It’s like a math story problem that plagues every sixth grader. “If Student A’s achievement at the end of third grade is more than a full school year ahead of Student B’s achievement and Student B’s learning is expanding by … Continue reading
Teach Children What “Done” Means
After 30 minutes of practice at her piano my granddaughter asks, “Can I be done?” After ten minutes with a reading assignment I hear the same question, “Can I be done?” Later, when she is completing her math homework I … Continue reading
The Era of Struggling Productively
Children forever hear slogans and sayings about the virtue of hard work and perseverance. These are just three. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” Babe Ruth “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, … Continue reading
School Success Requires Planning for A Bipolar Spring
Two quotes should be taped to the front entrance of every school house on the first school day in March. “It ain’t over til it’s over.” (Yogi Berra) “Somewhere there’s a score being kept …” (Bill Murray) This and the … Continue reading
Accountability Using Visual Contracting With Sub-Groups
Educational accountability places a premium on a teacher’s ability to close achievement gaps. For a myriad of reasons, the academic achievement data of children in your class are scattered on the score sheet. An effective teacher will take this scattergram … Continue reading