Feedback in Secondary Math: It’s More Than a Grade Pt. 1

By Constance Hallemeier Secondary math teachers often find themselves juggling multiple responsibilities: having a limited amount of time with students, managing a large number of students, and teaching a multitude of standards. Amidst these challenges, providing effective feedback can seem like a daunting task. As a former high school math classroom teacher, I struggled with…

Read More

Making Math Feedback Count, Part 1: The Power of Data

By Dr. Sherri Lorton Making Math Feedback Count, Part 1: The Power of Data In today’s classrooms, data is far more than just a tool for assessing student performance—it is a vital resource for guiding instruction, improving teaching strategies, and fostering student growth. When it comes to mathematics, a subject that often challenges our young…

Read More

The Secret to Feedback That Sticks

By Dr. Stephanie Brenner When we think about feedback, quick comments like “Great job!” or “Try harder next time” come to mind. However, for educators, feedback’s true value lies in helping students learn and improve, not just feel good. Research by experts like Bryan Goodwin, John Hattie, Robert Marzano, Douglas Reeves, and Douglas Stone shows…

Read More

You Hold the Power: Trust Yourself, Trust Your Craft

By Dr. Carrie Hepburn In a world where technology increasingly takes center stage, it’s easy to feel like we need a digital program to tell us what to do in education. But here’s the truth: nothing replaces the power of a teacher. Not an algorithm, not a device, and not a slide deck from 15…

Read More

Empowering Teachers to Support Students with Dyscalculia: Key Knowledge and Strategies

By Dr. Stephanie Evans As teachers, we encounter students who struggle with math, but what happens when traditional approaches like small group instruction and scaffolding aren’t enough? For some, the difficulty runs deeper, pointing to a lesser-known learning disability: dyscalculia. Interestingly, the connection between difficulties with numbers and struggles with words is striking, as many…

Read More

 Reading Fiction: 5 Tips to Engage Readers

By Dr. Natalie Fallert As a retired high school Language Arts teacher, I am too familiar with fake reading, skimming, spark notes, or refusing to read. I often attributed this to laziness, but after spending a year following reluctant readers while working on my dissertation, my perspective on the typical teen’s refusal to read the…

Read More

Why Ongoing Professional Learning Matters: The Pitfalls of One-Day Workshops

By Dr. Carrie Hepburn As the new school year begins, school districts nationwide often kick off professional development with a familiar ritual: the one-day workshop. Teachers gather, listen to presentations, engage in activities, and leave, hoping that this brief encounter will lead to meaningful change in their classrooms. However, the results are often disappointing. The…

Read More