With classes, homework, sports and other extracurricular activities, some students have difficulty fitting sleep into their hectic schedule. Nicole Ransome works on homework. Credit: Sabria Streett This article, by high school student Sabria Streett, was produced out...
The Ukraine war has caused energy prices to skyrocket across Europe. In France, if costs don’t decrease soon, some bakers might have to say adieu! Baguettes in a boulangerie in Rennes, France. Credit: Clover Choi This article, by high school student Clover...
In-person classes have resumed at most schools. Covid infections have leveled off. But teachers are exhausted and increasing numbers are heading out. Masked and distanced, Lindsay McConnel helps a high school student at the Tatnall School. (Credit: Kate McConnel)...
New biometric systems scan your face or fingerprint as proof of ID, but many governments require an official card. For some people that’s a problem. Facial Recognition System starts its operation at JR Shinjuku Station in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo on 30 August 2021....
Becoming a tea sommelier means confronting a history of imperialism and oppression and appreciating the world’s most common beverage. Six black teas from Sri Lanka and India set up for tasting in Squamish, British Columbia August 4, 2022. Although included in...
Journalists who shine the light on the world’s trouble spots often keep their own troubles to themselves. And that’s a problem. A camera catches the pepper spraying by police of a journalist covering protests in Hong Kong in 2014. Credit: Mongkok under a...
For one student at Miss Porter’s School in the United States, writing is a way to tell the world about education in China. News Decoder · An interview with Luna Lee about "The Forgotten Schools" The Decoder Podcast features conversations with students about...
News Decoder has launched a series of projects, funded by the European Union, to help teachers integrate climate change into the classroom. Students at the Climate Academy designed and created a mural in the grounds of their school evoking the rights of young people...
Two articles, a podcast and a personal essay — the winners of our latest Storytelling Contest come from three schools on three continents. Luis Eberl of Realgymnasium Rämibühl in Zurich (RGZH) has won first prize in News Decoder’s 12th Storytelling Contest for...
Social media can harm a young person’s mental health. Can youth be taught to use the platforms responsibly and avoid excessive consumption? Teenage girl under pressure to achieve (Ikon Images via AP Images) This article, by high school student Maria Ermanni,...
While there are positive aspects to social media platforms, they can also pose mental health risks. There is the fear of missing out and pressure to become more beautiful, slimmer, cooler and sportier. Student Maria Ermanni of Realgymnasium Rämibühl in Zürich talked to an expert about the positives and negatives of social media for teens and reached the conclusion that while social platforms have become an indispensable part of our daily lives, the responsibility for safe media use lies with the user.
Exercise: Have students write a paragraph that describes their best and worst experience with social media. Then ask them to consider whether they think that there should be limits on what people can post and share on social media, and if yes, what those limits should be. Ultimately, do they think that the benefits of social media outweigh the negative toll it has taken on the mental health of young people?