What A Parent Wants From A School

As a parent, I look for two categories of attributes when choosing a school for my child: – Ones which benefit my child directly – Ones which benefit my child indirectly, by helping others (teachers, parents) do their jobs more effectivelySchools that satisfy more of the attributes in both categories are likely to have happier…… Continue reading What A Parent Wants From A School

Flipped Classroom: It’s About Timely Formative Feedback

The phrase “Flipped Classroom” is appearing with increasing frequency in publications and blog postings. Yet, it seems to mean different things to different people. Many of the references I see to flipped classrooms are made by people or organizations who have a vested interest in selling goods or services, which probably affects their view of…… Continue reading Flipped Classroom: It’s About Timely Formative Feedback

Projects vs Problems in Math Class

What is the difference between a Problem and a Project? While it is difficult to draw a definitive line that separates one from the other, the attributes of each and their differences as I see them are: Problems Require less student time to complete (usually less than an hour) Focus on a single task, with fewer…… Continue reading Projects vs Problems in Math Class

Ten Skills Every Student Should Learn

A recent eSchool News article by Meris Stansbury lists ten skills cited by its readers as being most important for today’s students to acquire: Read Type Write Communicate effectively, and with respect Question Be resourceful Be accountable Know how to learn Think critically Be happy The list is interesting to ponder. I would not argue that any…… Continue reading Ten Skills Every Student Should Learn

Game-like Engagement

A New York Times Magazine article titled “Games Theory” (September 19, 2010) mentioned some interesting points: – “going to school can and should be more like playing a game, which is to say it could be made more participatory, more immersive and also, well, fun.” – One way to “make school more relevant and engaging” to…… Continue reading Game-like Engagement

Standards Based Grading Trial

After reading a number of blog postings about Standards Based Grading (SBG), I tried a hybrid version of it during the Fall semester of 2010 in an Algebra I class and three Algebra II classes. What follows is a description of how I approached things, what worked, and what didn’t. Grading Policy Approximately 40% of…… Continue reading Standards Based Grading Trial