Tests and exams are a source of stress for many students. High school teacher Jacob Wells has found that he can alleviate some of that stress by allowing students to weigh in on when their assessments are scheduled. He describes why this has been helpful and shares some of the parameters that have made it feasible.

Ten years ago, in "Kappan," the author published a detailed account of the old-fashioned and unengaging instruction used at his son Max's Chicago elementary school. Now he updates readers with a reflection on Max's high school years, describing a curriculum and teaching practices that desperately need an overhaul. Thanks to its…

Scholastic sport is a double-edged sword that can have positive or negative effects. Whether those effects are positive or negative depends on those who wield that sword--chiefly, the school's sports coach. While it is clear that coaches make a difference in ensuring that educational athletics lead to beneficial outcomes for student-athletes, a…

Educators Rising, an initiative of PDK International, has developed five microcredentials that allow aspiring teachers to demonstrate what they know and are able to do through experiences very similar to what professional teachers do every day. [This article contains a sidebar: "Microcredentials in the Teacher Academy Classroom: Rigor,…

The New York Performance Standards Consortium includes urban public high schools that have successfully used a performance-based assessment option. Instead of exit exams, student assessments are based on specific performance-based assessment tasks. These schools have shown that it is possible to use qualitative data to make substantive decisions…

Sex education in middle and high school health classes is critically important because it frequently comprises the primary mechanism for conveying information about sexual health to adolescents. Deliver evidence-based information on HIV and pregnancy prevention practices and they will be less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, the theory…

New York City's Department of Education offers a course called Digital Literacies, in which overage and undercredited high school students in more than 60 schools develop key skills needed for life after high school, whether it entails further education, employment, or, more commonly, both. With a "blended learning" design, it is more…

This article describes 10 lessons learned from two decades of new teacher induction. These include: (1) A new teacher induction program requires a systemwide commitment to teacher development; (2) Induction programs accelerate new teacher effectiveness; (3) Standards-based formative assessment tools document impact; (4) Induction programs build a…

Clear, high standards will enable us to develop an education system that ensures that high school graduates are ready for college. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been working with other organizations to develop a Common Core of Standards. The partners working with the foundation are developing tools that will show teachers what is…

Over the past decade, at both the university and high school levels, chemistry instructors have become keenly aware of an increasing number of students who are proving to be unable to solve complex problems. Today's students have grown up with technology, and most would prefer to do their homework using a digital tool rather than pencil and paper.…

Students are not numbers, and schools do more than just teach academic skills. In this article, the author offers some advice for helping adolescents confront the profound questions of life. The author's school, Souhegan High School in Amherst, New Hampshire, is a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools, an organization built on a shared…

Recent studies have argued that there is a dropout crisis in the U.S. But the authors in this article, find that this contention is based on flawed analyses of inadequate data. Using a much wider range of sources, they conclude that the situation is not nearly so dire as is commonly believed. (Contains 14 endnotes.)