Classroom teaching is a black box profession. The lack of ongoing professional critiquing leaves every teacher in the uninformed position of “I will keep doing what I am doing. It seems to be good enough.” How can a teacher know if a lesson uses good instructional practices and behaviors? How can a teacher assure positive correlations between teaching and learning? Teachers are on their own when it comes to evaluating their personal teaching performances. Continue reading
Self-inspect Your Teaching Professionally to Prevent Meh!
Test Less and Converse More
How do you really know what your students know? Is a student’s learning only the composite score of tests, quizzes, papers, and projects? Be Socratic-like. We can do better when we use better practices.? Continue reading
Weep Not For NAEP – Rely On Local Data
As readers of national educational news, we should remember that the only data that matters is local data. Change in national trends will not be the result of action by federal or state governments, but only by careful and healthy consideration and use of data at the local school district level. Know your local data and help your local leaders to use it effectively. Continue reading
Children In Our Safekeeping
Often, we hear it said after a child tragedy, “We have to make sure this never happens again!” Truth be told, “never again” is not attainable. However, creating an unlikelihood of tragedy and living safely and sanely within our reality of facts are attainable and school is a good place for children to be. Continue reading
Be Bold and Emboldened About Your 2025-26 Educational Goals
August is the right time to confirm your 2025-26 student achievement goals and ensure commitment of all school resources to achieving those goals. In the weeks before children walk into school, be bold in publicly broadcasting your educational goals for your students and embolden all educators to achieve your/their goals. Continue reading
Johnny Was In 9th Grade Once; Then He Grew Up
I was in a checkout line at a local grocery market two years ago. The tall man pushing a cart in front me turned, took a hard look at my face, and said, “I know you. You were…” In that instance, I was vulnerable to our shared past. I wondered, “Who is this and what did I do that was memorable for him?” You never know when former teachers and students will cross paths. Continue reading
Betterment Is A Teacher’s Constant PD
The need for PD for teachers has never been greater. The challenges of pandemic learning loss, the post-pandemic socio-emotional needs of children, and the increasing challenges of artificial intelligence in daily and school life require teachers to upgrade their professional abilities. The responsibility that shifted from state licensing requirements to school board contract requirements now shifts to teachers’ personal requirements for professional integrity. In the absence of district-led professional development, betterment is up to each teacher. Continue reading
Teaching Is Methodical
Teaching methods matter. As methods, they are methodical in how specific strategies in each method cause different learner outcomes. These are outcomes beyond tested knowledge. We should expect and encourage rookie teachers to appropriately use methods of direct and explicit teacher-led teaching AND a variety of student-centered methods in their first year(s) of teaching. If they are not expected and encouraged to do so, it is too easy for a young teacher to become a traditional, single-method teacher. Continue reading
Teaching in the Upside Down
…there are books and stories we are not to teach to children and Cromwellian stories and dictates we are to teach. There are things teachers are not to talk about. A revised version of the old song is in order: Teaching in an America Turned Upside Down Continue reading
Lessons That Cause Learning Are Like Cookie Recipes That Must Be Perfected Over Time
If we do not analyze lesson effectiveness, we do not know if lessons really cause the learning desired. Analyzing a lesson is biting into it and chewing with student learning as the taste that matters. Without analysis for effectiveness any old lesson will do, and instead of causing learning teachers are daycare providers. Continue reading