Welcome to Something to Read, to Watch, to Hear, a monthly newsletter by me, Katie Novak, with a focus on inclusive practices, education news, helpful resources, and life! I'm so glad you're here.

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Onward.

When you’re well-versed in a subject like Universal Design for Learning (UDL), it’s easy to think you’ve mastered it and there’s nothing more to learn. But surprise—there’s always something new, especially with an evolving framework like UDL. My own understanding of the framework is always a work in progress, and I wanted to share some recent shifts.

• The UDL Guidelines 3.0 are out—what does this mean for us as UDL practitioners, teachers, leaders, and coaches? Find out here.
• The Digital Accessibility Guidelines: Depending on their population size, school districts and state and local governments have until April 2026 or April 2027 to ensure their web content and mobile apps comply with Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. 

 🔊 Something to Listen to:

Creating The Education Table podcast has been a learning curve, but I think I'm getting the hang of it! In episodes 9 and 10 of Season 1, I shifted the focus from UDL to create two episodes centered on MTSS. Remember, each episode is less than 10 minutes! Choose one of the following episodes to learn more about the big-picture view of MTSS (hint: it's more than just three tiers!).

• What is MTSS? A Quick Rundown of Everything a Teacher Needs to Know
• What is MTSS? A Quick Rundown of Everything a School Leader Needs to Know

📺 Something to Watch:

I absolutely love this video of Olympian Alexi Pappas. It's a good reminder that if today wasn't your day, that's okay. Just keep at it and your good days will come!

🛠️ Something to Do:

An article in Fast Company highlights the importance of prioritizing the work of building authentic connections in the “real” world. The article notes that leaders at Fortune 500 companies state that at least 70% of jobs require EI skills, such as teamwork, relationship management, and resilience, and leaders with high EI foster healthier workplaces. However, surveys suggest that fewer than 10% of adults in the U.S. received formal education in emotions or EI.

So what can we do?

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 424 research studies involving over 500,000 students in 53 countries found that students who participated in social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions developed improved emotional and social skills, achieved higher academically, and formed better relationships, all of which lead to enhanced emotional intelligence (EI) skills that are critical for future success.

The evidence is clear: we need to continue focusing on social-emotional and help to bridge the gap between the classroom and student's homes. 

Looking to get your team pumped up about Student-Led learning?! Share this TEDx Talk, Education Reimagined: Student-led Learning from one of my favorite people, Catlin Tucker.  The video helps to break down how we can make simple shifts to move from traditional, teacher-led models to dynamic, student-led learning environments by strategically leveraging technology to make more time for the human side of our work. There is also a workbook to go along with the TedX Talk.

Congrats, Cat!!

Inspired by the Olympics, I completed my first relay race with my daughter this month.  And yes, my shirt does say Udder-ly fabulous...the race took place at a farm 🐮!