasks on your plate.

Are my students on track to meet end-of-year goals? How will they perform on the summative assessment? Where do we need to focus our attention during instruction? Are there students who are ready for more challenging topics? These are all questions educators ask themselves on a regular basis, and schools and districts typically turn to interim assessments to provide the answers.

Jumpstart, a new Pearson-supported tutoring program, was aptly named for more than the benefits it offers its students. While students can certainly benefit from more equity-centered support, the growing pool of prospective teachers are also discovering their ability to make a difference in the lives of students.