Taking on teacher attrition Hillary Scharton If you’ve visited a classroom lately, you’ve likely noticed a remarkable difference in how teaching and learning happens. Computers and devices are staples in most classrooms, and you’re far more likely to find students working in groups than a teacher at the front of the room lecturing. Though the teacher continues to play a crucial role, how they do that has changed. Read more>> Meeting the promise of continuous improvement Sponsored by AdvancED While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for continuous improvement, a recent report from AdvancED offers insights into what successful schools do well and where all schools—even the highest-performing ones—need to improve. Download the full report or executive summary to learn more. Read more>> What kids think about bullying and kindness NPR A new survey of children ages 9 to 11 found that a large majority, 77 percent, reported witnessing bullying at some point. One in five kids also admitted to being a bully. And only 14 percent strongly agreed that our nation's leaders model how to treat people with kindness. Read more>> Cameron loved science, but was failing tests Sponsored by Scantron Ascensus Digital Assessment Cameron was doing great in his seventh-grade in-class science labs, but scoring poorly on unit tests. Mrs. Nguyen was sure he knew the material, but his test scores just didn't show it. She wanted to help him succeed. Are student difficulties in one area preventing strong performance in another? Read the whole story. Read more>> It's time to try the opposite of standardized testing Gallup For the past several decades, America has ramped up its focus and reliance on standardized testing. What should be questioned, however, is how much emphasis we put on tests as well as what kind of testing we should have and for what purpose. What if our overreliance on standardized testing has inhibited our ability to help students? Read more>> Assessment is everything Sponsored by Instructure Assessments measure student learning and provide a powerful means for improving achievement. Learn how Canvas provides a quick and easy way to make formative assessments. Read more>> To prevent school shootings, can mental health be taught? PBS We no longer have the luxury of delegating the care of our most marginalized students to community mental health. Nor can we siphon off all responsibility to providers in our schools. Teachers might fear exploring mental health. However, apart from parents, who knows kids better than teachers? Read more>> They were trained for this moment Slate Part of the reason the Stoneman Douglas students have become so vocal is in no small part due to the fact that they are in a school system that boasts programs such as debating, forensics, public speaking, drama, journalism and more. Perhaps we should think about putting more money into the programs that foster political engagement and skills. Read more>> | 