In my recent Edutopia article, “Drawings as Formative Assessment”, I promote the use of drawings as assessments because of the insights they offer teachers about what students do and do not understand. 

As I read through the comments on the Facebook post of the article, I...

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...

Traditional grading has been ingrained in American educational culture for more than a century. Because of the culture of grades that has emerged, we have lost sight of what is important in school: the learning.

Too many students, parents, and educators focus excessively on labeling learning...

We all spend a lot of time praising traits like hard work, determination, perseverance, and grit—and noting their importance in overcoming any challenge or obstacle. Whether in the classroom, office, or on the athletic field, we know these are the elements of achievement and success.

...

Social distancing and school. What does this look like? At the time of this article, who could really tell? Still, even when teachers and school leaders have little idea of what education in a pandemic world looks like, we've got to find ways to help students succeed--both in school and in the...

Students say “I don’t know” all too often, and some teachers call them out for doing so. Now, we can kick the IDK bucket. Connie Hamilton explains in this excerpt from Hacking Questions: 11 Answers That Create a Culture of Inquiry in Your Classroom.

The Problem: Students...

Hey evaluation, you can’t fool teachers who understand assessment; we know you are not feedback.

You won’t find this sentence anywhere in Hacking the Writing Workshop, by Angela Stockman, but in the Hack about creating a writer-centered workshop, Angela clearly expresses that...

Quit Point. If there were a dictionary definition for the phrase, it would most likely say, “The moment when something or someone stops.” Pretty simple, right?

What if there’s more to this concept? What if educators knew their students so well, they could predict exactly when...