Preventing Teen Suicide

Is Your Skill Set Still on Release 3.0?

Remember when having a SmartBoard in your classroom made you cutting-edge? When PowerPoint presentations were revolutionary? If these memories feel recent, your professional toolkit might need a significant upgrade. And that's what we aim to show you how to do.

Don't forget that I know what you are dealing with. I've taught English, History, Music, Latin, and Computers. So, I totally understand what you are up against time-wise and everything else-wise.

The Education Evolution

Teaching excellence in 2025 demands a radically different skill set than just five years ago, as this video illustrates. While your core teaching abilities remain valuable, the wrapper around them needs constant refreshing. Consider this: students entering your classroom today have never known a world without AI assistants, voice commands, or instant global connectivity.

Your Professional Upgrade ChecklistCredentials and Certifications

• When did you last update your teaching credentials?
• Have you earned micro-credentials in emerging educational technologies?
• Are your digital literacy certifications current?

Presentation Materials

Gone are the days of static slideshows. Modern educators need:

• Interactive presentation tools that enable real-time student participation
• Hybrid-ready materials that work both in-person and virtually
• Accessibility-compliant content that serves diverse learning needs

Documentation

A To Z Of Boarding Schools

A - Applying to boarding school

Applying to most boarding schools has become easier in the last 10-15 years. That's because you can apply online at most schools. When schools don't have online applications, they usually have all the application forms and information you need online for you to download.

B - Be aware that diversity is part of boarding schools' DNA in the 21st century.

Yes, back in the 1950s and 1960s, you might have been able to say that boarding schools were elitist. At least, that was the general public's perception. Of course, the media reinforced this perception. However, in the 21st century, boarding schools have made diversity and tolerance the center of their mission and philosophy as most schools seek to prepare their students for life and work in a global community.

C - Competitive schools

Many parents have grand ideas about which boarding schools they want their children to attend. As a result, they focus on the top 10 schools, which receive ten times as many applicants for whom they have places. Having one very competitive school on your shortlist is wise only when you also have two relatively safe schools on that list. Just as with investing, t makes no sense to put all your eggs in one basket.

This brief video showcases Phillips Andover Academy.

D -

Employment: Common Questions And Answers

Thinking about teaching in a boarding school? Got some questions? In this fictional conversation, a job seeker and I chat about looking for employment in a private school.

Credentials

Q. Do I need a teaching certificate to teach in a private school?

A. Not necessarily. It depends on the school. Some schools will employ you without a teaching certificate with the understanding that you become certified within a stated time frame, typically a year. Job advertisements are usually clear about requirements.

Q. Do I need an education degree to teach in a private school?

A. Most private schools value degrees in a subject more than an education degree. For example, if you are presenting yourself as an English teacher, the school will look for a bachelor's degree with a major in American or English Language and Literature. The teaching skills and methodology that you could learn if you did an education degree will be useful; however, most private schools will require you to teach in their own proprietary way. After all, that's why parents are sending their children to boarding school. They value the curriculum and how it's taught.

Q. Do I need to have a master's degree or a doctorate?

A. Your resume will stand out from the competition when you offer a master's or terminal degree. Once again, schools understand that a highly-credentialed faculty is a powerful asset when it comes to marketing what they do. If you have started work

The Gifted Student

Oxford Languages defines gifted as "having exceptional talent or natural ability." You've been aware for a long time that your child is gifted. She reads several grade levels above her grade and is passionate about robotics. She socializes well, and is liked by her teachers and classmates. The problem is that your local public school doesn't have the resources to stretch her and allow her to achieve her full potential. So, you are looking at boarding schools as an option for expanding her intellectual horizons.

Signs of Giftedness in Children Include:

• an extreme need for constant mental stimulation
• an ability to learn and process complex information rapidly
• a need to explore subjects in surprising depth
• an insatiable curiosity, as demonstrated by endless questions and inquiries
• ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers
• surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age
• enthusiastic about unique interests and topics
• quirky or mature sense of humor
• creative problem solving and imaginative expression
• absorbs information quickly with few repetitions needed
• self-aware, socially aware, and aware of global issues

Source: Davidson Institute

So, I can tell you as a parent of two gifted daughters, boarding school is an excellent option. We lived in rural Litchfield County, Connecticut. The local regional school system was very good but had limited resources. There was no internet in those days. So, we encouraged reading lots of books and added enrichment activities. But, again, we soon exhausted those scarce resources. Boarding school ended up being