3.24.20 3 digital tools I love—especially now that my school’s closed A few weeks ago, back before coronavirus shut down all the schools in Virginia, where I teach, I was reading The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1965 by Christopher Paul Curtis to my fifth grade... Read more
3.19.20 16 free digital resources for reading, math, and MAP Growth to use at home during the COVID-19 crisis Educators, we are inspired by how you’ve answered the call to make sure your kids have the opportunity to learn, even under extraordinary circumstances. It’s an honor to work alongside you... Read more
3.16.20 4 valuable sites for teaching during coronavirus school closures I remember my first year teaching pretty well. As most teachers do, I suppose. The reason isn’t the first-day jitters I felt, followed by months-long nagging self-doubt, though (despite... Read more
3.12.20 How to help third-graders meet reading requirements Ask any K–3 teacher about phonics or phonological awareness and, well, be careful what you ask for! You’re likely to take a deep dive into the bowl of alphabet soup that is reading... Read more
3.10.20 3 ways to mark Women’s History Month in the classroom Women’s History Month didn’t start out as a month or even a week. It evolved from the first Women’s Day that happened on February 28, 1909, in New York City—a celebration rooted in the... Read more
3.5.20 TechBoston Academy inspires activism with help from NWEA grant How do you provide a meaningful learning experience to underserved students outside their everyday surroundings? One that inspires personal reflection and political activism? Casey Andrews,... Read more
3.3.20 How to get from data as foe to data as friend Data doesn’t lie, and it made Faith believe in herself. Faith was a student who the state of Michigan said was a failure. But because one of her teachers used assessment data effectively,... Read more
2.27.20 What happens when test takers disengage? The best assessments are only effective and reliable if students are engaged and trying their best. But we know that’s not always the case. Sometimes students zip through a test, selecting... Read more
2.25.20 Unfinished learning, or unfinished teaching? A mindset shift “Our school is changing and it is impossible to teach at grade level anymore.” I was aghast when a member of my instructional team spoke these words. As a school principal in Tucson, I... Read more
2.20.20 The 3 keys to professional development that sticks As a content designer on the NWEA® Professional Learning team, I’ve had the opportunity to observe a variety of learning experiences for teachers. One from this past year stands... Read more
2.18.20 How to reach older struggling readers According to the National Assessment on Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Assessment—also known as the nation’s report card—average reading scores for both fourth and eighth graders were... Read more
2.13.20 This Valentine’s Day, love your students—and yourself It was a typical end to the day during winter testing as young people rushed to their after-school activities. Elijah walked somberly into the teacher’s lounge, where I was grading papers, and... Read more