2.2.21 How MAP Growth helps elementary school teachers differentiate instruction Ask Susan Hankins about the most important factor in her school’s success, and she won’t hesitate to tell you: it’s the teachers. In her tenure as principal of Memphis Elementary... Read more
1.28.21 Why students with dyslexia aren’t “at risk” My mom had an in-home daycare when I was five years old. She read lots of books to me—I was surrounded by books—and every night my mom would read to me and my twin brother from a book of... Read more
1.26.21 5 ways to include disability in equity work 2020 raised our awareness of the yawning gap between the haves and the have-nots. Last year brought not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but also an intensification of the public consciousness and... Read more
1.20.21 There’s an educator in the White House. What does this mean for policy? More votes were cast in the 2020 presidential election than ever before. People across the country are listening, debating, and volunteering—ready to take an active role in our... Read more
1.19.21 3 timely ways to make great use of assessment data With so many question marks in the air these days, isn’t there something reassuring about good data that gives us reliable answers? This is certainly true in education, where schools rely on... Read more
1.12.21 3 tips for student goal setting this winter With every new year come New Year’s resolutions, and many people focus on getting in better shape. But even something as predictable as a spike in gym memberships at the start of the year is... Read more
1.7.21 3 ways to make the switch to grading for learning I have a confession. Last August, I wholeheartedly believed that 2020 could not get any worse. I was wrong. Schools opened, then closed. Even with glimmers of hope about a COVID-19 vaccine,... Read more
12.31.20 12 blog posts that defined 2020 Every December, I wait impatiently for Google to release their annual year-in-search video. I may shrug at the references I plumb don’t get, blaming my age or aversion to social media, but the... Read more
12.29.20 7 tips for reporting on student achievement to your board this January As I have watched building and district administrators pivot to support students during COVID-19, I have often thought about my time as a district administrator. I worked as a director and... Read more
12.21.20 9 free professional learning webinars to binge-watch this winter break Let’s be real: Zoom fatigue is really a thing, and everyone’s brains are tired. If you’re a teacher, your brain is likely especially tired because you’ve spent the year adapting with and... Read more
12.17.20 What’s wrong with tracking students by math ability? It’s clear that this is not a normal school year. Sure, experiences are closer to normal in some places, but 2020 has been anything but cooperative when it comes to teaching and learning.... Read more
12.15.20 5 little things that are really big One of my former principals used to provide her staff with a one-pager of little things that were really big—small actions that too often go underacknowledged or undervalued yet make an... Read more