So, I have a story idea I’m never going to get around to, and I’d
like to give it away here. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with
the folks from Reach
out and Read, who put books in pediatricians’ offices,
encourage the doctors to get them in families’ hands, who
then tell parents how to use the books as developmental
screening tools for very young children. This program
has seen a lot of success.
In the world of early education, the Montgomery County, Md.
school district is well-known for its remarkable efforts to
build a seamless pipeline that moves students not just from pre-K
to third grade but all the way to college. A new
report from the Foundation for Child Development highlights
the district’s success with its English language learners (ELLs),
62 percent of whom are Spanish-speaking.
In the midst of watching fireworks and Fourth of July parades,
this
piece in the New York Times about a trend among
Latinos caught my eye. According to the story, U.S. Census figures
show that the number of Amerindians who identify themselves as
Hispanic has tripled since 2000, increasing from 400,000 to 1.2
million.
As an immigrant who was born in Ecuador and educated in the
United States, I’ve lived the experience of being a Latino
student in this country. As a reporter who covered Latino
communities and education issues for the Philadelphia Inquirer,
Boston Globe, Associated Press and other publications, I’ve
viewed that same experience through the prism of journalism.
And as a high school teacher whose classes were about 30 to 60
percent Latino, I’ve had an up-close glimpse at the
problems Latino students face and the potential they can fulfill.
Hi, everyone! Welcome to Latino Ed Beat, where we’ll
think about how to cover the news through the dual lenses of
Latinos and education. I live and breathe this as both an early
childhood reporter for Education Week and the mom of a
Latino toddler. My husband is from Mexico City, and we live in a
predominantly immigrant and second-generation Mexican
neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
Latino Ed Beat, the home of New Journalism for Latino Children,
will feature blogs posts, reports and research about Latino
students and research about education issues affecting them. Look
for the new website on July 1. In the meantime, check out
this site.
One of the greatest challenges in education reporting is how to
humanize data-driven stories. The beat abounds with
statistics-laden research and reports thick with numbers and
charts. And it’s important to report on trends and analyses these
numbers illuminate.
But it’s even more important to keep a focus on the classroom and
the kids reflected in all those reports and research.
Two recent stories in the Hechinger Report
illustrate how to examine statistics through a human lens.
Pediatricians and Early Learning for Latino Kids
So, I have a story idea I’m never going to get around to, and I’d like to give it away here. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with the folks from Reach out and Read, who put books in pediatricians’ offices, encourage the doctors to get them in families’ hands, who then tell parents how to use the books as developmental screening tools for very young children. This program has seen a lot of success.
In Maryland, Success with English Language Learners
In the world of early education, the Montgomery County, Md. school district is well-known for its remarkable efforts to build a seamless pipeline that moves students not just from pre-K to third grade but all the way to college. A new report from the Foundation for Child Development highlights the district’s success with its English language learners (ELLs), 62 percent of whom are Spanish-speaking.
Hispanic? Indian? Or Both?
In the midst of watching fireworks and Fourth of July parades, this piece in the New York Times about a trend among Latinos caught my eye. According to the story, U.S. Census figures show that the number of Amerindians who identify themselves as Hispanic has tripled since 2000, increasing from 400,000 to 1.2 million.
What the DREAM Act Means for K-12 Students
As an immigrant who was born in Ecuador and educated in the United States, I’ve lived the experience of being a Latino student in this country. As a reporter who covered Latino communities and education issues for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe, Associated Press and other publications, I’ve viewed that same experience through the prism of journalism.
And as a high school teacher whose classes were about 30 to 60 percent Latino, I’ve had an up-close glimpse at the problems Latino students face and the potential they can fulfill.
Why Ed Reporters Should Care about WIC Cuts
Hi, everyone! Welcome to Latino Ed Beat, where we’ll think about how to cover the news through the dual lenses of Latinos and education. I live and breathe this as both an early childhood reporter for Education Week and the mom of a Latino toddler. My husband is from Mexico City, and we live in a predominantly immigrant and second-generation Mexican neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
New Website Debuts July 1
Latino Ed Beat, the home of New Journalism for Latino Children, will feature blogs posts, reports and research about Latino students and research about education issues affecting them. Look for the new website on July 1. In the meantime, check out this site.
In California, Finding the Story Behind the Statistics
One of the greatest challenges in education reporting is how to humanize data-driven stories. The beat abounds with statistics-laden research and reports thick with numbers and charts. And it’s important to report on trends and analyses these numbers illuminate.
But it’s even more important to keep a focus on the classroom and the kids reflected in all those reports and research.
Two recent stories in the Hechinger Report illustrate how to examine statistics through a human lens.