Elissa Nadworny

Reporter/Editor, NPR

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Elissa is a national reporter for NPR. She covers higher education and sometimes takes pictures. Send tips/ideas to [email protected] or follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

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Locking up the U.S/Mexico border wall after nearly 1,200 cows were brought through. Part of the beef import business. Customs opens this gate twice a day for cattle. 🐂🐮 #OurLand #nprontheroad #onassignment #bordercrossing #nprlife #mexico #igmex (at USA/Mexico Border)

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Meet Terrence Johnson: proud Mississippian, student leader at Ole Miss, thoughtful guy. The latest from #OurLand:

http://www.npr.org/2017/02/22/515757039/a-students-perspective-on-mississippi-beautiful-engulfing-and-sometimes-enraging

Photo: Elissa Nadworny/NPR

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The latest installment from Melissa Block and Elissa Nadworny! -Emily

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This is what winter is supposed to look like! ❄️❄️The view out the back of Ryan's truck just outside Independence, Iowa. #nprlife #mytinyatlas #nprontheroad #yestergram #OurLand (at Independence, Iowa)

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There's a lot of attention right now on improving attendance in schools — making sure kids don't miss too many days. But what about the littlest students — those 3 and 4 years old? New research shows that if kids miss a lot of preschool, they're way more likely to have problems in kindergarten or later on.

Researchers and many top preschool programs are focusing on one solution as a way of getting pre-K attendance up: Home visits at the beginning of the year, before kids start missing and before parents have a chance to feel skeptical about the school.

"No parent or family member wants the first contact to be, 'Hey, you need to come to school for a parent meeting and it needs to happen now,' " says Rachel Wessler, a teacher at Burrville Elementary School in northeast Washington, D.C. Wessler trains other teachers at Burrville to do home visits, which are a big part of the school's overall strategy.

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/21/499361835/boosting-attendance-in-preschool-can-start-with-a-knock-on-the-door

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Meet "Sarge" a jolly, loquacious 74-year-old school bus driver in Versailles, Ky. See his story at NPR.org/Ed #adventure #onassignment #nprlife #school #education #kentucky (at Versailles, Kentucky)

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http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/05/30/477506418/what-one-districts-data-mining-did-for-chronic-absence

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The President leaves the White House -- en route to Asia. #adventure #press #M1 (at The White House)

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http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/05/10/476490413/through-the-looking-glass-how-childrens-books-have-grown-up

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5 Pieces Of Wisdom For Kindergarten Teachers (from a D.C. kindergarten teacher)

Character is just as important as academics.

Get your kids on board.

Remember that they're 5.

Be flexible.

Embrace the intellectual challenge.

Full story here: http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/05/04/467217123/5-pieces-of-wisdom-for-kindergarten-teachers

Photos: Elissa Nadworny/NPR

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Good morning from the White House! Never gets old. #POTUS #press #dc #reportage #adventure #travel #famousplace #WhiteHouse (at The White House)

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The window cleaners are here!! #nprlife #washingtondc #clean #maninthewindow (at NPR)

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Imagine you’re back in school, bored to death, with limited academic options. Because you’re learning English, everybody assumes you’re not ready for more challenging work. What they don’t realize is that you’re gifted.

Researchers say this happens to lots of gifted children who arrive at school speaking little or no English. These students go unnoticed, until someone taps into their remarkable talent and potential. Vanessa Minero Leon was lucky. She was one of those students who got noticed.

The Rare District That Recognizes Gifted Latino Students

Photos: Elissa Nadworny/NPR

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I couldn’t resist the rabbit shot. 

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On any given weekend, the Washington, D.C., public library system offers nearly a dozen classes. You can try Matt McEntee’s class, where he’ll teach you how to fix anything from a clock to a broken heart. Maybe you’re interested in creating a photo book, or you’d like to get better at Microsoft Word?

I decided to check out a small classroom tucked in the basement of my local branch early one morning. It’s called Homebuying 101, and it’s led by real estate agent Margeau Gilbert. Today, there are about 10 adults — ranging in age from their mid-20s to early 50s — finding their seats.

In the second row, Whenna Andrews, 28, already has her notebook out. She’s a first lieutenant in the D.C. National Guard, and a number of her friends have already purchased homes.

I ask Andrews why she came to a class at the library, instead of learning how to buy a home online. “I have a lot of questions,” Andrews answers. “I feel like if I’m perusing by myself online I can get lost in the information.”

Andrews’ decision to learn in a physical classroom is still the preferred choice for adults, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.

For Adults, Lifelong Learning Happens The Old Fashioned Way

Photos: Brandon Chew/NPR

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Hanging with the bus drivers of Woodford County, Kentucky today. #onassignment #nprlife #education #driving #school #reportage (at WCPS Bus Garage)

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Things to know about Stephen Ritz, one of NPR’s 50 Great Teachers:

He and his students made bow ties out of Scrabble tiles.

His Bronx classroom, a refurbished school library, has more plants than desks.

He calls the room his National Health, Wellness and Learning Center. It’s got tower gardens, gleaming cabinets and counters, an industrial sink and a new, mobile cooking station.

“What we’re seeing is kids coming in here, getting excited about healthy food — about vegetables. About beans. Who knew beans could be so exciting, but they are!”

Ritz founded the nonprofit Green Bronx Machine, planting community gardens all over the Bronx.

How A Great Teacher Cultivates Veggies (And Kids) In The Bronx — In 17 Photos

Photos: Elissa Nadworny/NPR

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Flying over New Jersey for @npr_ed's #secretteachers #nprlife #npr #onassignment (at Essex County Airport)