Let’s think differently about how schools can serve students. . . . Learning and Schools Children love to learn! They learn all the time! Schools, however, are frustrated by declining test scores that indicate students are not learning from teachers’ lessons. Sadly, the result is a leaning into more whole-class instruction, more explicit (but not necessarily […]
When information lives online, application must live in the mind. That single reality changes everything about school. For centuries, teachers have been seen as repositories of information, passing along the information that students need to know. Teachers deliver lessons, students absorb content, and success often means recall. In the past, without school, you had little […]
Universal Design for Learning by CAST.ORG The amazing cast.org has developed a wonderful framework for ensuring that all students have access to rigorous content through lesson and curricular design, as opposed to after-the-fact accommodations and reteaching. In 2017, I wrote a blog post that shares the quintessential explanatory images: from adding a ramp to designing […]
Navigating Societal Events on Education Imagine being 8–10 years old and suddenly finding out one of your parents or caregivers lost their job, seeing them stressed and crying, being told they can’t afford to do things you always did, having to move because your family can’t afford to live there anymore. Imagine having your parents […]
Having experienced the pathways and trends in education since the 1950s, I can confidently proclaim . . . this is a time like no other. We are at a crossroads that is both daunting and exhilarating. COVID, AI, and globalization, to name a few, are changing the landscape of students, parents, and teachers. Schools must […]