Why use curriculum compacting, or…why should you be like a trash compactor? If you read the first part of this series on curriculum compacting, you know that the basic premise behind the instructional practice is allowing students to skip content that they have already shown mastery of, thereby moving them further through the material in less time. So where does … Read More
The Power of Teachers Leaping Before They Look
Don’t let fear stop you from doing what’s best for your students. When my sister was in high school, she struggled with some pretty crippling anxiety. I vividly remember, however, when she decided that she was not going to let that anxiety rule her life. She made a decision that in order to conquer this fear she would do something … Read More
Let’s Talk About Trash Compactors and Curriculum Compacting
What does a trash compactor have to do with curriculum compacting? (Well, isn’t that an odd way to start an educational blog?) In pondering how I was going to explain curriculum compacting to you, I started thinking about trash compactors. If your name is Luke and you have a special connection to the force, you may be more familiar with … Read More
Technology In Education: It’s Electric
Technology: It’s Electric Have you ever heard of the electric slide? It’s electric because it isn’t a difficult dance, it is easy for people to catch on. You might see this dance at a party or family event. Technology is not the new thing. It’s the thing that keeps on being a thing (it’s electric), giving us tools and resources … Read More
A Story of Extremes- the 5th and 95th Percentiles
As a gifted education specialist in Ohio, much of my career is dictated by the words “95th Percentile.” You see, in some states, a student can only be identified as gifted in academic subjects or cognitive abilities, and therefore receive services, if they score at or above the 95th percentile on a standardized, state approved test. That is the official, … Read More