TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read The Grid Method is often misunderstood as a curriculum when it’s actually a mastery-based framework.This post explains what The Grid Method is and what it is not, why it was created, and how it helps teachers organize existing curriculum to support mastery learning, differentiation, and student ownership without adding more work or burning out. The … Read More
AI, Executive Function, and the Classroom
Article Summary AI is changing how students interact with learning, but its biggest impact may be on executive function.This post explores how increased AI use can reduce opportunities for students to practice essential executive functioning skills like cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, response inhibition, and working memory. Drawing on the work of executive functioning specialist Jodi Ridzi, it offers practical ways … Read More
When You Don’t Choose an Instructional Framework, You’re Still Choosing One
Article Summary Not choosing an instructional framework doesn’t create freedom. It creates uncertainty. This post explains why avoiding a shared instructional framework often leads to confusion, isolation, and inconsistent expectations for teachers and students. It explores what teachers actually experience without a framework, what leaders think they’re protecting, and why intentional frameworks support autonomy rather than limit it. Leaders often … Read More
Mastery Learning Breaks Down When Leaders Treat It Like a Classroom Strategy
TL;DR (Too Long;Didn’t Read) Mastery learning doesn’t fail because of teachers. It fails when systems don’t support it.This post explains why mastery learning breaks down when it’s treated as a classroom-level strategy instead of a system-wide commitment. It explores what teachers are really experiencing, the leadership blind spots that undermine mastery, and what schools must design for if mastery learning … Read More
Eliminating Student “Escape Routes” to Foster Accountability
TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) Students often disengage when systems allow them to opt out of learning without consequence. In this post, Chad Ostrowski explores how traditional instructional structures can create hidden “escape routes” and offers practical strategies to increase accountability, promote reflection, and foster true mastery. By removing opportunities to avoid effort, teachers can build classrooms where perseverance and … Read More