Many of our school districts have begun work with proficiency scales, a tool introduced by Robert Marzano and Marzano Research to determine levels of student learning. One benefit of including proficiency scales in your curriculum, instruction, and assessment work is that both the teacher and student can use them. Let’s take a closer look at what proficiency scales are, their purposes, and how they work within the CLI Model.Read More
High Expectations Communicate Respect
As a new school year begins, educators need to set and communicate expectations to the students in their classrooms. When identifying expectations, teachers often struggle deciding whether expectations are too high, too low, realistic, and uniformly applied. Popular research continues to indicate that setting high expectations leads to better results than setting moderate or low expectations, because students feel respected as participants in the classroom community. While the classroom teacher is …Read More
Initial CLI District Response to 6 Key Elements of the Every Student Succeeds Act
Analysis of relevant elements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) suggests topics of discussion for the CLI district’s curriculum coordinating council. Although those who prepared ESSA say the act places most responsibility for establishing provisions to ensure school accountability on states, many stipulations included at the federal level do not allow much leeway for creativity or alternative interpretations. It is therefore suggested that curriculum coordinating councils place the selected relevant topics found in the table below on discussion agendas. Read More
Curriculum is a Roadmap
“Curriculum” is discussed on a daily basis in conversations within schools among administrators, teachers, support staff, and outside stakeholders. Strangely enough, it is a term that carries fundamental misconceptions that make those conversations difficult. Unless everyone involved in the conversation has the same definition for curriculum, what is said and what is heard are often very different.Read More
Communicating with Parents: Mediums and Methods for Success
We live in a fast-paced world where society as a whole communicates and receives feedback within seconds. This has become the expected norm in social settings and the business world and has also affected how educators connect with the parents of our nation’s most important product — children. Here are some keys to communicate efficiently and effectively in this ever-changing world.Read More
Supporting Student Learning: The “Ins” and “Outs” of the Classroom
Educators are always trying to discover and use new academic strategies to increase student learning. Sometimes the best approaches are not academic, but they are supportive in nature. According to Awaken the Learner, published by Marzano Research, as well as recent articles in NEA Today, attention should be paid to the inside climate of the classroom in addition to the activities that take place outside of the regular classroom setting.Read More
Not All Teaching Practices are Created Equal
Have you and your colleagues ever been told by an administrator that test scores need to be improved because current results aren’t good enough? Afterward, did you find yourself thinking there is nothing that can be done without support from parents, or that today’s kids just aren’t motivated enough? Or perhaps you told yourself that kids seem to have a sense of entitlement; that they believe they shouldn’t need to work so hard to get what they want.Read More
Education in the Middle: Teaching and Parenting Helps
It is well-known that middle school years can be a challenging time for young adolescents. These critical years could be the best time to foster positive habits that will lead to lifelong success. This E-hint is full of positive recommendations for teachers and parents. Read More
Resource Selection for Common Core Standards
When it comes to implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), one of the first things teachers want to do is order new resources to support those standards. That seems like a simple thing to do because virtually all publishers will tout their latest products as being aligned to the CCSS. However, it is important to note there are degrees of alignment. Some resources may address the standards only in …Read More