Now that we are firmly ensconced in the 21st century, we need to reconsider the way traditional education has assessed the learning of students. In many cases, when the student needs to be evaluated teachers fall back on the paper and pencil assessment assigned to
It’s often this time of the year that I hear my peers, colleagues, and friends utter the phrase “I would exercise more if I had more time”… “I’m going to clean out the garage once I find the time”… I will clean out my closets
We all know that it’s what gets measured that gets attention and focus. Right now, there is no widespread, practical way for all schools to assess children’s social-emotional skills and character development (SECD). Or is there? If you look at report cards, you’ll find on “the other
Most of us can remember our reactions to teacher questions when we were students. Do I know the answer? What is she looking for? Should I raise my hand? What if he calls on me? These same questions continue to flash through many of our
The school I teach in has three changes on the horizon: a change to the schedule, an increase in interdisciplinary offerings, and a heightened attention to Problem-Based Learning (PBL) strategies. The schedule change has been pending for two years. The proposed change is actually incremental
Creating effective behavior systems within schools requires multiple strategies that all student behaviors respond to. The majority of students will respond to a solid Tier One school-wide behavior system and incentives (see The PBIS Tier One Handbook); however, some students will require more to correct
Assessment supports everything we do in schools. Without quality assessment practices that produce accurate data, we can’t determine the strengths and needs of our students or how to differentiate in their learning; which schools are performing well and which need assistance; and what programs and
Restorative justice dates back to the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (about 1700 B.C.) where it was believed that any crime harmed the whole community. In nursing, it refers to a healing process where the treatment is responsive to an identified need. Restorative assessment holds promise
Reflection is the stickiest glue for the brain. When students take time to consider what they have learned and how they have grown, the learning is longer lasting and much more impactful. As John Dewey has written, “We do not learn from experience…we learn from
Do you teach for conceptual understanding that transfers? Perhaps you refer to conceptual understandings as ‘Big Ideas,’ ‘Central Ideas,' ‘Statements of Inquiry’ or ‘Generalizations.’ How many of these understandings are you aiming for in a unit? One? Three? I believe students are capable of more!