5.2.24 How teaching multiple standards can improve learning and get you through your curriculum When I first started teaching, I both looked forward to and dreaded the week break we got for Presidents’ Day. The break itself was fine, but afterward I knew I was heading into what I thought of... Read more
4.30.24 Summer learning loss: What we know and what we’re learning Concerns about students losing ground academically during summer break go back at least a century, with early evidence suggesting that summer contributed to large disparities in students’... Read more
4.25.24 Lessons from the field: 4 tips for building an instructional coaching program from Columbus City Schools In a conference room in Columbus City, Ohio, a team of three instructional coach leads—Karen Fiedler, Jen Erickson, and Roni Becht—engage in a team-building activity involving a unique deck of... Read more
4.23.24 3 tips for using data to drive instruction Just like doctors checking a patient’s chart, teachers use assessment data as an academic temperature check. Teachers identify students’ needs, charting growth over time and ensuring that... Read more
4.18.24 The science of teaching reading comprehension In many discussions on the science of reading, phonics is featured on the main stage. This is most likely because, unlike language comprehension, word recognition is a constrained skill—one with a... Read more
4.16.24 Anchor your writing instruction in big ideas students can remember Writing, like teaching, is an art form. You often learn what works best from doing the work itself. When I was a new teacher, I made several newbie mistakes when it came to writing instruction. And... Read more
4.11.24 Six commonly used MAP Growth terms worth knowing Every school year, students take assessments designed to help teachers better understand what kids know and how they are growing academically. MAP® Growth™, our assessment for children in... Read more
4.9.24 3 non-negotiables for differentiation in the math classroom Growing up in the ’90s and early aughts, I wouldn’t have considered myself a “math person.” I was entrenched in the system of tracking, where students are placed in classes with students of... Read more
4.4.24 Dos and don’ts for talking about students with disabilities It was my first year teaching, and I was getting my classroom ready for school when my new principal dropped off my name tag. “Please wear this every day,” he said. “And good luck this... Read more
4.2.24 5 tips for practicing foundational skills Teachers, raise your hand if your classroom has at least one student who is practicing foundational skills. Keep them up if it’s five or more students. Ten or more? Most students? Yes, we see your... Read more
3.28.24 4 ways instructional coaches can help teachers select a focus for instructional coaching Remember the age-old assignment where teachers ask students to write instructions on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? It seems like a simple enough task, even if shared orally with... Read more
3.26.24 4 ways to engage students with writing in math class I’ve been a champion of the importance of writing in math class for a long time. My first classroom position was teaching sixth-grade science at an elementary school. I had a great curriculum with... Read more