What We're Reading | Week of November 28, 2022
Timely reads from the MCC team about immigrant education, loneliness, and the benefits of social-emotional learning in schools.
Jessica Lander | Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education
Jessica Lander HGSE'15, an award winning public high school teacher, just published her new book on immigrant education: Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education. The book explores landmark cases and laws that have transformed the country's schools, innovative programs working with immigrant students today, and inspiring stories of recent immigrant students.
Historian and author Walter Isaccason wrote: “Everyone who cares about the future of America should read [Making Americans].” Author Paul Tough, writes, "Jessica Lander shines a new, hopeful light on a perennial question: How does a young immigrant become an American?" "At times moving, instructive, sobering, and encouraging, Making Americans will captivate and enlighten all readers. And it will also equip teachers, voters, and policymakers to work together to overcome prejudice and help newcomers build on their talents to strengthen America while pursuing their own dreams," writes Martha Minow, former dean of Harvard Law School.
USA Today | How can we reduce feeling lonely during the holidays? Do something for someone else.
“Loneliness is not about being alone – plenty of people spend long hours by themselves but still feel connected to others. Real loneliness is about that sense of disconnection, of being unseen or unheard.”
Read more from writer Steve Petrow in this USA Today piece citing our 2021 report on loneliness.
Forbes | Talking Turkey And College Admission
What do holiday hosting and college admission have in common? They can both be uniquely anxiety-producing, says Brennan Barnard in Forbes.
A new, free call-in helpline—staffed by volunteers from college admission and high school counseling offices—can help alleviate uncertainty.
Chalkbeat | We don’t have to choose between academic recovery and social-emotional learning
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an essential component of student engagement and achievement at school, argue our colleagues at CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). We couldn’t agree more!
“Any parent or teacher can tell you the basics of learning involve supportive relationships, joy, and skills like perseverance and effective communication.”
