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The power of observation
Pamela Hill EducationHow do we know that a student is learning? What behaviors must they demonstrate for the teacher to draw the conclusion that the student has learned? Who determines learning? The teacher, the curriculum and the standards do. The current measure of learning is assessment. The student must indicate what they know by answering questions in a test format. However, there is a piece missing that is important to determine if a student has learned and is learning.
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It’s time to redefine the credit hour
Brian Stack EducationRecently, a hot topic on the Web has been the Carnegie Unit. Also referred to as credit hours or student hours, the system has come under scrutiny by many in the educational community who believe that a major shortcoming with the model is its inability to link "seat time" with actual learning. Last month, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published a new study entitled "The Carnegie Unit: A Century-Old Standard in a Changing Educational Landscape." Interestingly, the Foundation agreed that the time had come to redefine the credit hour.
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The importance of culture in ESL teaching
Douglas Magrath EducationFrom the first word, the study of a second language is the study of another culture. Language and culture are intertwined, and ESL instructors need to be aware of the cultural similarities and differences between the students and the people of the host nation, as well as the varied cultures among the students themselves.
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Tanya always forgets. What’s wrong with her?
Howard Margolis EducationOn Friday, Tanya's teacher sighed sorrowfully, "Tanya forgot all six sight words she knew on Monday. I spent 30 solid minutes teaching them to her. This always happens. What's wrong with her?" What's wrong? Maybe nothing. Maybe she just needs the right kind of practice.
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Can school districts regulate what educators say on social media?
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe raging social media debate across the country — about inappropriate conduct between teachers and students — is driving school districts to set stringent rules for educators. Along with protecting students from irreparable emotional or other damages, there is also an increasing concern about the damage these actions could do the positive and needful online communication between the two groups.
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Working effectively with parents — sometimes silently
Thomas Van Soelen EducationParents are a critical stakeholder in schools, particularly when a leader or governance group needs to make an important decision. What leaders, often times those at the central office, lack are a set of strategies to use with parents other than "let's talk about that."
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Creating the right classroom environment fit for ELLs
Alanna Mazzon EducationSomething I am constantly looking to improve is the design of my classroom. I question everything that is put on the walls or on the back of shelving — specifically whether it is useful or detrimental to the students who share the room. In my three years of teaching, I think I have rearranged my classroom 30 times, and I am still moving small things here and there weekly.
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Inclusion Corner: The importance of co‑assessing
Savanna Flakes EducationIn the prior two articles, we discussed co-planning and co-teaching. The last component of an effective co-taught classroom is working together to "co-assess" student data and growth.
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Is this the end of standardized testing as we know it?
Cait Harrison EducationNo Child Left Behind is back in the news again. And this time it may mean big changes are in store. The U.S. Senate has begun its most concentrated effort yet on revamping the 13-year-old law. The sweeping overhaul began Jan. 21 with a hearing focusing on one of the law's most notorious requirements: standardized testing.
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How do you personalize learning at your school?
Brian Stack EducationPersonalized learning has been one of the hottest trends in education, especially in the past two to three years. The system must include flexible learning environments that allow the system to adapt to the individual needs of each learner on an ongoing basis, one with personalized learning paths.
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