The release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Progress Report for 2012 (“Nation’s Report Card”) provides an overview on the progress made by specific age groups in public and private schools in reading and in mathematics since the early 1970s. The gain in reading scores after spending billions of dollars, countless hours and effort […]
Colette Bennett
Colette Marie Bennett is the Curriculum Coordinator for English Language Arts, Social Studies, Library Media, and Testing for the West Haven Public School System in West Haven, Connecticut.
Previous to this position, she served as the Chief Academic Officer (7-12) for Regional School System #6 in Litchfield, Connecticut. She has 23 years of teaching experience in English Language Arts from grades 6-12, including electives in journalism, drama, and film studies.
A graduate of the Alternate Route to Certification, Bennett also has a Masters in English from Western Connecticut State University a 6th year in Advanced Teaching and an 092 Administrative Certificate from Sacred Heart University, and graduate credits from the GLSP in Social Studies at Wesleyan University. She holds a Literacy Certification (102) from Sacred Heart University for grades K-12.
She has presented how technology is incorporated in classrooms at the Connecticut Computers in Education Conference (2010, 2012, 2014), the National Council of Teachers Annual Conference (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), and the Advanced Placement Annual Conference (2011) the Literacy for All Conference (2012), and the ICT for Language Learning in Florence, Italy (2014).
She blogs about education at Used Books in Class: http://usedbookclassroom.wordpress.com/
She tweets at Teachcmb56@twitter.com
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Common Core, Current Events in Education, From the Front Lines, Uncategorized
Education Reformers Without Classroom Experience Lack Credibility
In these days of education reform, teachers want one of their own, someone who has been in the classroom, to make the important decisions that impact the policies they must implement. They want someone who has taught a lesson with content, assessed that lesson, retaught that lesson, reassessed that lesson, and evaluated that lesson for […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum
The Write Professional Development
Now that school has ended, I have the time to reflect on how well writing on my own blog or contributing to other blogs has served as my own professional development for the past 36 months. In writing or responding to a post, I have tried to find links that support or refute a position. I […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy, School Improvement, Uncategorized
Reading Proficiency Increases 2% in 41 Years…That's All.
I recently had to write a position statement on assessment and evaluation. The timing of this assignment, June 2013, coincided with the release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Progress Report for 2012. This “Nation’s Report Card” provides an overview on the progress made by specific age groups in public and private schools in reading and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School, Technology
Using Technology in the English/Language Arts Classroom for "Sophisticated Responses"
The headline in The New York Times (6/13/2013) was a little misleading: “Study Gauges Value of Technology in Schools.” The topic of gauging the value of technology is particularly significant given the investment by school districts everywhere in laptops, tablets, computer labs, Smartboards, whiteboards and projectors; but the article only referred to the use of technology in math […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Dear Common Core: Science Supports Reading Fiction
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] English teachers are seduced by literature. We fell in love with an author’s language, a fascinating plot turn, or a well-developed character, and we are bold in our love. While students may roll […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, From the Front Lines, Literacy
Up, Up, My Friend…and Quit Your Close Reading!
The Common Core Literacy Standards encourage “close reading”, the careful inspection of a text for analysis, but I believe that the British poet William Wordsworth offers his sly opinion on that practice in one of his poems The Tables Turned. The poem is a plea to the reader to throw down the books with poems […]
Posted inFine Arts, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School
97% Reading Accuracy Now, Problems Later
I hear the chatter from elementary school teachers: -They can’t wait for reading! -Oh, they love to read! -When we have to cancel reading, they are so disappointed. Yet, what happens when I get the ninth graders in my class? I hear: -Reading is so boring. -I hate to read. -I don’t like reading. […]