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
No Will In USA To Be An International Leader In Student Achievement
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
Professionalism Is As Professionals Do
Professionalism is a way of thinking and working and being; it not a label to be applied or pealed off depending. When professionals play well together, school thrives. When they do not, school is a sandbox populated with malcontention. Continue reading
“Just Go Do” Goes Nowhere
Success favors the prepared applies to causing children to learn. If we work the problem, identify solutions AND train educators in how to implement the solutions, we are more likely to achieve our goals. If we don’t prepare, we get more of the same old. Continue reading
Reading Skills Proficiency or Critical, Mindful Reading – What is the Goal?
Annual assessments of a child’s development as a reader are necessary for quality teaching and learning. They are not the end goal. Instead, focus on well high school graduates demonstrate critical thinking through mindful reading. Continue reading
Teacher Tool Box: Some Teachers Have Sharper Tools
The sharpness of a teacher’s teaching tools differentiates those who can cause all children to learn from those who spend time with children in school. Continue reading
Lesson study: Sharpening Your Teaching Tools
Lesson plans are the small incremental steps to creating larger educational outcomes. A way to improve the quality of larger outcomes is to improve the quality of the small steps – lesson plans. Lesson studies are a proven strategy for improving lesson designs. Continue reading
A School Year Is Not a Year of Instruction
A school year is the number of days school is open for student attendance. It is a finite quantity. An instructional year is the time necessary for teaching to cause all children to learn their annual grade level and course curricula. For almost all children, the school year ends before the instructional can be completed. The status quo of this inequality significantly contributes to deficiencies in student learning. Continue reading
Teach. Try not. Yoda Redux.
Educationese obfuscates. Education requires resolute language of who will do what to cause what learning for children. Inherent in the resolute language is the use of action verbs Continue reading