Xello's Must-Read Articles of 2022

Xello's Must-Read Articles of 2022

With the end of 2022 just around the corner, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on what has transpired during the year. Here at Xello, we’ve been busy with many things, including developing helpful content.

Have some extra time as things slow down at the end of the year? Check out the list below of blog posts and ebooks we wrote this year. The summary can help you determine if you want to read on.

Thanks for making us part of your reading time.

Hottest Headlines

The articles in this section have been some of our most widely read during 2022.

What Is Student Engagement and Why Does It Matter? Did you know student engagement has been an issue since the late 1800s? Find out more about student engagement and why it is critical to the education mission.

Financial Literacy for K–12: How to Incorporate “Money Talk” into the Classroom Every adult has to manage their money. Learning this critical life skill starts with financial literacy. In this blog post, discover what financial literacy is and get tips on how to incorporate it into your classroom.

Educators Know Social-Emotional Learning Is Important, But How Should They Measure It? Many have realized that students must be taught social-emotional learning (SEL) skills. Unlike core subjects such as math and history, determining if students have learned SEL skills is challenging. Check out this post, where we share how you can measure whether your students are gaining the SEL skills that were taught.

Building Positive Parent Teacher Relationships: Why They Matter & How Do They Impact Student Success? Parents/guardians and teachers share a common goal: helping children learn and grow to their fullest potential. How can teachers partner with parents so that they are on the same page and students benefit? Learn more about managing this relationship and why it is so important.

The Benefits of College and Career Readiness for Middle School Students College and career readiness (CCR) for middle schoolers? Really? Yup, starting CCR in middle school (or even earlier) has many positive benefits for students. Read this post to learn about the benefits and the best way to incorporate CCR into the middle school classroom.

Getting Ready for College

The lead-up to college is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for students and their families. It’s a whirlwind. Relax, we’ve got you covered with the blog posts below.

College Planning Timeline for Seniors Senior year is supposed to be fun – a victory lap as one finishes their K-12 education. Well, for those students who plan to attend college, they have many things to do. This blog post takes parents and students alerts parents and students about what they need to focus on and when in terms of the college journey.

College Planning Timeline for Juniors Planning for college should start before senior year. In this blog post, parents and students can gain insights on what they need to do regarding college planning, and when during junior year. Following this timeline takes away some of the stress many parents and students feel during their senior year since they are prepared and on track for college applications.

How to Empower Your Students to Find the Best Fit College Many high school students dream of finding their ideal college. Yet, doing so can be like finding a needle in a haystack considering There are over 5,000 colleges in the U.S. alone. This blog post discusses what students can do to find their ideal fit college and the role high schools play in the search.

What Is a Student Ambassador? Whether deciding which computer to buy, which painter to hire, or which hotel to stay at, there is nothing more convincing than a recommendation from a peer. College ambassadors are in that role for the school they attend. Their goal is to help colleges recruit high school students. Find out the ins and outs of a student ambassador and what type of person would be ideal for the role.

Why Character Is Important in College Admissions Students spend hours preparing for SAT/ACT and stress about their score because they see it as a path into their college of choice. Recently, many schools have dropped the SAT/ACT requirement, while others have made it a smaller factor. One thing that has gained importance when it comes to college acceptance consideration is character. Read about the character traits colleges are looking for, how to help students build those traits, and how to demonstrate them on the application.

Career Development and Exploration

Every student wants to find a career that is just right for them. It’s what makes CCR so crucial. We looked at the topic multiple times this past year and have some helpful hints to improve your CCR program.

What Is Work-Based Learning? Another educational buzzword, work-based learning has been around in one form or another for years. This blog post goes over the history of work-based learning, defines it, and explains why it is critical to the educational mission.

Why Schools Should Invest in Partnering with Local Employers Sometimes, that which is most helpful is right in front of us, and we still fail to see it. Local employers can help schools in multiple ways, including curriculum and internships. And its not a one-way street. Find out why schools should strive to partner with businesses in their area.

Get Students Excited About Creating Their Own Career Paths: Here’s How Anyone who has dealt with a young person in any capacity knows it is easier to do so when they feel they have autonomy. When students are excited about their career path, it leads to positive educational outcomes. Check out this blog post to learn how to kindle student interest in a career path.

What “Career” Planning Really Means for Elementary Students Career planning is not just for high school students. Career planning is helpful for students as early as elementary school. Of course, career planning for students at this level is different than it is for older kids. In this blog post, get tips on appropriate career planning for elementary school students.

Top eBooks

Looking for more in-depth material? We got you covered with a range of topics that will keep you informed and up-to-date.

The State of College and Career Readiness in K–12: 2022 Report Where do students stand in terms of CCR in 2022? What impact did the pandemic, learning from home, etc., have on CCR? We look at the key trends in college and career readiness in the U.S., the impact of community involvement in CCR, and the post-pandemic changes in student engagement in this ebook.

9 Engaging Career Exploration Activities for K–12 Students How do we develop engaging activities to help students do career exploration? In this ebook, we present engaging, age-appropriate classroom exercises for elementary, middle, and high school students. We also give detailed instructional planning, lesson delivery for educators, and recommended activities that align with Common Core State Standards and ASCA Mindset & Behaviors.

A Resource Guide for Building an Employer Partner Engagement Plan We developed this toolkit in partnership with the ACTE. Inside, you’ll find a how-to for program leaders looking to expand their work-based learning efforts. There’s also a hands-on plan to get started with employer partner engagement—from buy-in to goal setting to project planning. Lastly, you’ll find information on state work-based learning guides.

Xello News

A good company does not rest on its laurels; it’s always striving to grow and improve its product. We at Xello have been doing just that. Check out some of the links below and read about changes we’ve made.

Bring Xello to Life in the Classroom: Helping Every Student Plan for Life After High School What should I do after high school is a question every student has to answer. Learn more about what Xello offers to help high school students prepare for a future career.

Bring Xello to Life in the Classroom Series: Focusing on Elementary In this series, we share ways to get even the youngest students on the path to career readiness. We explain that it starts by connecting SEL and Future Readiness. Check out the lesson and strategies that we reviewed in this helpful series.

Xello and Intellispark Partner to Support K–12 Students with In-the-Moment Needs It takes a village… The need for community exists for students as they strive to create a balance between future planning and their present emotional well-being. Learn about a platform we developed with Intellispark that empowers educators to connect students’ future goals with their present social-emotional health and well-being.

2021/22 Year-in-Review: What Launched in Xello? We are constantly trying to improve our software to meet the needs of students and educators. In this blog post, we review the changes we made, how they are useful, and Xello’s best practices.

Texas Districts: Introducing Career, College, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Tracking in Xello In this post, we detail our CCMR tracking tools built specifically for districts across Texas. The tracking tools have features for educators, counselors, administrators, and students. Read the post to learn exactly how the new feature works.

Summer 2022 Release Roundup: What’s New in Xello? New features are released year-round at Xello. This past summer, we introduced enhancements and brand-new features in Xello to help students, educators, and counselors make the most of the college and career planning process. Check out this post to learn about the new features.

Thanks for taking time out and looking to Xello for the helpful content. We aim to give you useful, practical, and interesting information.

Happy reading, and Happy New Year.