The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are sobering. Reading and math scores for high school seniors have dropped to their lowest levels in more than 20 years. In 2024, only 22% of twelfth graders were proficient in math, and just 35% in reading—both down from 2019. Nearly half of seniorsContinueContinue reading “NAEP Scores Hit New Lows: It’s Time to Put Academics First”
Category Archives: Instruction
Why Excellent Schools Must Move From Maslow to Deep Learning
In education, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has become almost a mantra. We remind ourselves—rightly—that students cannot learn if they are hungry, unsafe, or unseen. Meeting those foundational needs is the moral obligation of every school. But here’s the danger: if we anchor our vision of schooling solely in Maslow, we risk building systems that comfort,ContinueContinue reading “Why Excellent Schools Must Move From Maslow to Deep Learning”
5 Education Concepts To Eliminate in 2025
This article is the 9th installment of the “5 Educational Concepts to Eliminate” series. This series began in 2016 and has been read hundreds of thousands of times by educators across the world. As we enter the dawn of 2025, we must re-evaluate our current positions and pivot as needed to ensure we are meetingContinueContinue reading “5 Education Concepts To Eliminate in 2025”
“Teaching Today: 5 Challenges That Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago”
The landscape of education is constantly evolving, and with each passing year, teachers face new challenges that didn’t exist—or were far less prominent—a decade ago. While some advancements have made teaching easier, like access to digital tools and diverse resources, there’s no denying that some aspects of the profession have become significantly more demanding. Here’sContinueContinue reading ““Teaching Today: 5 Challenges That Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago””
5 Ways Schools Can Update Libraries for Today’s Students
In an era where information is just a click away, the role of the school library is evolving. No longer confined to shelves of dusty books, today’s libraries have the potential to be vibrant hubs of learning and innovation. Updating school libraries to meet the needs of modern students means embracing digital technology, creating flexibleContinueContinue reading “5 Ways Schools Can Update Libraries for Today’s Students”
5 Elements Of Mastery Learning
Mastery learning is a transformative educational approach that places emphasis on ensuring that every student attains a deep and thorough understanding of core concepts before progressing to more advanced material. Embracing mastery learning involves a shift from traditional, time-bound models of instruction to a more personalized and flexible methodology. In this approach, the focus isContinueContinue reading “5 Elements Of Mastery Learning”
Got Data, Now What?
Using data to make informed decisions both in the classroom and in the front office is nothing new. Students have been taking standardized assessments for decades. Schools have also tracked attendance, disciplinary incidents, and formative assessments for years. The issue for most schools is not a lack of data, but having too much data toContinueContinue reading “Got Data, Now What?”
10 Ways To Rethink Seating Arrangements
Different classroom seating arrangements are important because they provide educators with versatile tools to tailor the learning environment to various teaching objectives and student needs. These arrangements influence student engagement, interaction, and learning experiences. By offering a range of seating options, teachers in all levels can create dynamic spaces that accommodate different learning styles, fosterContinueContinue reading “10 Ways To Rethink Seating Arrangements”
6 Leadership Styles From The Cast of Friends
The TV show “Friends” features six main characters, each with their unique personalities and leadership traits. Running from 1994-2004, many current school leaders came of age while “Friends” dominated TV. Here are some notable leadership traits associated with the main characters: Monica Geller: Monica is known for her organizational skills, attention to detail, and perfectionism.ContinueContinue reading “6 Leadership Styles From The Cast of Friends”
This Testing Season, Let’s Plan for Success
Every educator wants to see their students succeed – both in school and beyond. We do our best to help them grow while fostering a mindset of curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. However, at some point every student must be assessed on what they’ve learned, and this can lead to problems. After a school yearContinueContinue reading “This Testing Season, Let’s Plan for Success”
THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK 