THE ROAD MAP

In this newsletter, you’ll find:

🚦 First stop (AI in special ed)

🛤️ Site-seeing at mylemarks.com (Get your free download)

🗣️ A word from 1440.com

📡 On the Radar (Landmark bill, partner violence, and more)

📊 Results are in (Poll results from the last edition)

✍🏽 U(r)-Turn (Let’s hear from you)

🤗 Sharing is Caring (spread the mylemarker love and earn)

Let’s go!

FIRST STOP

🤖 Harnessing AI to Support Special Education Teachers

Special education teachers often face a heavy workload, from creating personalized learning plans to tracking student progress and communicating with parents. However, a growing number of schools are exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to lighten the load for these dedicated educators. A new video series highlights how AI can be used to support special education teachers, freeing them up to focus on what matters most: providing high-quality instruction and support to their students.

By leveraging AI-powered tools, schools can automate administrative tasks, such as data entry and paperwork, allowing special education teachers to devote more time to developing tailored learning plans and working directly with students. AI can also help teachers identify areas where students may need additional support, enabling them to target their instruction more effectively. Furthermore, AI-driven platforms can facilitate communication between teachers, parents, and other stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is on the same page when it comes to a student's progress and needs.

The video series showcases examples of schools that are already using AI to support special education teachers, from using machine learning algorithms to analyze student data to implementing virtual teaching assistants that can provide one-on-one support to students. By harnessing the power of AI, schools can help special education teachers work more efficiently and effectively, ultimately leading to better outcomes for students with diverse learning needs.

SITE-SEEING at mylemarks.com

Going Back to School

How I’m Feeling About Going Back to School, helps clients express their emotions about returning to school. It guides them to reflect on feelings like happiness, sadness, or worry and encourages them to write or draw what might cause these emotions. There’s also space for kids to explore additional feelings they might have. This activity can be a great way to open up conversations about the upcoming school year. The Spanish version is included in the download!

✨ Explore our catalogue of back-to-school resources!

• The New School Year

• My School Year Preview

• Going to Middle School

• Going to High School

• First Day of School Questions

• Back-2-School Worries

• Before School Checklist

• After School Checklist

• Coping with Change: School’s Back!

• The New Kid

The Daily Newsletter for Intellectually Curious Readers

• We scour 100+ sources daily

• Read by CEOs, scientists, business owners and more

• 3.5 million subscribers

Sign up today!

ON THE RADAR

📜 Senate Passes Landmark Child Online Safety Bills

The Senate has passed two significant child online safety bills, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). These bills aim to protect minors from online harms and ensure their safety on social media platforms. The KOSA requires social media platforms to take steps to reduce online dangers, either by modifying their design to make them safer for minors or by allowing minors to opt out of algorithm-driven recommendations that may expose them to harmful content. Additionally, the bill holds apps and social networking platforms liable for hosting specific types of content that are deemed unsuitable for minors.

The bills have received widespread support from over 200 groups, including the National Education Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. However, civil rights organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have raised concerns about the bill's potential to enable censorship and online surveillance. The passage of these bills marks a significant step towards addressing the growing concerns around online safety and protecting minors from online harm.

📊 Study Reveals High Rates of Partner Violence Among Adolescent Girls

A recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO) finds that nearly a quarter of adolescent girls experience physical, emotional, or sexual violence from a romantic partner. The study highlights the prevalence of partner violence among adolescent girls worldwide. Higher rates occurred in areas where girls and women have limited access to education and a disparity in inheritance laws. Partner violence “during these critical formative years” can have severe and long-lasting effects on girls' lives. The study's findings underscore the importance of addressing partner violence and providing support to those affected.

✨ RELATED RESOURCE: Help teen clients explore their relationships with - Relationship Red Flags | My Relationship | Healthy vs. Unhealthy | Healthy Dating Relationships

📚 Pandemic's Impact on Students: Learning Loss and Chronic Absenteeism 

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on American students, affecting not only their academic performance but also their overall well-being. The pandemic has led to significant learning loss, as students struggled to adapt to remote learning and navigate the challenges of a disrupted educational environment. Furthermore, chronic absenteeism has become a major concern, as students have missed out on crucial instructional time and fallen behind their peers. The pandemic has also highlighted existing inequities in the education system, with students from low-income communities being disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism. These students often face additional barriers to attending school, including a lack of access to resources, transportation, and healthcare. As a result, they are more likely to fall behind academically and struggle to catch up.

🙏 Supporting Children Through Grief

When children experience the loss of a loved one, it can be challenging for them to process their emotions and navigate the grieving process. Parents, who are often grieving themselves, can struggle to provide the support their children need. A new children's book, "The Magic Ticket" by David Hicks, can help generate useful discussions with grieving children. The book tells the story of a boy whose little sister dies and can help children open up about their feelings and experiences. By focusing on stories rather than labels or problems, parents can foster empathy and create a safe space for their children to share their emotions. Adults can also help children find "competency islands," or areas where they excel and feel confident, which can provide a sense of refuge amid uncertainty.

✨ RELATED RESOURCE: Explore our Grief and Loss Resources or visit our Book Recommendations to find additional children’s books on this topic.

RESULTS ARE IN

In the last edition of the mylemarker, we asked, How do you feel about kids using slang like "Menty B" to describe mental health conditions? from our feature article from Parents.com. See the results and a few responses below!

U(R)-TURN

We’d love to hear from you! Help guide future products by answering the question below. Or if you have something nice to say about us, consider leaving a testimonial!