By Christine Mason, CEI Executive Director Thanksgiving! CEI continues to thrive due to a dedicated team, your interest and support, and those who are venturing with us into the future. I am particularly appreciative of the planning, teaming, and sharing that CEI completed in 2014, with special thanks to: The many teachers, principals, and educational leaders who continue to lead education into the future. All educators who continue to care about students and to promote pers

Snap a selfie’… on Instagram then create a self-portrait and repost it. Create a Facebook page’…to promote the upcoming novel your class is reading to the school. Make a list’…of all your favorite news sites you like to visit and pin them on Pinterest. Write two to three paragraphs’…on a Word Press blog about what you learned in class for the semester. Create a photo album’…of a science experience you conducted and post the steps of the scientific method on Tumblr. Track metr

By Elijah Mercer, CEI Intern Since 2010, 46 states have adopted the Common Core Curriculum Standards (CCSS). Of America’s 50 states, only Alaska, Texas, Nebraska and Virginia did not adopt them and Minnesota adopted only the English Language Arts Standards. However, this past year has seen additional changes: Oklahoma, South Carolina and Indiana have withdrawn their adoptions. (A full color map of CCSS adoption for each state is available on Academic Benchmark’s website.) Eac

By Christine Mason Michele and I found ourselves surrounded by others who were thrilled to be learning more about the value of contemplative practices. When not in sessions, we were dialoguing almost continuously with neuroscientists, educators, psychologists, researchers, health care and social workers, and monks from around the globe. This year 1500 attended the conference; two years ago the number was about half. There were many highlights to this meeting.

By Elijah Mercer, CEI Intern The debate concerning the implementation of Common Core testing standards is now shifting from policy makers and researchers to an increasing number of parents and teachers. There are several factors affecting the pushback. Unclear governing regulations. While some parents and educators are simply concerned with ‘testitis,’ or the instructional time that is consumed with testing, others have concerns related to choice and freedom in education. One