Effective teachers are empowered—and so are their students
Effective teachers are empowered—and so are their students
January 22, 2015
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Professional Development,
Reading
Educator effectiveness and grit are trending across educational media. Is it coincidence or inevitability that these two concepts should dominate current discourse simultaneously? Perhaps it is the potential for these ideas to be unified toward a single purpose: to empower [...]
Reflecting on education reform—Awareness of the past can unite us today
Reflecting on education reform—Awareness of the past can unite us today
January 8, 2015
As I reflect back on almost 40 years in the field of education, I note how fitting it is that the job from which I retire is with Renaissance Learning, as these 40 years can be viewed as an ongoing [...]
Learning with a destination in mind: The art and science of personalized goal setting
Learning with a destination in mind: The art and science of personalized goal setting
December 18, 2014
Categories:
Reading
A version of the famous quote from Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu states, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” But what determines whether that journey will be successful? If we’re listening to current research on performance and [...]
Informational text: The writing on the wall
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 [...]
What kids are reading—and why it matters
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 [...]
Discovery: The power of finding what I didn’t even know I wanted
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 [...]
Better testing, better teaching
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 [...]
To scaffold or not to scaffold? The first big misconception about rigor
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 [...]
Learning progressions: Deeper and more enduring than any set of standards
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 [...]
Learnalytics®: The promise of learning analytics
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 [...]
