I went to a professional development session on standards-based grading the other day, and here are the main ideas. Formative assessments (practices) should not be factored into grades. This menas homework and classwork is not graded. Only summative assessments Read More...

An article in The Boston Globe details how one school district is “expanding a program that requires the parents of chronically truant public school students to appear before a probate judge.” Apparently, the program cut unexscused absences Read More...

This morning as I read through online newspapers around my state, I cam across this article detailing how one school has created a small block of time to help students pass classes with a special emphasis on freshmen. While I applaud the efforts, I wonder Read More...

One of the most intelligent students in my school essentially decided not to graduate with his class. I have worked with him one on one for three years, watched him emerge as a phenomenal poet and thinker, and also observed him sabotage his own successes Read More...

I came upon another article about class size and student success. According to the article’s author, “Small classes are more engaging places for students because they’re able to have a more personal connection with teachers, simply by Read More...

I thought I’d post some updates on the goings on I’ve discussed previously. When my class created bulletin boards about the 1920s for The Great Gatsby, things did not go exactly as planned. Being literal-minded students, almost everyone basically Read More...

After reading a post by Mrs. Chili regarding the griping of her students when being held accountable for learning, I do have to admit a bit of frustration with one of my classes. Only 19 of my 32 American Literature students bothered to turn in a one-paragraph Read More...

I had 155 students in five classes this semester, and I only had three students earn an ‘F’ grade. It feels great! I have wrestling districts this weekend, so I will try and post some ideas I have on another topic tonight before I leave town. Read More...