The spread of learning on mobile devices has driven providers to push science platforms into the cloud. At the same time, the need for hands-on activities and real-world connections has led to the development of more advanced robot-building kits and products that allow students to experiment on microorganisms. Educators also increasingly connect STEM to other […]
In the 10 years leading up to Madison School District's latest math curriculum update, state standards had changed almost too often to count. So it is understandable that the Phoenix-based district would welcome a program that ensured all material complied with current standards. But not just any program. After researching solutions and piloting two options […]
I recently heard a friend ask his student a question that captures how parents and teachers should discuss future aspirations. The question was not "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Instead, he asked the boy, "What problems do you want to solve when you grow up?" Today's students will enter a […]
Environmental science teacher Jamie Esler takes his Idaho high school students outdoors for hands-on learning about climate science and climate change. They take core samples from trees, measure declining snowpack and calculate carbon dioxide levels. This hands-on field work is more impactful than a slideshow packed with data and graphs, Esler says. Before students step […]
High-quality, collaborative, professional development for teachers is a difference-maker for students. I have witnessed firsthand its power as a teacher and mathematics curriculum chair at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School in Oshawa, Ontario. Our school is in an urban area with significant socio-economic challenges not unlike those found in many U.S. cities. The inner-city […]
When it comes to professional development, Regina Teat believes building the instructional capacity of every instructor and classroom teacher is the most effective use of time and money of any program, especially using grant funding. "When the money goes away, the capacity and knowledge through good professional development for the teacher remains" says Teat, Director […]
Elementary teachers at Stamford Public Schools in Connecticut, leverage data they gather through observation and evaluation, as well as test scores, to drive classroom math instruction. The technology in their math curriculum, McGraw-Hill Education's Everyday Mathematics 4¬Á, allows teachers to easily record data and provides detailed reports they use to identify students that might be […]
The path for raising student performance to meet or exceed the new math standards has proven elusive for many schools and districts. After two, three or more years of flat or declining student performance, some educators are beginning to wonder if their students can ever achieve the new standards. This web seminar featured educators and […]
A lack of PD for teachers and principals hinders schools from achieving the full benefits of personalized learning, according to an analysis by MAPLE, the Massachusetts Personalized Learning Edtech Consortium. Tech industry leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have invested millions of dollars in personalized learning and the requisite technology. However, traditional classroom practices still […]
Districts are increasingly tasked with providing options for at-risk and underserved student populations to address persistent achievement gaps. While nationwide gains in closing achievement gaps have been made, research shows that underserved student populations still achieve at lower rates than their peers in many areas. Black and Hispanic students graduate at lower rates than white […]
