Educational shortcomings, a journalistic win in the UK, and decoding Snapchat: this week’s Fresh Powder Report
We can learn from other countries when it comes to education:
It’s no secret that the education system in the U.S. is…flawed. Teachers rarely receive the recognition they deserve or the developmental opportunities that allow them to grow in their profession, two things that teachers in other countries are getting, and it’s making a huge difference. In Singapore school systems, a group of “master teachers” are responsible for helping other teachers improve. In Shanghai and British Columbia, teaching more closely resembles any other profession– advancement is expected and attainable, and teachers are encouraged to interact with other professionals in their field for growth and development. So what are we missing here in the States? A level of trust in the educators themselves; to assist one another in their field, to grow and develop independently, and to explore new approaches to education that may or may not end up being successful.
It’s hard to argue with a picture:
Typically, a picture is only “worth 1,000 words” when it depicts something people aren’t used to being confronted with– and even more so when it’s something they’d rather not see. It’s no surprise photojournalism has been extremely influential regarding civil rights movements in America— from segregation in the fifties to protests that are hardly a year old, capturing racial injustice on camera seems to be one of the best ways to uncover the harsh reality of social injustice in the country.
The social media platform you’re probably avoiding:
Some of you are already using it to help promote your program, most of you are using it because it’s fun– but some people aren’t using it at all. Why? Because, let’s face it, the concept of Snapchat is more than a little confusing. What’s the purpose of Snapstories? Why would you even bother sending a message to someone, only to have it disappear forever as soon as they read it? This article walks you through how to use what may arguably be the most popular social media app among high schoolers today.
Terrorism Laws vs. Free Press:
In a fight for freedom of the press, a UK Journalist wins in appeals court after having encrypted documents seized at Heathrow airport in 2013. From The Intercept: “The central concern is that disclosure of journalistic material (whether or not it involves the identification of a journalist’s source) undermines the confidentiality that is inherent in such material and which is necessary to avoid the chilling effect of disclosure and to protect article 10 rights. If journalists and their sources can have no expectation of confidentiality, they may decide against providing information on sensitive matters of public interest. That is why the confidentiality of such information is so important.”
These things also happened last week:
The fourth democratic debate aired on Sunday– here’s a full transcript, just in case you missed it.
A less widely-viewed (but important) awards show happened over the weekend–check out who won at the Critics’ Choice Awards here.
This eight-year-old from Texas spends his birthday as selflessly as possible.