(Forgive me if what follows is obvious.) What we’ve called “highly qualified” since No Child Left Behind is not a super useful construct for deciding who should do what in a school building. It’s a way of making sure that the people leading the classrooms once passed enough classes and tests and practica to earn a […]
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It Might Not Be Zoom Fatigue
What if it’s not about the screen or the format but is instead about meetings that lack a purpose, an urgent agenda, a vibrant culture, a shared sense of “Isn’t it such a good feeling to be here with one another?” What if the problem isn’t Zoom but is instead an undercurrent of meaninglessness, valuelessness, […]
What If Schools Were Places Where the Value of Learning Was Obvious?
What would it be like if you went into a school building and shadowed a student for a day, and during that day you and the student experienced 100 or so signals that pointed to the following truths: Learning is transformative. When you learn what the solar system is and how stars work, you don’t […]
Ten Things Leaders Can Do to Improve Teacher Morale in Early 2021
According to a recent EdWeek survey, teacher morale isn’t great in the United States right now — at least not according to us teachers. Take a look: When you look at that, you might be nodding your head. Me too. Not exactly a revelation, right? A pause for perspective: it’s not only us Now listen. […]
Learning Strategy: Teaching Students to Use Quizlet Effectively
Early this school year, I taught my students to use Quizlet for mastering key knowledge. A bit of context: my curriculum assesses both knowledge and skills. I assess skills like argumentation via pop-up debates, essays, and short-answer questions. I assess knowledge through short-answer questions and multiple choice questions. (Now if you’re thinking “all multiple choice […]