11.27.12 The zone of proximal development (ZPD) and why it matters for early childhood learning Psychologist Lev Vygotsky coined the term "zone of proximal development" (ZPD) in the 1930s to describe the sweet spot where instruction is most beneficial for each student—just beyond their... Read more
11.15.12 Classroom techniques: Formative assessment idea number 5 We’ve blogged quite a bit about formative assessment strategies that engage the entire classroom and provide you with the immediate feedback you need to adjust your lesson plans. Here's a... Read more
10.15.12 Formative Assessment Beyond English and Math Skills In a recent Grunwald Associates study on formative assessment perceptions one of the areas we looked into was what subject areas parents and educators thought was important to measure. What we... Read more
10.9.12 Formative Assessment and Higher-Order Questions The minute-by-minute, day-by-day kind of formative assessment that we’ve been blogging about is designed to elicit evidence of student learning -- evidence that can be used to inform and adjust... Read more
10.3.12 Formative Assessment: What Do Parents Think? We’ve blogged a lot about formative assessment from a teacher and student perspective, but never from a parent’s perspective. What do they think about formative assessment? Do they understand... Read more
9.24.12 Tony Danza on Teaching: Kids Need to Want It When I first read Liana Heitin’s blog at Ed Week – What Tony Danza Learned From Teaching – I had so many reactions. I found myself initially very angry that Danza presumed to give advice... Read more
9.18.12 Classroom techniques: Formative assessment idea number 3 Welcome back to our blog series on formative assessment. We've introduced the Popsicle Stick method and the Exit Ticket, two great ways to involve all students and get the information you... Read more
9.12.12 Formative Assessment vs. Summative Assessment Results: Timing Matters We won’t spend much time defining what formative assessment is or what summative assessment is, since we’ve done that in a previous blog. In short, formative assessment are ongoing frequent... Read more
9.5.12 Classroom techniques: Formative assessment idea number 2 Welcome back to our series on formative assessment strategies you can incorporate into your practice. So far, we've talked about the Popsicle Stick, a simple technique that engages the... Read more
8.16.12 Dylan Wiliam & The 5 Formative Assessment Strategies to Improve Student Learning Dylan Wiliam’s new book, Embedded Formative Assessment, is filled with a number of insights culled from his 35 years of experience in education. The foundation of the book highlights the... Read more