A response to Stosich et al.'s (2018) article reviewing ways in which states have taken up performance assessments, this commentary seeks to extend the focus and use of performance assessments to preservice teacher education. As such, the authors describe statewide initiatives in New Hampshire that are working to integrate performance assessments…

Teacher educators worry about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted what and how teacher candidates are able to learn in P-12 field experiences; yet it is possible to view this period as one of opportunity rather than limitation. This commentary argues for a conception of field experience as practice rather than context. When applied across…

When the editors of "Literacy Research and Instruction" invited Donna Alvermann and Glenn Jackson to respond to "Beyond the Common Core: Examining 20 Years of Literacy Priorities and Their Impact on Struggling Readers," they both instantly recognized the strengths and limitations in their collaboration. In the strengths corner,…

Instructional coaching is a reality in many schools today, yet administrators often lack experience or background on how to utilize this professional development model effectively. Instructional coaching can help administrators balance the managerial and instructional leadership responsibilities required of their role. As districts adopt the…

This article reports on an interview with Marcia McCaffrey, the state arts consultant for the New Hampshire Department of Education and current president of the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE). The discussion revolved around how the new arts standards may interact with evolving structures of arts teacher evaluation…

Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, large-scale assessments have come to play a central role in federal and state education accountability systems. Teachers and parents have expressed a number of concerns about their state testing programs, such as too much time devoted to testing and the high-stakes use of testing for teacher evaluation.…

Keeping a uniform, basic arrangement of the school library is essential if students are to be comfortable finding resources in other libraries. Two questions that must be answered if a new system were to be devised are: Who would decide on the particulars of that system? What criteria would be used to make the decision to ensure that use of the…

If veteran teachers made a list of resolutions for what they'd do next school year to better support new teachers in their schools, what actions and approaches should top those lists? The question has high stakes because half of all new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. Researchers have identified "support from the…

Tips to help musicians relax and be more confident as they perform are presented. For example, when complete attention is focused on the music, the mind does not worry about the audience. (RM)

Implementing pay-for-performance salary structures has been used successfully in business and can result in benefits for educational systems when implemented along with other compensation reforms. Business leaders can help in the implementation of teacher pay-for-performance systems in the following ways: (1) ensure that pay-for-performance plans…

Performance contracting offers advantages over traditional grading in that it provides for individualization of instruction, provides for measureable goals and objectives, and allows for individual growth rates. Two methods of performance contracting are possible; the first type calls for the student to determine what grade they desire for the…

To an unprecedented degree, this is the era of educational entrepreneurship. Dynamic new thinkers have waded into the world of K-12 education, founded influential organizations, and shattered familiar conventions. They have developed new models for delivering instruction and recruiting teachers and at the same time have applied old-fashioned…

Discusses how seniority rules in teachers' contracts have affected the performance of public education during the last 10 years of decreasing enrollments and growing power of teachers' unions. The merits of alternative types of employment contracts are considered. (Author/RH)

If competitiors of the United States are making superior products and distributing them more effectively throughout the world, it may be because they are educating workers and managers in ways that create superior skills and discipline. Some U.S. educators agree with businessmen who point to Japan as a model that the United States should strive to…

The purpose and evolution of educational assessment are considered. Alternatives to standardized assessment include performance assessment, authentic assessment, and portfolio assessment. Issues concerning outcomes of the assessment revolution include appropriate standards, associated changes in curricula and grading, and questions regarding…