Informational text: The writing on the wall

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Informational text: The writing on the wall

December 4, 2014

Categories: Reading

From cave drawings to instant messaging, humans are uniquely wired to leave a record of our experiences. So, too, are we uniquely driven to comprehend the experiences recorded by others. In our efforts to make applicable meaning from ancient cave [...]

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What kids are reading—and why it matters

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What kids are reading—and why it matters

November 18, 2014

Categories: Reading

Everyone—big or small, young or old—enjoys a great story. When you give a book, you give not merely words on a page but freedom, independence, adventure, intrigue, joy, introspection. You name it. But where can you find potential gift-giving literary [...]

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Discovery: The power of finding what I didn’t even know I wanted

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Discovery: The power of finding what I didn’t even know I wanted

November 6, 2014

Categories: Reading

Can you guess America’s most-ordered ice cream flavor?  It’s not butter pecan, and it’s not blueberry cheesecake, and it’s not mint chocolate chip. (These, however, are my most-ordered flavors….) A year-long study by GrubHub revealed that the most-ordered ice cream [...]

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Better testing, better teaching

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Better testing, better teaching

October 23, 2014

Categories: Assessment,

Last week, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) released a statement supporting the use of high-quality and meaningful assessments that fit together within a coherent program [...]

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To scaffold or not to scaffold? The first big misconception about rigor

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To scaffold or not to scaffold? The first big misconception about rigor

October 16, 2014

Categories: Math, Reading

Think back to the last really rigorous and complex task that you worked on. Did you develop and complete it from start to finish all on your own? Or did you perhaps talk with colleagues, look at models, or seek [...]

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Learning progressions: Deeper and more enduring than any set of standards

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Learning progressions: Deeper and more enduring than any set of standards

October 2, 2014

Categories: Assessment, Math, Reading

Many of us can remember the advent of standards-based education, but few of us envisioned how politicized educational standards would become. Every day brings a new challenge, founded or not, to the Common Core, and educators in states that have suddenly [...]

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Learnalytics^®: The promise of learning analytics

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Learnalytics^®: The promise of learning analytics

September 18, 2014

Categories: Assessment, Math, Reading

This month we’re launching the first phase of Learnalytics®, a website designed to leverage Renaissance’s massive databases and to provide insights into what students know, what they like, and how they learn. We are so pleased [...]

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The over-testing dilemma and a vision of efficiency

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The over-testing dilemma and a vision of efficiency

September 11, 2014

Categories: Assessment, Math, Reading | Products: Star 360

Today’s students are the most tested in history. Teachers feel the pain of over-testing more than most, because they directly witness its effects on their students. They see firsthand the stress many students experience when they sit down to a [...]

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Classroom-based assessments: a recipe for success in a time of change

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Classroom-based assessments: a recipe for success in a time of change

September 4, 2014

Categories: Assessment,

Lately, I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving at my house. I’ve found that family members frequently request a favorite side dish, want to try a new recipe, or even offer to help out in the kitchen. I’m open to trying something new, [...]

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The basics of test score reliability for educators

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The basics of test score reliability for educators

August 21, 2014

Categories: Assessment, Math, Reading

Reliability is a broad topic, broad enough to be thesis worthy. So, when I set out to summarize “all things reliability”—in two pages, no less—I didn’t know where to start. Naturally, I procrastinated. When my problem didn’t magically go away [...]

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