TL;DR: Measuring student achievement using standardized assessments is inequitable. The story of Parks Middle School exemplifies the inequities of standardized assessments. Cheating on standardized tests led to teachers and administration guilty in court for racketeering. There’s a great opportunity now to reconsider and determine the best method to assess student progress to unlock unlimited potential. Standardized assessments is a “one … Read More
Resources for Difficult Conversations with Students
There is never an easy answer. Never a single answer. No easy way to prepare for the conversations in your classrooms and schools over the next few days. But we are here for you. We are working to curate resources to help, organize opportunities for conversations, and focusing on how we can better support you during these unprecedented times. We … Read More
Foster Success by Looking in Your Students’ Rearview
TL;DR: When lesson planning, it is important to look at things from different perspectives. Look through your students’ rearview and see life from a different lens. Seeing from the lens of your students will help you foster success. Get to know your students and the things they are interested in, then use what you learned to create a positive classroom … Read More
Reflecting in Times of Uncertainty
TL;DR: As we reach the end of the year, it is time to reflect together, problem-solve together, and try something that makes us uncomfortable. Some questions to facilitate discussion among colleagues include reflecting on professional learning and collaboration, learning targets/instruction, assessment, and social/emotional support. All over social media and throughout schools, we hear phrases right now such as, “Be compassionate,” … Read More