After the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, Matthew Mayer and Shane Jimerson knew they had some work to do. Mayer, from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education, and Jimerson, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, both specialize in studying school violence. "In 2006, there were several school shootings, and we […]
A frustrated student cries out "I can't do it." A teacher redirects: "You can't do it, yet." This may be the simplest way to define "growth mindset" the increasingly popular learning approach in which K12 leaders affirm their students'—and their staff members'—lifelong capacity to boost intelligence. "An individual with a fixed mindset has a fear […]
What are the key components of a successful STEAM education initiative? Every learner should have the opportunity to be inspired by STEAM learning. Not just physics, chemistry and biology, but also computer science. I go into schools sometimes, and I'll hold up a phone and say, "An alien didn't make this, people like you and […]
Guy Barmoha, director of the secondary learning department for Broward County Public Schools in Florida, wanted to challenge high-achieving, middle school mathematics students beyond what acceleration can offer. Elements of Mathematics: Foundations, a curriculum by the Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, provided the solution. EMF is an online self-study curriculum that teaches pre-algebra through […]
The human brain is notable for its ability to support cognition, communications skills, consciousness and plan appropriate behavior for future occasions. This was evidenced millions of years ago as our ancestors' brains alerted them to life-threatening risks, as well as to life-enhancing opportunities. Consider early man foraging for food in the same space as a […]
Just a few years ago, Title I students in Hoover City Schools were making such modest gains that they stayed in the program year after year. That all changed once the central Alabama district implemented Istation, an e-learning program that identifies learning gaps and provides engaging interactive lessons and face-to-face teaching strategies to get students […]
Talk about solutions that help educators understand the whole student. When it comes to solutions that are focused on the whole student, they have to provide variability and flexibility. To provide assistance, and get a full picture of a student, educators must be able to evaluate a variety of content: core subjects, non-core subjects and […]
The population of ELL students continues to grow, and achievement gaps between ELL students and other student populations persist in many districts. There are a variety of best practices administrators can employ to address these achievement gaps and meet the needs of ELL students. This web seminar discussed ways of ensuring equity for ELL students. […]
Shawn Stover helps principals move beyond what he calls "the tyranny of the urgent." Stover, an instructional superintendent in District of Columbia Public Schools, says it's all too easy for principals to devote the bulk of their days to busing, athletic schedules, discipline, building maintenance and other issues that can demand immediate attention. Yet mounds […]
Donald Fennoy now leads the School District of Palm Beach County in Florida, the 10th largest district in the U.S. Fennoy has prioritized upgrading security, improving third-grade reading skills and increasing teacher pay, among other goals. He previously supervised transportation, maintenance and planning as the district's chief operating officer. Superintendent Tiffany Anderson of Topeka Public […]
