If you talk about improving student academic performance today, invariably someone will say “We need to be more concerned with the whole child than just test scores”. The comment is meant to dissolve the discussion of objective curricular performance by … Continue reading
Good Teaching and Good Schooling Grow a Whole Child
Informed, Nuanced, Experienced Veteran Teachers Are Rain Makers
The majority of school faculty have less than five years experience in the classroom. Current practices squeeze veteran teachers into retirement for non-educational reasons. Instead, optimize your informed, nuanced veteran teachers as instructional “rain makers”. Continue reading
Prep Time: A Mismanaged Resource and Professional Bone of Contention
Improving daily schoolhouse practices that affect teacher professionalism is a strategy for improving the perception of teaching as a career and retaining veteran teachers. Continue reading
Leaders and Legacy: Work In Progress
Most school leaders are placeholders or doers. It is a choice. For doers, tenure average and change theory say time available and time necessary are not equal. If you want to make a difference, get working. Continue reading
No Bucks, No Buck Rogers. Bucks Launch Great Results
School boards that fund programs that meet only mandated and statutory requirements are achieving academic outcomes of inproficiency. Buck Rogers-like outcomes require boards to spend more bucks. It is a choice. Continue reading
Brag About Your School – Who Will Brag If You Won’t?
School brags are about pride, recognizing school and student achievement and connecting current students with alumnae and the community while motivating younger students to continuing and new success. Every school has things it can brag about so brag away! Continue reading
Listening, Speaking and Arithmetic
Although schools and school organization were built and designed by prior generations, instruction of children must be geared to the here and now of their learning and language preferences. Generational shift is at play. Continue reading
No Will In USA To Be An International Leader In Student Achievement
Where there is a will there is a way – true. In the USA there is no will to improve the middling results of our students on the PISA assessments. Asian nations rank high because they make achievement on the PISA national priorities. Continue reading
When Everything Is An Equal Priority, Nothing Is A Priority
Schools are complex organizations and complex organizations require prioritization of focus and direction. Without priorities, any outcome will suffice and any outcome is not good enough. Continue reading
Without Assessment, Teaching Is A Guessing Game
Assessment is part of daily living. In school, it is essential to inform the teaching that each child needs next to achieve the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of their annual curricula. Without wise and exact assessment, education would be a guessing game. Continue reading