Our Five Most Popular Posts in 2011

What professional reading stuck with you this year? Here at Inservice, these were the five posts that were the most-viewed for 2011:

Myth of Bell-to-Bell Instruction Vs. "Golden Rule of 15 Minutes"

In this post, math teacher Kadhir Rajagopal describes his instructional style, in which he's never up at the board doing traditional direct instruction for more than 15 minutes per class period. Hear how he uses mini-lessons and "interactive teach-back" to keep his students engaged and putting their new knowledge to instant use.

Seven Ways to Go From On-Task to Engaged

We see examples of on-task but disengaged behavior every day: students mindlessly copying notes from a screen, listening to a lecture but daydreaming about what to do after school, robotically completing a worksheet. So, how do we ramp up both on-task behavior and real, meaningful engagement for our students? This post by motivation expert Bryan Harris shares seven easy ways to increase the likelihood that students are both engaged and on-task.

Should We Allow Students to Use Cell Phones in School?

Several education leaders share perspectives and experiences with varying policies toward student cell phone in schools. Most think cell phones can be responsibly used as part of classroom instruction. What do you think? Are cell phones welcome in your school?

Cure for the Cameron Diaz

While the movie Bad Teacher was welcome comic relief for some, this post provides an alternative, profiling several education-related documentaries released this summer: American Teacher, The Bully Project, Our School, and The Learning. Look for them available on DVD or view instant.

How Negative Social Proof Can Undermine Classroom Management

Negative social proof works in a similar way as positive social proof. Because most of us look to others to help us decide our own behavior, the practice of stressing the poor behavior of a few students may actually encourage and increase that behavior. This post by Bryan Harris says educators are better served to point out and discuss the positive behaviors of the majority of our students. 

Building Student Self-Esteem Through Personal Relationships

Humorous anecdotes, humbling personal experiences -- there are several ways to show your students that their teachers are real people with real experiences outside of the classroom walls, says Outstanding Young Educator Brad Kuntz, in his latest "In the Classroom" column. 

Before jumping into instruction on Monday, tell a story from your weekend. Or, notice small things about your students, remember and comment on their interests or accomplishments beyond academics. These small steps can forge the relationships that  build students' self-esteem and motivate them to do their best, because they know you value them as individuals. 

What are some of the simple ways you show students your personal side, and that you value theirs, as well?

Proposition 2½: Lessons from Massachusetts (1982)

"Prepare. If the tax reform movement hasn't reached your state, chances are it's not far away… for public education, this new wave of education means less money." Although this warning comes from a January 1982 Educational Leadership article, its message will ring true to many today as school budgets nationwide are squeezed and federal funding dries up.

Read the article: "Proposition 2½: Lessons from Massachusetts" (PDF)

The authors look at the effect of a tax measure passed in Massachusetts that resulted in tighter school budgets, surveying how districts made cuts and synthesizing the findings into a chart that makes priorities clear. Overall, "nonpersonnel items" such as busing, professional development, field trips, and new textbooks, were the first to be reduced, with "academic programs and teachers" the last and least affected.

Especially useful to today's readers are recommendations on dealing with reduced resources and the budget-cutting process. Tips on bringing diverse voices to the table and developing strong decision-making systems may help make a tough process a little easier.

The #1 Reason Girls Drop Out (and What You Can Do About It)

The United States has the highest teen birthrate in the industrialized world, and teen pregnancy and parenting is the number one reason girls drop out of school. (See the infographic below for the far-reaching effects of teen pregnancy.)

This is an avoidable crisis -- Teen parents don't have to be left behind. Not only can access to comprehensive sex education (including information about both abstinence and birth control) help drive down those numbers, but measures to keep pregnant and parenting students in school actually reduce the incidence of repeat teen pregnancies, and lead to improved outcomes for teen parents and their children.

Building school connectedness, empowering students with accurate sex education, and ensuring school policies that don't penalize students for being pregnant or parents are three major strategies outlined in this month's Education Update on curbing the teen mom dropout crisis. 

What's your school doing to keep teen parents in school?

 

The Quick and the Ed

If you're an education law junkie or simply an educator wondering how the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) will affect you and your school, The Quick and the Ed belongs on your must-read list.

The blog of D.C. think tank Education Sector, The Quick and the Ed, followed the Harkin-Enzi bill as it moved its way through Senate committee in October. It was a key source for regular and detailed updates on rapid changes, explanations of confusing or complex terms, and analysis of long-term implications. Recent posts also include items from the nitty-gritty (what the bill meant for computer-based adaptive assessments) to the big picture ("What CAN the federal government do?").

With many rounds of legislative work surely still to come, you'll want to keep an eye on their ESEA posts and follow even more closely on their Twitter feed. If the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee so much as sneezes in ESEA's general direction, The Quick and the Ed will have a full report.

College, Careers, Citizenship

"College and career ready" has become a catchphrase for public schools. But what does it actually mean? It makes sense for schools to hold themselves accountable not just for student proficiency scores and graduation rates but also for students' success after graduation. But many educators are concerned that high schools are now treating college as the only desirable option and neglecting career and citizenship goals.

ASCD Express is looking for short, 600 to 1,000-word essays on the theme "College, Careers, Citizenship."We are looking for articles describing how high schools are helping all students set and achieve high college, career, and citizenship goals; providing challenging career-readiness courses, apprenticeships, career academies, and partnerships; and furthering 21st century learning skills.

Guidelines for submissions are here. Please send us your submissions by January 9, 2012.

In Case You Missed It

Check out the most recent highlights from ASCD:

• Use the following seven principles to guide instruction in every classroom and at every level of schooling, says Elliott Seif.


• Technology should be a part of the daily routine in the classroom writes Celina Brennan.


• Teacher leadership, curriculum development and keeping the "main thing the main thing" should be on your list to focus on in the new year.


• One approach to use with students who don't like reading is to share data that demonstrates a connection between reading and success in school.


• Let kids read what interests them, even comic books because the important thing is that kids read.


• Take a look at Nancy Frey's webinar on making formative assessment work.


• Don't miss ASCD's 2012 lineup of pre-conference institutes that will help improve your teaching.


• Enjoying the above blog posts? Check out the most popular ones from this past year.


• One of ASCD's most recent books explains how to turn a high-poverty school into a high-performing one.


• ASCD Express hears from educators on what constitutes good leadership in the classroom.

Add your own highlights in the comments, and check this spot for our regular weekly digest of ASCD activities.

What Happens to the Five-Year-Olds? (1954)

In the October 1954 issue of Educational Leadership, the article "What Happens to the Five-Year-Olds?" addresses the dearth of high-quality education opportunities for many young students.

Read the article: What Happens to the Five-Year Olds? (PDF)

Author Sarah Lou Hammond noted that over 3 million babies were born in the United States in 1953. At the same time, kindergarten was hardly standard, with only 43 percent of 5-year-olds even having the opportunity to attend kindergarten. Classrooms were overcrowded, and a makeshift system was showing signs of serious strain.

As a way forward, Hammond cited recommendations from the "1953–55 Plan of Action for Children" from the Association of Childhood Education International, which proposed standards for aspects of kindergarten such as class space and number of students.

Nursery school, or what we refer to today as preschool, is mentioned only in passing, but this is an interesting article to consider in light of today's efforts to increase preschool enrollment and make it more standard.

Can Social Media and School Policies Be "Friends"?

This fall, school boards in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia updated or revised their social media policies. The New York Times reports that many educators are worried overly restrictive policies will remove an effective tool for engagement and staying relevant in an increasingly social and mobile world.

The latest issue of ASCD's Policy Priorities (free) challenges the notion that schools must adopt reactive and restrictive social media policy. It explains current federal legislation, identfies exemplary practices, and suggests a path toward preparing responsible, digitally-literate students.

Do you use social media in your classroom? How do school policies limit or encourage social media?

 

Crazy Teaching

Crazy Teaching is the blogging home of Terie Engelbrecht, who teaches high school science in Marengo, Ill. She also serves as the science division chair and a teacher coach. In her teaching, this Crazy Teacher Lady takes advantage of a broad range of online tools; she shares her favorites in the blog.

One recent post provides step-by-step instructions for posting daily questions for her students using Blogger, laced with wit to ease technophobic fears ("Step 1: I set up a blog page for each of my classes in Blogger. This took all of 3.457 nanoseconds, approximately."). She notes the usefulness of the scheduling feature on Blogger, allowing her to write and schedule the week's questions, which will automatically post throughout the week.

This mix of tech tips, humor, and a veteran's knowledge base makes Crazy Teaching stand out from the pack. Other recent posts tackled the benefits of class software Edmodo, differentiating assignments using screencasts, and using the student response system Socrative for formative assessments.

Marzano: It's How You Use a Strategy

When research reports that the same strategy has varying effects, what's the take-away for teachers?

Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater, says Marzano; strategies are more or less effective depending how they're applied. He identifies four levels of teacher facility with strategies:

• At the Beginning Level, teachers have little fluency and are prone to errors in using it.
• At the Developing Level, teachers are fluent with the strategy but use it in a limited way.
• At the Applying Level, teachers constantly monitor the strategy's effect on student learning, and extend student understanding by building questions and analysis off of the knowledge gleaned from the strategy.
• At the Innovating Level, teachers are so fluent with a strategy, they can identify new uses or adaptations that will meet specific student needs.

With each of these levels, says Marzano, the strategy becomes more effective at maximizing student learning. While research can point teachers toward types of strategies to try, their impact rests in how teachers use them.

Marzano says strategy use at the Developing Level is the most common. Do you agree? How do you, or teachers you work with, move to more advanced levels of strategy use?

Foster the People with Engaging Lessons

Want pumped up kids? In last week's most-clicked ASCD SmartBrief article, Kindergarten inclusion teacher Trisha Riche shares 22 simple ideas for infusing your teaching with creativity. 

"It will take longer to teach a lesson three times than it will to teach it once using a little creativity," says Riche, suggesting ways to turn learning into a game, and draw on student interest, curiosity, and active learning. Sites like KS1, hubbardscupboard.org, and starfall.com are good resources for fun, engaging activities, adds Riche.

What are some of your favorite ways to keep lessons fresh?

In Case You Missed It

Here's some recent news from ASCD:

• Doug Reeves explains how differentiated instruction begins with differentiated homework and assessment.
• ASCD asked educators what they thought was the main purpose for grading. Check out what they had to say.
• The largest school district in Delaware and ASCD formed a partnership to form a sustainable, capacity-building solution.
• School leaders should relentlessly pursue professional growth. Bill Sterrett says there are four areas they should focus on.
• Eric Sheninger details the characteristics of passionate educators and why they should be driving the conversation when it comes to education reform. 
• Veronica Bacigalupo says good teachers at the good schools focus on communicating with students as a critical part of the learning process. 
• Early bird registration is open now for ASCD's Annual Conference.

Add your own highlights in the comments, and check this spot for our regular weekly digest of ASCD activities.

The Power of Student Feedback

As we approach the midpoint of the school year, many of us will take the break as an opportunity to reflect, consider changes in our practice, and plan for the remainder of the school year. 

When we reflect and consider changes to our practice, we have a lot of sources of data to help inform us of our progress. We have student achievement data, evaluations from our principal or supervisor, student grades, anecdotal records, and feedback from parents and colleagues. 

However, many teachers fail to tap the most valuable source of feedback: their students. 

In most classrooms, overt, direct feedback goes solely from the teacher to the student. We give them grades, written feedback on their work, verbal feedback and direction about their behavior, and rewards and incentives when they meet expectations. Yet rarely do we afford students the chance to give such feedback, advice, and suggestions back to us. 

The argument can be made that students are the very best source of feedback about our effectiveness. They are, after all, our primary customers, and they spend their entire days on the receiving end of our efforts. It only makes sense to tap their knowledge, ideas, and thoughts about what changes should be made to the instructional methods, personal characteristics of the teacher, or classroom environmental factors that should be adjusted.

So, how should we go about gathering student feedback about our progress? One method is to offer students the opportunity to complete a course evaluation. Using a Lickert-type rating scale, ask students to anonymously complete a survey asking about various aspects of the classroom environment and instructional methods. Examples of statements that students can rate include

• My teacher provides clear directions.
• My teacher cares about me.
• Lessons and activities are fun.
• Students are treated fairly in class.
• My teacher is organized.
• Grades are fair and accurate.

In addition to the powerful message we send by gathering and acting on student ideas and feedback, consider what a wonderful model we set when we seek feedback directly from our students. We show them that we want to grow and improve, that we are not afraid of criticism, that we are still learning, and that we are willing to take a risk—all behaviors we expect from our students.

Post submitted by Bryan Harris, director of professional development for the Casa Grande Elementary School District in Arizona. He is the author of Battling Boredom,published by Eye On Education. You can find more information at http://www.bryan-harris.com.

Ravitch: Whose Children Are Left Behind?

"I thought testing would help diagnose the problem and help teachers identify kids' needs and that charters would serve the underserved and collaborate with public schools -- I was wrong on all accounts," Diane Ravitch said in her Friday keynote speech at the Opportunity to Learn Summit, in Washington, D.C.

Ravitch, an education historian and former advocate for charters and standardized testing, examined some of the outcomes of a system that holds up testing and charters as holy grails and allows both to spread indiscriminately:

• 80 percent of charters in Michigan are for-profit.
• In Ohio, cyber charters get full funding with no facilities and 100:1 student-teacher ratios. 
• In Colorado, virtual schools have a 25 percent graduation rate.
• Florida pumps billions of dollars into vouchers that support deregulated schools with terrible conditions.
• After 21 years of vouchers and competition, black students in Milwaukee have the lowest scores across nation.
• Under mayoral control since 2002, market reforms and choice have left the achievement gap virtually unchanged in New York City public schools.
• In Washington, D.C., Hispanic, black, and low-income students have the largest achievement gap (a 65-point difference) of any city in the nation.
• Chicago closed 100 neighborhood schools but is still one of the lowest districts in the nation. There have been no gains for black students since 2002 and none for Hispanics since 2005.
• By 2014, all public schools could be labeled failures.

Profits and punishment seem to be the point of current education policies, Ravitch concluded. Although NCLB documents gaps, it does nothing to address the conditions causing these gaps, she added. "Congress is still patting itself on the back for identifying a problem (that we already knew) but doing nothing meaningful to solve it," she said.

Ravitch attempted to inject some common sense into the education reform agenda:

• NCLB is based on a phony claim: the "Texas miracle." In reality, dropouts soared and Texas was in the middle of the pack on assessments.
• Tests should only be used for diagnostic purposes, such as determining whether a student can read.
• No achievement gap was ever closed by closing schools.
• In high-achieving countries like Finland, testing takes a backseat to creativity, innovation, and whole child education.

She also asked some key questions:

• Why are we racing to the top? (A: The top is occupied by the children of the 1 percent; they're not going anywhere.)
• Why would we give more credibility to standardized tests than to the judgment of educators and parents?
• Why is there not enough money to provide the basic public services that every child needs?

When asking who gets left behind, Ravitch said we must look at the two gaps of race and income and consider what policies directly address disparities between these groups. Simply raising the bar and punishing those who do not clear it will not help kids already struggling to do math or speak English, she said.

"We need to stop investing in consultants and start investing in children!" Ravitch declared. She reminded the audience that the racial achievement gap was cut in half in the '70s and '80s, with gains largely attributed to desegration and expanding federal assistance like Head Start, Title 1, and early childhood programs.

"What were we doing then that we need to be doing now? That's what we need to be talking about," she said. Ravitch added that change won't be easy or cheap, but we can make the first step by doing one simple thing: "Realizing that what we're doing now is not working and never will."

Do you agree with Ravitch's critique?

Follow the Opportunity to Learn Campaign's activities on their blog and Twitter.

Stretching Your Technology Dollar

Schools in the United States spend a lot of money on education technology—about $400 per student per year. How can you make sure every dollar counts, especially as district budgets contract?

In "Stretching Your Technology Dollar," in the December issue of Education Leadership, district technology director (and former classroom teacher) Doug Johnson offers strategies for making the most of your technology dollar, including

• Effective budgeting techniques.
• Seeking group discounts and free software.
• Cloud computing.
• Single-point purchasing.
• Maximizing federal E-Rate funding.
• Achieving sustainability and phasing out obsolete technologies.
• Making new technology relevant to classroom use.

How do you get the most for your technology dollar? What technology purchases or practices aren't worth the money?

How Do You Establish Two-Way Communication with Parents?

Feeling lost with your students? Teacher Kevin Mixon says to not be afraid to stop and ask parents for directions in last week's most-clicked ASCD SmartBrief article.

Mixon makes suggestions for broadening school-to-home communication to be more inclusive and solicitous of parent advice and feedback, and he recommends home visits as a way to build rapport and support from parents. His suggestions include

• Using wait time, active listening, and other strategies that foster productive discussion. 
• Keeping a log to document contact but also to help remember details for future calls.
• Surveying parents about their children's learning habits and interests.

What would you add? How do you encourage two-way communication between families and school?

In Case You Missed It

Here's the latest news from ASCD:

• The latest Whole Child Podcast looks at how much emphasis is put on test scores versus the actual students.
• What do you do when you can't share a teachable moment? Read one educator's story.
• ASCD Express hears from different educators about staying resourceful.
• A pair of our most popular community members has written their first-ever collaborative blog post, outlining a framework for principals to support teachers in efforts to integrate the Common Core State Standards.
• Let's focus on the assets rather than deficits of teachers.
• When teachers aren't consulted about the use or placement of technology in the classroom, the technology is not used at all or not to any great extent.
• Four basics—procedures and routines, building community, feedback, and organization—are needed to effectively manage classrooms. 
• Celina Brennan outlines the five components of student learning communities.
• Fred Crawford considers the early college high school model and the difference between "college eligible" and college-ready.
• There's a nice list from Thom Markham with ideas for moving to project-based learning and teaching concepts, not facts. Check out all 10. 
• "It would be awesome if we could just stop saying that we're 'bad at math' or any other topic," Mike Fisher says. When we say it, students hear it, and then we allow them the same out.

Add your own highlights in the comments, and check this spot for our regular weekly digest of ASCD activities.

Reforms Miss Real Targets

In a recent letter to the editor, I argue that current education reforms are misguided on several fronts: their high stakes, standardized testing focus is at odds with innovative, 21st century goals; they make teaching less attractive; and they do not pay enough attention to the influence of poverty.

Consider the disparities between U.S. policies and those of PISA high-achiever, Finland:

A central focus of the Finnish system is the priority on local innovation and absence of standardized testing. Actual teaching time in Finland is among the lowest in the world, and teachers spend more time planning and collaborating than in many school systems. Their school days, are shorter and students study less at home. Becoming a teacher in Finland is a privilege; in fact, less than 10 percent of applicants become teachers.

Conversely, the United States is stuck in conflict between an impetus for 21st century instruction and a spotlight on standardized testing and common curriculum. By definition, "standardization" and "common" actually inhibit innovation and creativity. In many parts of the United States, the trend is toward extended school days, increased teaching time, and significant amounts of homework. And while teacher quality is an enduring issue, with calls for improved performance and preparation, we are in the midst of layoffs and waning resources for teacher training and development. We are making teaching less attractive and more difficult to foster success.

Why do we illogically continue developing new policies not employed and often discouraged by countries whose results we seek to emulate? Although there is nothing wrong with holding professionals accountable for performance standards, I argue that what we really need is to reposition conversations and focus actions on the real targets: implementing known, proven practices and addressing issues of poverty.

Post submitted by Richard Katz, superintendent/principal of Clinton-Glen Gardner School District, Clinton, N.J., and a member of ASCD's Emerging Leaders Class of 2010. Excerpts taken from Katz's November 15, 2011 letter to the Hunterdon County Democrat editor, "Proposed Education Forms Misguided."

Despite Declining Budgets, Schools Can Improve

Schools can improve, despite declining revenues, says educational leadership and policy analysis professor Allan Odden, one of the voices in "Four Takes on Tough Times" in the December issue of Educational Leadership. 

Odden says schools must resist expensive measures that "do little to improve performance . . . small class sizes; demands for increased electives beyond the core subjects of math, language arts, science, history, and world language; and automatic pay hikes." In addition, schools should establish ambitious annual goals, establish an improvement plan aligned with strategic budgeting, and explore virtual schooling.

Declining budgets are a reality for schools, and continuing costly practices will only worsen achievement outcomes. But applying these recommendations can create options for schools to achieve despite shortfalls, Odden argues.

 What's your take on Odden's advice?