I just read an article from the Washington Post describing how a middle school in Northern Virginia will be piloting a voluntary program wherein students will attend single sex classes in the core academic areas. I laud this effort. Many students, both boys and girls, will – in my opinion – likely flourish in this [...]

I don’t know when they began calling critical thinking skills “21st Century Skills” – I used them and taught them plenty during the 20th century, but no matter. It seems to be the educational buzzword of the day. And if the trend results in teachers and parents focusing more on communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem [...]

I read an interesting blog post by Dan Brown, a teacher and author of The Great Expectations School: A Rookie Year in the New Blackboard Jungle. He is the also the author of an education blog called Get in the Fracas. Here is an excerpt: “I have a clutch of students who read for pleasure, yet [...]

I love this – it has all the elements of perfect learning: 1. Science tools. 2. Dirty kids. 3. Excitement. 4. Mystery. 5. Discovery. 6.Higher-Level Thinking. In fact, one student said, “This is probably the best science class ever,” (Angus Stewart). What is all this referring to? One teacher teaching science the way it should [...]

I just read an article by Greg Toppo of USA Today. UVA cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham is the author of Why Don’t Students Like School?  Here is a question from an interview with the author: Q: After all we’ve learned about the mind and brain, why is it so difficult to make school enjoyable for students? [...]

“Tell me and I forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I understand.” – Chinese Proverb Constructivist learning, experiential learning, whatever you want to call good teaching where the student is intimately involved as meaning-maker is desirable for the development of true understanding. UC Davis has some wonderful resources for teachers, home [...]

Whether you send your child to public school, private school, or whether you home school, your community no doubt has some treasures – museums, historical societies, science centers, or parks. Here in Virginia, the communities are rich with such treasures, but very few take advantage of these opportunities to learn. When I conduct presentations for [...]

Do you happen to have an auditory / musically inclined learner who is learning to read? (I do.) If so, try using books with a lot of rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration in them. Auditory learners are ‘tuned in’ (literally) to sounds and patterns in sound. Plugging into this strength in their learning style can enhance [...]