I’ve had the good fortune these past couple of years, of working in middle schools with staff and students, helping…
Student Engagement
Beat the Blahs by Increasing Student Engagement
As winter transitions to spring in Michigan, students might be losing motivation or struggling to stay focused with the promise…
A Balcony View of Reading, Part 1: Debunking 3 Myths on Independent Reading in the Classroom
March is reading month! Yes, it is, and it is also the month heading into “Assessment Season.” In schools across…
Using Brain Research from the 1800s to Improve Today’s Classroom Instruction
Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850 – 1909) was a German psychologist who made groundbreaking contributions in the field of memory research. Two…
How to Encourage Student-Led Learning in Your Mathematics Classroom
I appreciated many of the points brought forth in a New York Times article I read earlier this year titled,…
Michigan Schools To Watch
The Institute for Excellence in Education is excited to announce a special partnership with Michigan Schools To Watch — the…
Teenage Brains in the Best and Worst of Times
An estimated 50% of Michigan children under six years old now live in low-income households, according to Columbia University’s National…
Remember the ‘Special Sauce’ of Good Teaching
It is one thing to learn a concept, but it is another thing to remember it. A couple things can…
Teacher Topic: “10/2,” or “Chunk and Chew”
“10/2,” or “Chunk and Chew” The 10/2 or “Chunk and Chew” strategy is highly effective in supporting students’ understanding of…
Teacher Topics (May 2013)
One belief shared by most teachers is that engaged students are “learning students.” Student engagement is highly correlated to increased…
Strategies for Student Learning
Rick Wormelli (ASCD/Learning Forward) reminds us that student learning is enhanced when teachers set aside the last 5 – 7…
