A Principal's Reflections

JULY 9, 2023

What is the essence of leadership? How do leaders effectively implement, sustain, and scale change? There is no shortage of responses regarding the topic, which is why questions are more important than answers. Narrowing down the most critical competencies can take time and effort. However, let’s look at it from the perspective of debunking what authentic leadership is, not to get at the heart of what it really is when it comes to agents of change.

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Leadership Tradition Humanities 538

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Why should teachers use rubrics to assess student work? Rubrics are valuable assessment tools that provide clear and transparent expectations about what constitutes quality work. Rubrics identify specific criteria relevant to the assignment, along with corresponding levels of performance that allow for more precise grading. Using rubrics helps teachers stay focused during the grading process and ensures that grading is objective, consistent, and fair.

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Social Science History Cultures Research 218

Digital Promise

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

This 3-part blog series, featuring guest authors from Michigan Virtual , describes the formation of the Learning Continuity Workgroup and how it has supported their edtech procurement and decision-making processes. In this second post, Michigan Virtual outlines how they successfully created resources by crowdsourcing ideas on how to address shared challenges among educators.

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K-12 EdTech Leadership Education 153

The Hechinger Report

NOVEMBER 27, 2023

Some kids appear to learn faster than others. A few years ago, a group of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University decided to study these rapid learners to see what they are doing differently and if their strategies could help the rest of us. This story also appeared in Mind/Shift But as the scientists began their study, they stumbled upon a fundamental problem: they could not find faster learners.

Tutoring 145

Tutoring Research Humanities Teaching 145

ED Surge

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Julie York, a computer science and media teacher at South Portland High School in Maine, was scouring the internet for discussion tools for her class when she found TeachFX. An AI tool that takes recorded audio from a classroom and turns it into data about who talked and for how long, it seemed like a cool way for York to discuss issues of data privacy, consent and bias with her students.

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Research Professional Development Tutoring Teaching 144

Dangerously Irrelevant

JANUARY 3, 2023

[Disclaimer: Kim Cofino is a friend of mine and I highly respect her work!]. Over the past months I have had the incredible privilege of spending a lot of time with Kim Cofino and her instructional coaching team at Eduro Learning. Not in person – Kim is in Bangkok, Thailand, and her team is all over the globe – but online. Lately I have been leaning into the task of enhancing my instructional coaching knowledge and skillsets, so I signed up for Eduro Learning’s yearlong online course

High School 143

High School Education 143

Dr. Shannon Doak

JANUARY 8, 2023

ChatGPT has been all the buzz lately and we are putting together an initial PD session at my current school for our teachers. While looking around at the types of things we might cover, I wondered if ChatGPT could tell us about itself in simple terms so that anyone could understand. Below are the questions I asked and the responses it gave. What are you?

Humanities 134

Humanities History 134

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Technology has the potential to transform teaching and learning in a number of ways. One way it can be used to transform teaching and learning is by providing students with access to a wealth of information, including multimedia resources, educational apps, and online databases. This means that students can engage with a wide range of material and have access to resources that they might not have been able to access otherwise.

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Pedagogy Project-Based Learning Teaching Research 489

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

I vividly remember how frustrating it was to interview for various school administrator positions only to be told that I didn’t have enough practical experience related to the position(s). Well duh, of course I didn’t, as I was an aspiring leader who was just venturing into this space. I am sure virtually everyone reading this post has been in the same situation at some point, whether in the past or currently.

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Leadership Education 478

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 11, 2023

When it comes to leading change, many of us, at some point, have been made to think that we have to get others to buy into a certain strategy, initiative, or idea. Is this really the right way to proceed? I've never been a fan of the term "buy-in" when it comes to change. It's a phrase that implies that we need to convince people to change rather than inspiring them to actually want to change.

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Leadership 468

A Principal's Reflections

MAY 28, 2023

In my early days as an administrator, I thought that a positive school culture was one where strict rules were created and consistently enforced to keep students focused on learning. I believed that the more control I could exert over the environment, the better the results. There was not much flexibility in terms of the structure of the day and what students were “allowed” to do.

Cultures 457

Cultures Leadership 457

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 16, 2023

The education landscape is undergoing a continuous transformation, something I elaborate on in detail in Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms. While not new in any sense, digital tools continue to play an immense role as they are constantly evolving. By understanding how these tools impact teaching and learning, educators can determine which ones to use and how to implement them effectively.

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Artifacts Pedagogy Tradition Research 460

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 16, 2023

Education is still reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. The rapid shift to virtual learning was a necessity and, like always, educators rose to the occasion like they always do even though training in this area didn’t really exist at scale. A few years later, we are beginning to get an idea of the most pressing issue at hand, which is learning recovery.

K-12 465

K-12 Pedagogy Leadership Research 465

Catlin Tucker

MAY 20, 2023

How can formative assessment data help students to develop their metacognitive skills? Formative assessments are ongoing assessments embedded throughout the learning process. These informal assessments provide information to the teacher about students’ understanding of the material being covered and the skills being introduced. This data allows the teacher to identify where students are struggling, where they are excelling, and where they need additional support.

Critical Thinking 191

Critical Thinking Tradition 191

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 12, 2023

In our newest book, Shift Writing into the Classroom with UDL and Blended Learning , Dr. Katie Novak and I guide teachers in creating the time and space to support all parts of the writing process in the classroom. Not only has the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots created concern about assigning writing, but myriad challenges exist when we send writing home with students. #1 Hard to Motivate After a Long Day at School After spending six to seven hours in a structured, often

Psychology 179

Psychology Interactive Learning Critical Thinking Education 179

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 12, 2023

Why Would a Teacher Use the Flipped Classroom Model? First, let’s establish the value of the flipped classroom in case you have never used this blended learning model. The flipped classroom was designed to invert the traditional approach to instruction and practice/application. Instead of spending precious class time transferring information live for the whole group in the form of a lecture or mini-lesson, which presents myriad barriers (e.g., auditory processing, attention deficit, lack o

Tradition 180

Tradition Teaching Education 180

The Hechinger Report

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

It pains Tim Odegard that four decades after a misguided approach to diagnosing dyslexia kept him from getting help in school, thousands of children across the U.S. are needlessly suffering for the same reason. This story also appeared in Scientific American During the initial weeks of first grade, Odegard’s struggles with reading went undetected as he memorized words that classmates read aloud before him.

Psychology 145

Psychology Elementary School Humanities High School 145

The Hechinger Report

NOVEMBER 5, 2023

The thing that surprised me most about my teacher preparation program was that we never talked about how kids learn. Instead, we were taught how to structure a lesson and given tips on classroom management. I took “methods” classes that gave me strategies for discussions and activities. I assumed that I would eventually learn how the brain worked because I thought that studying education meant studying how learning happens.

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Psychology Middle School Classroom Management Learning Science 145

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 30, 2023

A study published in 2023 in the journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology documented that second graders memorized more multiplication facts when they practiced using flashcards rather than by repeating their times tables aloud. Credit: Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images Young students around the world struggle to memorize multiplication tables, but the effort pays off.

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Psychology Elementary School Learning Science Research 145

Digital Promise

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

The post Digital Promise Launches FutureLab to Investigate Transformative Approaches to Teaching and Learning appeared first on Digital Promise.

Teaching 158

Teaching 158

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 24, 2023

SEATTLE — Mireya Barrera didn’t want a fight. This story also appeared in The Seattle Times For years, she sat through meetings with her son’s special education teachers, struggling to maintain a smile as she understood little of what they said. On the rare occasions when other teachers who spoke Barrera’s language, Spanish, were asked to help, the conversations still faltered because they weren’t trained interpreters.

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The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Editor’s note: This story led off this week’s Early Childhood newsletter, which is delivered free to subscribers’ inboxes every other Wednesday with trends and top stories about early learning. Email Address Choose from our newsletters Weekly Update Future of Learning Higher Education Early Childhood Proof Points Leave this field empty if you’re human: Just over 50 years ago, long before a global pandemic knocked 100,000 Canadian women out of the work force and left child care providers

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Advocacy K-12 Government Tradition 145

The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 23, 2023

GIBSONS, British Columbia — Two years ago, Marisol Petersen’s family was paying more than $1,200 a month for her son to attend child care in this small, coastal town about 20 miles across the Howe Sound from Vancouver. Despite the cost, which made it hard to put any money in savings, she felt lucky to even have a spot. Then, in September 2022, the family experienced a dramatic shift in fortune.

Heritage 145

Heritage Government Advocacy Economics 145

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Editor’s note: This story led off this week’s Future of Learning newsletter, which is delivered free to subscribers’ inboxes every other Wednesday with trends and top stories about education innovation. Subscribe today! On May 31, a school board meeting in Hernando County, Florida, made national news when more than 600 hundred people showed up and the meeting lasted until 2:30 a.m.

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Civics Museum K-12 History 145

ED Surge

SEPTEMBER 5, 2023

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Math professor Martin Weissman is rethinking how his university teaches calculus. Over the summer, the professor from the University of California at Santa Cruz, spent a week at Harvard to learn how to redesign the mathematics for life sciences courses his institution offers. Called Math 11 A and B, these classes, which students take as freshmen and sophomores, constitute a “leaky pipeline,” Weissman says.

Social Science 145

Social Science Tradition Economics Pedagogy 145

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 28, 2023

MONTREAL — Raad Jassim really likes his job. This story also appeared in The Washington Post As an adjunct faculty member at a Canadian university, Jassim has four teaching assistants to help him grade assignments and answer questions. He makes the equivalent of about $7,000 per course, per term. He has a multiyear contract and can typically pick the subjects that he teaches.

Anthropology 143

Anthropology Museum Teaching Economics 143

The Hechinger Report

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

A survey of college professors indicates that most fields of study don’t require many of the math topics that high school students learn in high school. Credit: Kevin Wolf/ Associated Press The typical ambitious high school student takes advanced algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus. None of that math may be necessary for the vast majority of undergraduates who don’t intend to major in science or another STEM field.

High School 142

High School Social Science K-12 Humanities 142

Digital Promise

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Feedback loops can help identify what a teacher needs and strategies to implement to achieve a better outcome and can offer a valuable solution to challenges they face.

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The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

For much of her teaching career, Carrie Stark relied on math games to engage her students, assuming they would pick up concepts like multiplication by seeing them in action. The kids had fun, but the lessons never stuck. This story also appeared in The Associated Press A few years ago she shifted her approach, turning to more direct explanation after finding a website on a set of evidence-based practices known as the science of math.

Tutoring 143

Tutoring Research Elementary School Teaching 143

The Hechinger Report

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Sample question on the math section of the 2022 PISA exam. This one is rated a level 2, a level of difficulty that 34 percent of U.S. 15-year-olds could not answer correctly. (Answer revealed at the bottom of this story.) For more PISA questions, there are PISA practice questions on Khan Academy and publicly released questions from the 2022 test. Source: OECD PISA 2022.

Economics 141

Economics History Elementary School High School 141

The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

Amid the growing debate over how best to teach math, there is another ballooning problem: grades. They’re becoming increasingly untethered to how much students know. That not only makes it harder to gauge how well students are learning math and catching up from pandemic learning losses, but it’s also making math grades a less reliable indicator of who should be admitted to colleges or take advanced courses.

Social Studies 143

Social Studies High School Research Humanities 143

The Hechinger Report

JUNE 19, 2023

What is the best way to teach? Some educators like to deliver clear explanations to students. Others favor discussions or group work. Project-based learning is trendy. But a June 2023 study from England could override all these debates: the most effective use of class time may depend on the subject. This story also appeared in Mind/Shift The researchers found that students who spent more time in class solving practice problems on their own and taking quizzes and tests tended to have higher score

Teaching 145

Teaching Project-Based Learning Tutoring Economics 145

The Hechinger Report

MAY 17, 2023

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Claire Considine, a teacher’s aide at Naperville North High School in a suburb about 35 miles west of Chicago, had lost count of the hardships that she and other school support staff had been through since she was hired in 2019: the trauma and disruption of Covid-19, chaotic online instruction, mask and vaccine debates, and rising behavioral and mental health issues among students.

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ED Surge

JUNE 6, 2023

Little kids make better philosophers than most adults. That’s the surprising argument made by Scott Hershovitz, a professor of philosophy and law at the University of Michigan. And he worries that too often, teachers and other adults brush off or ignore kids when they ask things like, “Are we all just a figment of someone else’s dream?” “Kids are new to the world, and they're constantly puzzled by it,” says Hershovitz.

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Teaching History Middle School Tradition 144

The Hechinger Report

MAY 8, 2023

Sarah Powell, an assistant professor of special education at the University of Texas at Austin, is one of the founders of the science of math movement. Here she is training math teachers on how to teach children to solve word problems at an elementary school in Brooklyn, New York. Credit: Jill Barshay/The Hechinger Report How does a revolution start?

Advocacy 145

Advocacy Research Elementary School Teaching 145

ED Surge

MAY 15, 2023

As a doctoral student at the University of California at Los Angeles, I was among those who got a recent campus-wide email with an urgent directive: Don’t use AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Bard or Bing, as doing so “is equivalent to receiving assistance from another person.” Upon reading it, I took a pause. I’m a former educator in the process of writing my dissertation for my Doctorate of Education, as part of a part-time program while working a full-time job at Google.

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Tutoring EdTech Humanities Teaching 145

ED Surge

APRIL 19, 2023

Teaching is about more than curriculum and lesson planning. It’s about more than tests and grades. It’s about helping kids discover themselves and the world around them. The work of a teacher, at its core, is to model and reflect back what it means to live. Teaching, as human work, is to show the beauty and complexity of the human experience in our society.

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