Diving Deeper Into Learning

Deeper Learning is a term that represents a new direction in education that goes beyond the knowledge of content, to something which usually is hard to measure. What is beyond content?  Skills like problem-solving, critical-thinking, creativity, and collaboration.   The Hewlett Foundation has commissioned a major study of Deeper Learning, and is now committed to…

Differentiation Strategies: Teaching Grade-Level Content to ALL Students

For more than a decade, the DataWORKS tagline has been “All students successfully taught grade-level work every day.” This is an important concept that we truly believe in, as it places the same expectations on all students, in every classroom. Every classroom has a diverse student population, however. Some students need additional support before tackling…

STEM vs. STEAM

Acronym Alphabet Soup   Education is littered with a variety of acronyms.  “EOCs MSL,” and “Good PD fosters a solid PLC,” are actual sentences.  For anyone who isn’t shoulder deep in educational acronyms, these sentences translates to “End of Course tests Measure Student Learning” and “Good Professional Development fosters a solid Professional Learning Community.”  STEM…

Successful Pair-Sharing

There are many specific strategies you can use that contribute to effective and successful Pair-Sharing.   (1) Desk Arrangement. Desks need to be suitably arranged so students have physical access to their pair-share partner. Move the desks if necessary. Most teachers are sliding rows of desks closer together. Also, students need to face the teacher…

15 Reasons to Pair-Share

Pair-Shares are super important for multiple reasons. Here are fifteen reasons. Each one of them justifies the use of Pair-Shares.   (1) Every student orally answers every question. Pair-Shares go beyond having students think of an answer. Now, all of them are actually saying the answer aloud. Think about it. Every student orally answers every…

Common Core Literacy Standards

  The Common Core State Standards include literacy standards that are to be used in history, science, and other technical subjects. These standards focus on developing literacy outside of the English classroom beginning in the 6th grade. There are three major components to these: Reading in History; Reading in Science and Technical Subjects; and Writing…