Beginning with my high school graduating Class of 2001, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instituted several shifts in policy regarding graduation requirements. My class was the first to be incorporated with a graduation project, which has since come and gone. The following graduating class was the first to have to complete the Pennsylvania System of School […]
testing
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Literacy, Middle School
American Teachers Work 11-14 % More, Testing Not Included
Yes, American teachers do work more hours than their international counterparts, but exactly how much more could be a matter of perception versus reality, and testing may be to blame. A recent study comparing the number of hours worked by American teachers shows the difference in instructional time is not as significant as has been publicized in the past. […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Technology
Differentiating your Formative Assessments
The point of teaching is to learn. Each student comes to us with different experiences and this impacts how and when they master the various concepts and skills presented in the classroom. Part of teaching is understanding where students are in a lesson, skill, and unit. Exit tickets have become the buzz, but there are many […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Opinion, Uncategorized
Drive: Debunking Standardized Tests & Merit Pay In One Book & Video
I’m going to admit – I’ve been a bit flummoxed lately. Perplexed. Bemused. Set back. I tussle with many of life’s questions, but one of the greatest is — How do I help my students achieve more? As a 9-year teacher, I stand in front of the classroom with a wide variety of tools on […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Opinion
No Child Left Behind: 13 Unlucky, Yucky Years
On January 8th, 2002, President George W. Bush signed a revolutionary law into action – the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It was a pretty easy bill to sign into law: it was introduced in the House by Committee on Education and Labor Chair (and current Speaker) John Boehner, a Republican, and Sen. Ted […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Uncategorized
Let's Talk About Tests
Testing has been around forever and strikes fear in the hearts of American school children (and teachers for that matter). Standardized testing has been around since the IQ test was structured in 1905. Today in education there are many forms of testing. It is important to understand the types of tests, their purposes and how […]
Posted inFeatured, School Improvement
Why Our Nation Needs Student Growth Measures
[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”] Mark, one of my former students, was rocking algebra 1. He had the highest grade in his class and regularly scored 80 percent or higher on his practice End of Course […]
Posted inAdult Learning, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, School Improvement
Gaming as the Future of Learning: The Truly Epic Win [Part 1]
What if the future of learning is not measuring student achievement in high stakes standardized testing? What if, instead, the future of learning is in the magic of a great game? Ever since the 1983 “A Nation at Risk” report on the American education system, policymakers have consistently insisted that more and more high stakes […]