8.19.21 How policymakers can support schools and achievement during COVID-19 NWEA recently released research on student achievement during the 2020–2021 school year, the first full year of teaching and learning during COVID-19. The results were what... Read more
8.17.21 How to engage the emergent bilingual students in your math classroom Take a peek inside an engaged math classroom with me. Imagine students doing math, instead of passively listening to how to do it. Notice them interacting with a high-quality curriculum packed... Read more
8.12.21 10 ways to create community in your kindergarten classroom As a kindergarten teacher, you get the amazing opportunity to create that first love of learning. Your impact can last a lifetime. I was a kindergarten teacher before joining NWEA, and I’ve... Read more
8.10.21 Finding the right focus in math: A recipe for success My youngest daughter’s adventures in the kitchen are a source of ongoing humor in our family. Her decision to bake something is often spontaneous and, as a result, she rarely has all the... Read more
8.5.21 Continue your assessment empowerment work with principle #2: Learning environments and relationships School environments and relationships are key to students’ success, well-being, and self-efficacy. COVID-19 reminded us of this. It also reminded us of how critical responsive teaching and... Read more
8.3.21 Guided reading reimagined: How to close reading gaps with differentiation and scaffolding My earliest reading memory is of my three-year-old self seated on my grandma’s lap in her living room while she read and reread Old Hat New Hat by Stan and Jan Berenstain. I don’t recall why... Read more
7.29.21 Learning during COVID-19: Why it’s not as simple as calculating months of learning There may never be a way to comprehensively understand how student learning was altered by COVID-19. Everyone’s routines were deeply disrupted, and most of us were just doing the absolute best... Read more
7.28.21 Next year cannot be normal: New research confirms widening educational inequity during COVID-19 At the start of the 2020–21 school year, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to inflict massive disruptions on all aspects of daily life, presenting educators, students, and their families with... Read more
7.22.21 3 ways to be a “math person” Although I have a degree in mathematics and taught middle school math, it took nearly a quarter of a century before I identified as a “math person.” I’m certain you can name a least five... Read more
7.15.21 Embrace mistake making in math Everyone makes mistakes. It’s inevitable. But it often triggers feelings of guilt or shame, which can be difficult, especially if we struggle to embrace our mistakes. Learning mathematics... Read more
7.13.21 5 myths about emergent bilinguals—and how to challenge them Did you know that the population of US public school students who speak languages other than English is on track to grow to 25% by 2025? The majority of these students are Spanish speakers... Read more
7.8.21 Pointless points and plotless plots: The dangers of accelerating mathematics learning Everyone likes a good movie. Good movies tell a story. They have a plot. They keep the viewer engaged and interested. Some movies, though, are forgettable. The story line might be impossible... Read more