Educational Services Blog

As schools rely more and more on technology as an integral educational tool, it’s easy for a district’s technology budget to get out of hand. It’s been estimated that K-12 schools in the U.S. spent between $26 to $41 billion on technology–and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we shift further away from the days of a one-size-fits-all education, the classrooms of the past– rows of uniform, neatly spaced desks facing a teacher poised at a blackboard– are being phased out, too. As school districts and educators move towards an educational model that emphasizes inclusion, acknowledges learning differences and balances technology with opportunities to practice social-emotional learning and soft skills, classroom design is evolving, too.

As an educator or administrator, you’ve probably heard of Week of the Young Child®, the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) annual celebration of early childhood education.

In 2020, the clothing company Hollister Co. declared March 2nd to be World Teen Mental Wellness Day. The day is intended to help reduce the stigma around mental health challenges while also promoting self-care. With the National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI) reporting that as many as 25% of teenagers will receive a mental health diagnosis during adolescence, educators are extremely likely to encounter students who are struggling with their mental health. Below, we rounded up some ideas for schools and teachers to support and educate students.

In our fast-paced world, professional development remains more relevant for teachers than ever. Between evolving curriculums, the changes in how education is delivered, a growing focus on mental health and social-emotional learning and technological advances, teachers have a lot on their plates.

The New Year brings to mind resolutions and fresh, blank calendars– it’s a time for pondering the future and setting goals. But the change of the calendar can also be an ideal time to take a look at where we’ve been and how we’ve evolved. At Arey Jones, we have a rich and extensive history in the educational technology field that stretches back more than 100 years.

Did you know December is Learn a Foreign Language Month? While it’s not realistic to master a new language in only a month, December could be a time to commit to resuscitating your rusty high school French skills or to finally start learning Portuguese.

In recent years, technology has permeated nearly every aspect of human life. Now, it’s helping create equity in (and outside of) the classroom among students with disabilities. 

While the COVID-19 pandemic amplified the mental health struggles of children and adults alike, it also helped normalize and bring attention to the topic. The mental health of school-aged students, in particular, has been negatively impacted by the unprecedented disruption.

Ensuring equity in education has long been a goal for educators. The need for efficient Internet at home during the pandemic highlighted the fact that we have a long way to go to address these disparities. Microsoft Education is trying to bridge this gap with several of their new products and initiatives. Microsoft Reimagine