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”
Tag 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”
5 Areas Principals Should Reflect On At The End Of The School Year
As the school year draws to a close, it’s crucial for principals to take a step back and reflect on the journey. This reflection isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about gaining insights, celebrating successes, and identifying areas for growth. Here are the top five areas principals should focus on during their end-of-year reflections. 1.ContinueContinue reading “5 Areas Principals Should Reflect On At The End Of The School Year”
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”
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”
Transforming Education with ChatGPT 5 Ways Schools Can Benefit
As a large language model, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way schools approach education. From personalized learning to assistive technology, here are five ways ChatGPT can be used in schools: Personalized Learning: With ChatGPT, schools can create personalized learning experiences for each student. The model’s ability to understand and respond to natural languageContinueContinue reading “Transforming Education with ChatGPT 5 Ways Schools Can Benefit”
Beyond Tests: 5 Alternative Assessment Strategies
We know assessments — both formative and summative — are critical components of teaching and learning, but so often they become straight-up burdens. At best, they can be boring and uninformative. At worst, they can take on a life of their own, and overtake what we know is most important in the learning process. ThisContinueContinue reading “Beyond Tests: 5 Alternative Assessment Strategies”
THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK 