Report: NYC sees sudden decline in test scores
More New York City high-school students are failing English-language arts and algebra exams five years since the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, according to a report by education policy consultant David Rubel. Morgan Polikoff, a professor at the University of Southern California’s school of education, describes the decline as “odd,” saying that scores typically go down initially after adopting a new assessment but rise over time.
Full Story: The Hechinger Report
Tips for teaching students self-compassion
Teaching students self-compassion can help them develop resilience and strength, asserts Kristin Neff, a psychology professor at the University of Texas. Neff says this is a learnable skill and offers tips for modeling this behavior to young people, including practicing compassionate self-talk during challenges.
Full Story: KQED-TV/FM (San Francisco)
How can schools improve assessments?
Seventeen teams of education leaders were awarded grants from the Assessment for Learning Project to explore systems that measure more than math, reading and content knowledge. One grantee, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, partnered with 11 school districts in the state to introduce student-led assessments, which include time to reflect on learning, capstone projects and student-led conferences.
Full Story: The Hechinger Report
How brain science can inform education
Understanding of how the brain matures can help to improve teaching and learning, Heather Riley and Youki Terada write, citing different research reports. Stanford professor Linda Darling-Hammond shares several adjustments that schools can make to align with the science of learning, including providing safe, supportive places for learning to take place.
Full Story: Edutopia online
Educators tap video games to improve outcomes
Some teachers are using video games to help engage students and boost learning. A Connecticut school district reported some evidence of improved outcomes after students began using DreamBox, a game that helps teach math.
Full Story: The Associated Press
Audrey Altmann is an editorial assistant at SmartBrief.
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