There are many important questions teachers and administrators need to ask as they grapple with how to ensure high school graduates are college and career ready. What does it mean to prepare students for a world that is rapidly changing--a world in which science and technology are altering how we live, work, play, and interact? If teachers focus…

A three-year grant program at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City encourages teachers to draw connections between curricular topics and works of art. In this article, museum educator Nicola Giardina describes how the program uses inquiry-based lessons to create meaningful learning experiences for underserved students. She highlights…

There's bad news and good news about feedback and teachers collaborating: Getting feedback on our performance is a great way to grow as educators--but feedback often backfires and doesn't produce change in the person getting the feedback. Reilly notes that there are two components to a feedback exchange: the content--the message the person…

Genius Hour is a time built into the school day or week to enable students to actively create their learning rather than passively consume it. During the time set aside for Genius Hour, students choose what they will learn about, the strategies they will use to learn it, the pace of their work, the materials and resources they will use, and the…

New research sheds light on the claim that U.S. students' achievement lags behind that of students worldwide. This research reveals a paradox: While large amounts of U.S. students who take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) fail to meet its Proficient benchmarks in reading and math, when students' results on NAEP are…

Now that many schools are developing curriculums thoughtfully linked to standards--including benchmarks for achievement--many teachers wrestle with this question: Can we still make room for individualized instruction? The authors, who have taught at diverse international schools in many countries, believe the answer is yes. They argue that under…

According to a 2010 report by ACT, "Only 31 percent of students are performing at a college-and-career reading level with respect to successfully understanding complex text" (p. 5). This statistic demonstrates what educators know: Middle and high school students face numerous challenges in reading, understanding, connecting to, and…

Child psychologist Peg Dawson explains that some students who appear to be lazy simply lack the executive skills they need to stay organized and get their work done. She tells the story of Josh, a student with attention problems whose academic performance started plummeting in middle school. With the help of a coach, Josh learned to manage his…

Using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science (TIMSS) video study, the authors compare science teaching practices in the United States and in four other countries that outperformed the United States: Australia, the Czech Republic, Japan, and the Netherlands. Their observations of videotapes from 100 8th-grade science lessons in each…

In addition to any discoveries that teachers might make about student learning while that learning is in progress, they must still assign grades. Consequently, educators need to develop and implement a system that supports both the formative and summative functions of assessment--formative, in that teachers can use evidence of student achievement…

Summarizes findings and anomalies of the Nation's Report Card in mathematics education. Even though most 17 year-olds know a fair amount, eighth- and ninth-graders need "numeracy" courses that review formulas, percents, use of sample surveys, and correlations, inductive and deductive logic, and basic computer commands. Includes eight…

International comparisons are made to improve mathematics teaching in United States. In 1995, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) examined national samples of 8th grade mathematics lessons from Germany, Japan and United States.

Voluntary national exams in reading (grade 4) and mathematics (grade 8) would mobilize Americans to increase student achievement. Tests would be overseen by a public, independent governing board, based on respected National Assessment of Education Progress frameworks and standards, and given to individual students. Results would be released…

To develop a transitional program for eighth graders, two teachers at a Louisville, Kentucky, middle school decided to open communication lines among eighth- and ninth-grade teachers by creating inservice programs and compiling a telephone directory indicating teachers' subject areas. Student communication was encouraged by letter writing and a…

Instead of diagnosing students' individual learning styles, a Seattle eighth grade teacher tries to help students become more aware of their own styles and develop strategies for dealing with the diverse demands of school and life in general. Students learn about style through informal debriefing of class activities and through formal instruction…