More than fifty years ago, an idea took hold in Georgia. Eventually called the Foxfire Approach, its main idea is centered around a view of a democratic classroom. Following a general sense of John Dewey's pragmatism, Eliot Wigginton invested his energy and skills into his English classroom to propel students to choose worthwhile activities. This…

Spatial fluency describes the ability and confidence of an individual to navigate and negotiate their experiences in a postdigital world. This paper reflects on teaching and learning experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and its aftermath, and on the volatile nature of social media, and the threats and opportunities afforded by AI. It…

Scientists and other professionals across the globe require employees to collaborate, think critically, and solve problems effectively. To this end, the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) have a vision of ensuring that through inquiry, collaboration, and evidence-based instruction, students will have the necessary skills to be…

The author, a 5th-grade teacher at an independent boys' school, gives a first-person account of how her constant assessments and requirement that her students be active participants in their own learning gainsays the need for high-stakes, standardized testing. She posits a "living assessment" that is intertwined, interactive and…

Author Jonathan Howland writes here that he is hardly the first to suggest that much of the testing going on in the educational system today appears dumb. The tidal change that brought schools the Common Core standards is a maneuver born of an admission: educators took their eye off the ball, testing for too much of the wrong thing--thin skills…

This article examines instructional strategies that middle school educators can use in inclusive settings in order to support the unique needs of culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional (CLDE) students. These nine strategies are appropriate for both typical and atypical learners in a whole group setting, but they are particularly useful…

Emphasizing the deficiencies of standardized assessments in measuring what counts for learners, the author highlights the complexity of assessment as well as the significance of the teacher-student relationship in learning.

This article looks at a process of integrating real-life data investigation in a course on descriptive statistics. Referring to constructivist perspectives, this article suggests a look at the potential of inculcating alternative teaching methods that encourage students to take a more active role in their own learning and participate in the…

In the past year, there was an overall decrease in dropouts at all grade levels in Maryland, with the largest decrease occurring among students in grade 12. Not surprisingly, principals across the state discovered that alternative assessment strategies that were designed to help students from special populations actually worked for all students.…

This article discusses how an active learning environment was created in a community college class and a high school mathematics class using the same approach. In both settings the NCTM and AMATYC Standards, such as problem solving, communication, use of technology and alternate assessment, were fully embraced. The goal was to have students take…

Discusses connections between global education and interdisciplinary teaching and learning, cooperative learning, active learning, and authentic assessment at the middle school level. Considers differences between multicultural education and the broader scope of global education to include international events and interactions among cultures…

Many professions are increasingly emphasizing the role of reflection, encouraging educators to look for appropriate ways to help students engage in reflective practice during their professional preparation. Journal writing is an insightful and powerful instructional technology utilizing strategies that foster understanding and the application of…

This book offers an alternative to the traditional teacher-parent conference by giving the responsibility for assessment to the students. As students reflect on their own learning, seek out the views of others, and prepare their own portfolios, they come to know themselves as learners. The process combines assessment, teacher research, parent…