School science is often very different from "real world" science. One important difference, and possibly the main one, is that in school science the relationships between variables have often been sanitized -- essentially "cleaned up" -- so that there is very little (and often no) variation in the data from the relationship…

This guide is designed to help district and school site leaders assess the professional learning needs of elementary school teachers to implement research-based recommendations for the instruction of English learner students. It comprises two tools--the Teacher Self-Reflection Tool and the Classroom Observation Tool--and outlines a 10-step process…

A large body of research suggests that families' engagement in their children's education is a crucial factor in promoting school success for children and youth. Family engagement in school is associated with improved academic achievement and reductions in social and behavioral problems. Research also suggests that collaboration between schools…

Eliciting, responding to, and advancing students' mathematical thinking all lie at the heart of great teaching. In this article, the authors describe a formative assessment approach that teachers can use to learn more about their students' mathematical thinking and inform their instructional decisions. This assessment approach draws on a widely…

This article is designed to help teachers interpret reading assessment data from DIBELS beyond individual subtests to better support their students' needs. While it is important to understand the individual subtest measures, it is more vital to understand how each fits into the larger picture of reading development. The underlying construct of…

What better way to interest students in mathematics than using a Super Bowl® commercial? A Prudential® insurance commercial aired during the Super Bowl in 2013 was the impetus for this lesson (see it here on You-Tube™: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IsNiKGMSHUQ). In the commercial, four hundred people were polled on "How Old Is the Oldest…

This study analysed the extent to which student-led inquiry is supported by fieldwork booklet design. Roberts' (2003) framework for learning through inquiry was used as lens for analysing the presence of student-led inquiry in the design of nine fieldwork booklets. Observations of teaching practice from two fieldwork activities were also analysed…

Although interim assessments are currently promoted as a mechanism for improving teaching and student learning, we know little about how teachers use this data to modify instruction. This article presents findings from a larger study on teachers' use of interim assessment information in elementary mathematics. We address the following questions:…

Being a critical reader of data is an integral part of being fully literate in today's information age. In this article the authors underscore the interdisciplinary importance of this stance by drawing upon theoretical perspectives from both the fields of language and mathematics. They argue that all texts, including statistical ones, must be…

Increasingly school leaders are being challenged to take a more instructionally focused role in their schools. This paper tracks the leadership challenges through a change process involving an assistant principal and a group of teachers, supported by a consultant, through four phases of an action research project. During the project the…