By Starr Sackstein

"Education": 12 years of compulsory primary and secondary education that covers a breadth of knowledge spanning history, literature, assorted math, language, physical education, assorted physical and living sciences, and other electives.

Upon successful completion of high...

By Tyler Rablin

I’ve heard it called an epidemic.

I’m talking about the amount of missing work at the secondary level. It truly defined the beginning of the school year. Teachers returned to the classroom excited to be back with students, try out new ideas, and engage in the type of...

By Elizabeth Jorgensen

I wish I had realized this sooner:

Students complete late work not because they care about the authenticity of the assignment but because they want to move their grade up a letter.

Early in my teaching career, I accepted all late work. At the end of each semester, I...

By Starr Sackstein

When it comes time to set goals with students, inevitably, there are several whose highest aspiration is to achieve an A in all of their classes because this is what the system and their parents have impressed upon them for years.

They don’t have a plan except to do all...

By Elizabeth Jorgensen

Can I tell you a secret? I hate grades.  

I don’t like judging my students or ranking them. I don’t like placing value on them or on their work. And I’ve found that if I place judgment on progress, students stop trying. 

While my colleagues...

Asking questions is one of the best ways to get students thinking about a topic. However, not all questions are created equal. Some questions are simply factual recitations or closed questions that can be easily answered with a yes or no.

To increase student engagement and understanding, ask...

The time has come for educators to change the way they think about assessment. The old-fashioned "sage on a stage" approach is no longer viable in today's interconnected world.

To create deep, meaningful learning outcomes, teachers need to rethink how they use assessments and what types of tasks...

When making a big change like throwing out grades, many people will not “get it” and may push back in ways that impede the progress of students.

Schools and colleges have supported the traditional grading system for far too long, making it challenging to suggest this seemingly...

By Mark Barnes

Teachers and school leaders sacrificed so much during a global pandemic. A tsunami of issues came hurtling their way, but they stood on the shore, dug in their heels, and would not be moved.

They embraced the Zoom age, hybrid teaching, and remote learning, while constantly...

Trying to account for the individual needs of diverse learners is one of the most significant challenges for educators.

Even when teachers use dynamic resources and offer active learning opportunities, some students will be bored or fall behind.

We all learn differently, and our success in the...