Pressure to raise achievement test scores has become the driving force behind what is taught and how. Worse, the results from these tests reveal only a fraction of the overall picture of whether students are learning—and whether teachers are effective in their jobs, says Daniel Koretz. As one of the nation’s foremost experts on education […]
Dallas ISD’s morning drop-in centers for homeless high school students provide necessities such as take-home food, hygiene products and a place to wash clothes. The program’s managers say they also strive to offer an equally important, if less tangible, resource: trust. Homeless teens rarely tell anyone about their predicament because they’re afraid of “a multitude […]
We pretty much understand rocket science, says Doug Green. That is, we understand the complex math and physics that propel objects into space. “The human brain, however, which is the learning playground for students and teachers, is much more complex and less understood.” An educator since 1970—as an elementary principal, district computer director, K12 science […]
Many elementary school students in Marion County Public Schools spend more than 20 minutes per night reading with family members. Parents in the central Florida district also report their children feel less stressed this school year.
Doug Johnson held the title of audiovisual director when he launched his career in school technology in 1991. Back then, teachers didn’t have computers on their desks and technology needs maxed out at replacing the bulbs in overhead projectors, developing black-and-white film and silk-screening, says Johnson. His role has evolved since the dark days before […]
Professional reading has long been a practice of leaders in many disciplines. Education is no exception. However, to be truly innovative, educational leaders can discover amazing professional insights in the areas of business, politics, psychology, sociology, technology and the military. Here is a list of non-education books that today’s educational leaders recommend to their peers: […]
Our education system is like a giant embedded rock, says Grant Lichtman. In his book, Moving the Rock, the former administrator outlines seven “levers” that schools or districts can use to begin to pry that rock free and introduce a “deeper learning” model that truly prepares students for the future. The levers, which include changing […]
Students in seventh-grade math classes are not necessarily ready for seventh-grade math. They may be rusty in concepts taught in sixth grade, or ready for high-level applications covered in high school. That is why the ALEKS¬Á personalized learning program from McGraw-Hill Education is an integral part of the math curriculum in Oak Creek-Franklin middle schools, […]
Rose L. Colby’s book Competency-Based Education introduces educators to a new model for anytime, anywhere schooling, and provides curriculum resources for redesigning the traditional structures of our schools. Colby, a competency-based learning and assessment specialist, says seat time doesn’t equal learning. A system based on demonstrating competencies does more to prepare students for higher education […]
