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By William Reed Right now, teaching, and basically any job in education, can seem overwhelming. There are so many things we could be doing. It is very easy to lose sight of the big picture and not see the forest for the trees. One of the best ways to keep everything in perspective is to self-evaluate and set goals.    You need to write some Professional Goals and some Personal Goals . Yes, it is important to have both professional and personal goals. Professional goals impro

I was working with a school and the teachers started talking about the NCAA Basketball tournament. I quickly zoned out as with my basketball prowess I have no interest in basketball at all. The entire discussion became background noise to me. I could not tell you a single thing that was discussed during that entire conversation. If the topic would have been about the current NHL standings and the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs my ears would have tuned in immediately and I woul

Back in 2011, Indiana Public Law 73-2011 altered state and local textbook adoption procedures. Under this law, Indiana no longer follows a strict six-year cycle for math materials adoption. Textbook adoptions are now under the control of the local superintendent and school board. Adoption of new math materials is optional, and districts have the discretion to continue to use current materials beyond the six-year cycle without needing a waiver from the state.

Differentiation is a term that all teachers know. We read about it in books, hear about it in training, and see it on our evaluation rubrics. Teachers know they have to differentiate to meet the needs of their students. They try to do so with the knowledge and tools that they have. Many teachers do this with high levels of success.

School turnaround is an intervention directed toward a low-performing school that delivers considerable gains in achievement, and readies that school for the process of transformation into a high-performing institution. It refers to the efforts being made by districts and states to improve student outcomes, build capacity, and sustain reforms. Professional development for teachers can help in this regard.

What is rigor? In education, rigor refers to instruction, schoolwork, and learning experiences that are academically and intellectually stimulating. It applies to lessons that encourage students to think deeply, rather than to lessons that just demand memorization or information recall. For example, a fill-in-the-blank worksheet wouldn’t be considered rigorous by most teachers.

A lesson plan is a teacher’s guide for running a specific lesson. It includes the goal (what students are supposed to learn), the method how the goal will be reached, and measuring how well the goal was achieved (exit ticket, test, homework, etc.).   Lesson planning is a vital component of the teaching process. It keeps teachers organized and on track, allowing them to teach more effectively. As a result, students reach objectives more easily

What we learned in 2020 was that there are many new aspects of learning to address. We have done research on the leaders in these areas and put together a book list to help you get a grasp on the new trends in education. Introducing our list of the 6 best books for teachers 2021.  

If you are an educator or parent, then you have likely spent some time thinking about the best ways to teach children to read. If you are a parent or educator with a struggling reader, you have probably agonized over how to help that child. Reading Simplified has determined how to teach struggling readers of any age.  

When it comes to being a school leader, there are many issues that need to be addressed. Strategic planning as a school leader does not just consider studies and preparing children for possible futures but also working to develop pathways to reach an envisioned future. This means challenging students to think for themselves as well as developing core values and beliefs.

In education, information speaks volumes. Data analysis can provide an overview of what students know, of what they should know, and what can be done to meet their academic needs. With proper analysis and interpretation of data, teachers can make informed decisions that positively affect student outcomes. In this article, we will discuss how to make data-based decisions to inform your instruction.

Data is important, and it is everywhere. Teachers collect all sorts of information about students. These data can inform and influence teachers how to teach, what to review, and what to adjust. Yet, some teachers may still not be aware of how to get data and how to use it. In this article, we will answer these questions: Where can you find data? And why is it important to use data in your classroom?

Data from multiple sources guide decisions about professional learning which can impact outcomes for students. Schools can improve learning for all students by gathering and using various categories of data more effectively. This article will take up the different types of data, how teachers can use data, and the importance of data in education.