Report grades states on student achievement
Massachusetts ranked first in the country in Education Week’s latest Quality Counts report. The annual assessment ranks states based on educational data, including fourth- and eighth-grade students’ math and reading exam results, and high-school graduation rates.
Full Story: Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyo.) (tiered subscription model), Orlando Sentinel (Fla.) (tiered subscription model)
Should schools require in-class presentations?
Some students are calling for an end to in-class presentations saying they are too stressful for students, especially those with anxiety. Some educators say they see value in forcing students to make presentations to prepare them for future careers, but others, such as Colorado high-school history teacher Travis Grandt, say there are many alternative ways for students to present information.
Full Story:The Atlantic online, Education Week Teacher (tiered subscription model)
Superintendent: How to personalize learning
Personalizing instruction goes beyond technology, writes Bill Shields, superintendent of an Illinois school district that has been working to shift to personalized instruction since 2012. In this commentary, he shares six strategies the district has adopted, including giving teachers more professional development and looking for partners.
Full Story: eSchool News
Educator: Engage parents to boost learning
Outcomes for students improved after one school prioritized parent engagement, writes Meghan Everette, a math coach and Utah ASCD board member. In this blog post, she shares several successful strategies her school used to engage parents, including by organizing thematic events.
Full Story: Edutopia online
Educator shares 9 leadership mistakes
Effective school leaders should be able to recognize and avoid potential missteps, writes Matthew Joseph of Milford Public Schools in Milford, Mass. In this commentary, he shares nine common leadership mistakes, including trying to be popular and failing to properly define goals.
Full Story: eSchool News
Audrey Altmann is an editorial assistant at SmartBrief.
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This “most read” feature reflects the most read items in ASCD SmartBrief from the previous week. Sign up for ASCD SmartBrief to get news like this in your inbox, or check out all of SmartBrief’s education newsletters, covering career and technical education, educational leadership, math education and more.