Features

Whether you are interviewing for a job, applying for an internship, or developing professional contacts through networking, first impressions matter. A person’s mannerism and the way they conduct themselves can influence how they are perceived by a potential employer, client, or business contact. The ability to “read” social cues and maintain a civil, pleasant, and respectful demeanor is essential when navigating the complexities of professional and corporate settings.

Politics can impact many aspects of a school leader’s job. Whether it involves staffing, budgets, the curriculum, student conduct, or any other matter relevant to learning or school operations, leaders in education will encounter forces lining up on both sides of the issues they handle.

The right of every child with a disability to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment—this guarantee is at the core of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). On November 29, 2025, special education teachers, service providers, families, and advocates celebrated the 50-year anniversary of this landmark statute which has benefited millions of young children with disabilities since it was first enacted.

School is a community central to a child’s life which influences many aspects of their development. Not only is school a place where children learn core academic subjects such as mathematics, science, and language arts, but it is a place where children develop social-emotional skills, the ability to work as a team, and a sense of self-confidence. These attributes are essential to a child’s cognitive and psychological development. But school is also a place that can—and should—support a child’s physical fitness, which is a vital component of a child’s general well-being. Research suggests that implementation of a quality school-based physical activity program can play a key role in supporting a child’s holistic development and growth.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has given rise to significant advancements in innovative assistive technologies that have led to the creation of personalized and accessible learning experiences benefiting students with disabilities. The integration of AI into the assistive technology field has removed many of the obstacles to learning that students with disabilities often experience.

Attaining knowledge through a journey of discovery in which every step along the way is student-driven—this is one of the key principles upon which a learner-centered approach to instruction is based. A learner-centered teaching strategy puts the individual student at the center of their learning.

With AI finding its way into the classrooms of K-12 schools across the country, researchers in education are exploring how this technology can be harnessed in ways that will increase a student’s motivation to learn, even when the content or course assignment is difficult.

Meeting students where they are. This is a phrase familiar to educators that often guides them in teaching and presenting content in a way they hope will connect and resonate with their students. The objective is to ensure that their students experience that “Oh, I get it now!” moment because this is when true learning takes place. But this goal cannot be achieved using a “one-size-fits-all" approach to teaching in the classroom.

Look inside a well-run school and at the helm you will find school leaders who have the specialized managerial and organizational skills needed to operate an educational institution. These professionals handle a broad range of responsibilities that include hiring instructional staff, developing school budgets, overseeing student records, developing curriculum that meets state standards of learning, and other functions requiring extensive expertise in school administration.

Getting back to nature, becoming physically fit, taking up a new hobby, or learning a new sport. These are some of the goals that people focus on as they search for ways to improve their overall well-being. And for many people, that search will lead them to their community parks which offer a wide variety of recreational programming options, some of which may reflect the latest national trends in leisure activities. But to determine what trends should be incorporated into their recreational programming, park agency professionals need to keep in mind what it is that draws people to their facilities in the first place.