With state Regents exams being cancelled in wake of Covid-19, many New York City teaches and students breathed a sigh of relief. That's understandable. But the need for thoughtful assessments might be more important than ever. In this episode, Tom Liam Lynch offers some perspective on why cancelling high-stakes exams was the right move by state officials, but also why it must be balanced with increased formative assessments by teachers.

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Teachers' and families' heads are spinning. In 72 hours, NYC schools restricted use of the widely used Zoom video conferencing tool, required use of Microsoft Teams, and then added late Sunday (via Twitter) that Google Meet could also be used. Only, some school leaders had already messaged otherwise to teachers and staff.  And that was a weekend! There is little doubt that video has a meaningful place in digital learning. But what are schools and families to do? In this episode, Tom Liam Lynch shares some key moves schools can make to better support families amidst the chaos of a global pandemic, including doubling down on their use of another form of video: screencasts. 

Resources: Screencastify // Screencast-o-matic

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Please tell us what you think. We LOVE feedback. Here are a few of the main ways to reach us: InsideSchools, our flagship website  // Our InsideSchools Facebook Page  // Tweet, tweet: Over on Twitter // Sign up for our Weekly Newsletter // SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS via 60 second voice message

Zoom is a video conferencing product that has seen exponential adoption as schools have switched to online learning during Covid-19. Students across NYC are using it with their teachers every day. But recent reports have raised alarm, saying Zoom disregards privacy and security protocols. In this episode, host and public school parent Tom Liam Lynch investigates further to see what all the fuss is about. Spoiler alert: In just a few minutes, he was able to attend his own child's online class--no access code, no credentials, no nothing. He shares more about why this is a problem, how we got here, and what parents and teachers can do. 

Resources:  Zoom warnings published by The Guardian, NPR, and Washington Post // How to use private or incognito mode // Tom's recent op-ed on what NYC school officials need to do to improve online learning now

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Please tell us what you think. We LOVE feedback. Here are a few of the main ways to reach us: InsideSchools, our flagship website  // Our InsideSchools Facebook Page  // Tweet, tweet: Over on Twitter // Sign up for our WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Specialized high schools in NYC is a hot topic. That was especially true when the de Blasio Administration made a move to radically overhaul their admission process several months ago. The process relies heavily on a single exam: the Specialized High School Admissions Test or SHSAT.  In this episode, Tom Liam Lynch talks with Senior Research Fellow at the Center for NYC Affairs, Nicole Mader, about what recent admissions data tells us about how equitable the SHSAT is. 

Resources

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When NYC schools announced that they were cancelling the upcoming Spring Break (except for two days), you can imagine the ripple the news sent throughout many households. In this episode, Tom Liam Lynch shares with listeners how his family dealt with it, including trying to slow down to help his son appreciate the school officials' rationale. The morning meeting at the breakfast table ended with a request for waffles--and extra syrup. It was honored. 

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After teaching ELA and ELA teachers for a decade and a half, Tom Liam Lynch has learned a few things about what matters most. In this episode, he shares "simple and high-leverage" strategies for parents and teachers. What matters when teaching reading across grade-levels? How does one read for school versus reading for life? What are ways to engage in writing when a young person really doesn't want to write? All this and more, please an invitation to send him your individual question over on Twitter @tomliamlynch

It's a fast-paced episode, one well-worth a re-listen. Share it with an ELA teacher in your life. ;)

Please tell us what you think. We LOVE feedback. Here are a few of the main ways to reach us:

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Math and ELA, Math and ELA. That's what many parents are talking and asking about on social media. How do I help my child with these subjects at home--when I'm not a math or ELA teacher?! We hear you. Let's take it one step at a time, starting with math. 

And since we at InsideSchools are not math teachers either, we called up a Math for America Master Teacher: Mr. Chris Boyd. In this episode, we ask Chris what parents can be doing to support math instruction at home. His advice is deceptively simple, strategic, and wise. Check it out. 

Resources from the episode:

Please tell us what you think. We LOVE feedback. Here are a few of the main ways to reach us:

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When NYC does anything, it does it big. That goes for New Year's Eve, skyscrapers, and, well, high school offers. A staggering 78,000 8th graders received high school offers recently. While the process works well for some families, many families are left wondering what options are still on the table. In this episode, Tom Liam Lynch talks with InsideSchools senior editor Laura Zingmond to break down what the offer letters mean, and how families should proceed from here--whether they like their offer or not. 

Resources from the episode: 

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As a parent, sometimes it's hard when you don't feel like your child is getting the support they need from a teacher. It can be really frustrating. As a former teacher, Tom Liam Lynch knows firsthand how hard it is to manage the needs of dozens of students (at least) and their families. Still, parents have options for advocating for their children's needs.  In this episode, Tom talks offers a series of steps that parents can take to get their children what they need. It's not about shouting the loudest. It's about thoroughly understanding what's going on, communicating in a measured way, and then systematically escalating your concerns, if needed. 

Please tell us what you think. We LOVE feedback. Here are a few of the main ways to reach us:

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A mom from Manhattan wrote in with a slew of questions about what learning online and at home is supposed to look like. She wrote: What should homeschool look like? How many hours? How much progress? Can kids go outside? Which of all of the available online educational programming is actually good and recommended for kids at different ages? In this episode, Tom Liam Lynch answers each question one by one--and shares his go-to list of education resource providers in a pinch. Spoiler alert: They include...

Please tell us what you think. We LOVE feedback. Here are a few of the main ways to reach us:

InsideSchools, our flagship website Our InsideSchools Facebook Page Tweet, tweet: Over on Twitter