"Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day…" - 5 new articles

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I’ve previously posted about The NY Times Learning Network Tiny Memoir Contest.

It challenges students to write 100 word memoirs.

I know lots of teachers who use it with their students.

The Networks offers tons of prep materials and examples from past contest winners.

In fact, they recently shared the winners of this year’s contest.  There are just real gems.

I’m adding this info to Best Posts On Writing Instruction.

     

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Millions of Muslims make the annual pilgrimage, called the Hajj, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

This year, it began on May 24th and continues until May 29th.

You might be interested in The Best Sites To Learn And Teach About The Hajj.

     

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There’s clearly been a strong negative reaction to how much ed tech students are using in classrooms these days.

I think it’s pretty clear that there is too much laptop use in a fair number of classrooms – teachers got pretty used to them in a post-COVID environment (and I included myself in that group).

I also think it’s a bit simplistic to place a large portion of the responsibility for student achievement challenges on laptop use.  In fact, plenty of research attributes most of those challenges to factors outside of a school’s control (Yes, A Big Study Came Out Today Highlighting Plummeting Test Scores But, No, I Don’t Think It Tells The Whole Story).

But I do think overuse of edtech is a problem, and a contributing factor to student challenges – tech has a place in the classroom, and it also has to be kept in its place.

Here are what I think are some thoughtful reflections on the issue:

A viral case against screens in schools is winning converts. Does the evidence hold up? is by Matt Barnum.

Is Technology to Blame for Achievement Declines? is by Chad Aldeman.

Should Laptops Really Go the Way of Cell Phones? appeared in Edutopia.

The Ed-Tech Backlash Is Here. What It Means for Schools is from Ed Week.

A Key Issue Often Overlooked In Efforts To Reduce Use Of Laptops In Class – It’s Going To Make More Work For Teachers

The Role Of Tech IN My ELL Classroom? Not Much, But That’s Not The Whole Story

Amid School Techlash, Accessibility Advocates Worry About Exclusion is from Ed Surge.

What Schools Are Forgetting in Their Race to Embrace A.I. . www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/o… gift link

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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) May 20, 2026 at 2:11 PM

You might also be interested in:

The Best Posts & Articles Highlighting Why We Need To Be Very Careful Around Ed Tech

The Best Research Available On The Use Of Technology In Schools

The Best Places To Find Research On Technology & Language Teaching/Learning

     

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Today would have been Malcolm X’s one-hundred-and-first birthday.

You might be interested in The “Best” Resources For Learning & Teaching About Malcolm X.

     

In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness is a new exhibition from the Smithsonian that features 250 Objects; 250 Stories from the American Revolution.

And, if those aren’t enough for you, The Associated Press has their own collection of Revolutionary Objects.

I’m adding them to:

The Best Resources For Helping Teach About The 250th Anniversary Of The American Revolution

The Best Resources For Using “Object Lessons” In History