In 2015, I conducted a nationwide survey of 6th-12th graders that asked one simple question: What engages you as learners? The results that came back could be categorized into 10 different strategies. But one request that came up over and over again, regardless of whether
Who owns assessment? Is it the teacher, school, district, or the test industry? If the government requires them, do they also own the measures? Something was missing from those questions and if you noted that it was “the students,” you’re right. The more schools emphasize
It’s the first weeks of a new school year! I become anxious each fall as I prepare for family literacy classes that may challenge the motivation of students and their families. Here are questions that I ask myself as I prepare my lessons: What are five big ideas that I want to convey in a
Anything easily attained is cheaply held. – Debbie Silver One of the most compelling motivators for students is when they work hard towards a goal and achieve it through their focused efforts and conscious choices. If there is an attentive adult present to give appropriate feedback,
The beginning of the new school year offers equal doses of excitement, tempered with a bit of trepidation. “I can’t wait to meet new people!” and “I hope they like me…” seem to compete simultaneously for attention. And we’re talking about the teachers! We don’t
In many classrooms, the pace of interactions is rapid-fire. Teachers “cover the curriculum” by asking many low-level questions, naming one student to answer—usually a volunteer with a raised hand—and quickly evaluating the student answer as to its correctness. This cycle is repeated innumerable times during a class period. The results: Teacher talk dominates. A small percentage of the students
While we may be tempted to look at underperforming students and label them as lazy, research indicates that most students lack motivation because of three fundamental factors: Students do not believe they can succeed even if they try. Students do not feel they have any
We aren’t in the business of preparing our students to take tests for the rest of their lives. We aren’t in the business of helping our students learn to navigate school as the end-all, be-all model of life’s journey. Nope. As Jeff Wilhelm reminds us
Ever so slowly we are introducing more and more student voice into our decision making at Catholic Memorial. As I have experienced in so many other schools, I now see in my school how student voice is and is becoming the instrument of change. What
First quarter grades closed last Friday and grades were due today. I have written previously about the uneasy relationship between learning, time, and grades. It felt strange to me in effect to say, "Time’s up!" on learning. But I became more comfortable as the actual