by Don Weafer My twin brother once said, “Don’t talk to me about proficiency when I’ve got kids under the desks pretending to be chickens.” I hold his warning close when I work with teachers because it...
Read Moreby Kate Gardoqui This article originally appeared in Education Week. I was at a Maine Teacher of the Year event when a colleague leaned toward me with a smile. “Oh, you do the nature stuff, right?” she asked....
Read Moreby David Ruff Historically, school districts have been marginally successful when engaging their communities by inviting members to “join the conversation” and “provide their feedback.” This is done, of course, with good intent; it opens the doors....
Read Moreby Courtney Jacobs and Steve Sell Why bother creating performance-based assessments if I have a set curriculum? Also, a state-wide accountability system? At the heart of these questions is a concern about the lack of engagement and...
Read Moreby Mark Kostin When I was a graduate student in the early 1990s pursuing an educational leadership and policy degree, I was introduced by my adviser to a unique (at least, to me) community involvement process. Each...
Read Moreby Dr. Jennifer Jo L. Dufort Carol Dweck introduced the world to the concept of growth mindset in 2006 with the release of her book, “Mindset.” Growth mindset is scientifically anchored by an understanding of neuroplasticity, the...
Read Moreby Andi Summers In a nation that claims to believe in educating all children to become engaged citizens, this practice of failing so many students of color, or tracking them based on implicit bias, or pushing them...
Read Moreby Jean HaegerWe’ve all been in meetings that are painful: the same predictable voices drone on and on; discussions go in circles, leaving everyone scratching their heads; decisions get made and no one is quite sure...
Read Moreby Reed DyerEducators never have enough time to collaborate, so when we do get together, we should do whatever we can to make the meetings worthwhile. Unproductive meetings need to go the way of the mimeograph...
Read MoreAs more and more schools across the United States make the transition to proficiency-, competency-, or mastery-based systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting, one question often comes to dominate conversations in community after community: How will mastery-based grades and transcripts impact students when they apply to college? In fact, this question can become so emotionally urgent for some students and families that it can render all other issues—including all the many advantages and benefits of mastery-based learning—effectively invisible.
Read More