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Sympathy for the disruptor
A student walks into class 10 minutes late and yells, "What's up, bitches?" What's a teacher to do? To cope with a rising tide of student...

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 1, 20233 min read


Death wish: Contempt for parents will destroy public ed
Public schools are trouble. Trust is low. Enrollment is falling. Parents are embracing new alternatives. Is transgender policy the hill...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 25, 20232 min read


'Learning stations' are glitzy busywork: Teachers should teach
"Learning stations" are a waste of time, writes Daniel Buck. Motivated achievers may be able to learn independently, but most students...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 23, 20232 min read


NYC will spend billions to cut class sizes: Who'll get the good teachers?
State-mandated cuts in class sizes primarily will benefit New York City students in low-poverty schools, report Alex Zimmerman and Matt...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 22, 20232 min read


Apprenticeship-to-degree model launches debt-free careers
How do you get a job at Goldman Sachs? In the U.S., it usually takes a degree from an elite college to get in the door. In Britain,...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 20, 20232 min read


California pledges $4 billion for 'community schools' -- but do students learn more?
There were high hopes for Akron's I Promise School when it opened in 2018, writes Mike Antonucci on The 74. With lots of extra funding...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 18, 20232 min read


Afraid to teach: 'It's safer to avoid current events'
Polarization is chilling classroom dialogue, according to a series of interviews with teachers by the Constructive Dialogue Institute...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 14, 20231 min read


AI can be a teaching and learning tool -- or a crutch
Bots powered by artificial intelligence are getting smarter and smarter. Will people get dumb and dumber? Rick Hess of the American...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 11, 20233 min read


Absent teachers: Why learning is still disrupted
A rise in teacher absenteeism is disrupting learning, concludes TNTP, Talent Framework: Designing the Workforce of Tomorrow to Support...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 4, 20231 min read


'D' is for 'didn't show up or do the work'
“You’ll have a kid who does nothing for the whole semester, and then last two weeks of May or June, they’ll do a couple assignments and...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 4, 20231 min read


Take a deep breath: NYC schools will spend $31,434 per student
New York City schools are spending more while enrolling fewer students, reports Kristina Watrobski for Crisis in the Classroom. Since...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 1, 20232 min read


'Like a Surgeon'
Teachers in Houston's turnaround schools will be treated like surgeons, pledges Superintendent Mike Miles.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 31, 20231 min read


Houston school plan: No disruptive kids in class -- and no librarians
Teachers will earn more and have "apprentices" and aides to handle mundane chores. They'll use scripted curricula instead of spending...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 31, 20232 min read


Traumatizing math students
There's no evidence that "trauma-deformed pedagogy" (oops, "informed") helps students learn more, writes Max Eden, an American Enterprise...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 27, 20233 min read


What works in teaching English (discussion) may not work in teaching math
The most effective use of class time depends on the subject, concludes a study conducted in high-poverty English high schools, reports...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 26, 20231 min read


Trouble with teachers: Why there's no post-Covid rebound
A crisis in classroom teaching quality is forcing school systems to "abandon once-ambitious student recovery plans," concludes a report...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 26, 20232 min read


Chaos: I tried to teach for America, and I failed
"Too many teachers mistake the generally sound advice to not provide a stand off with a student during class with "don't assert authority...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 18, 20233 min read


Doing more of what wasn't working won't help kids catch up
"If we really want to narrow gaps and make up for pandemic-related learning loss, we need to change what and how we teach -- especially...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 13, 20231 min read


ACE worked in Dallas -- till the money went away
You get what you pay for, writes Hannah Putnam on the NCTQ blog. Bonuses persuaded highly effective teachers to take jobs at...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 12, 20231 min read


Why I won't hire a tutor for my daughter
Alina Adams' daughter didn't learn any Spanish in ninth-grade Spanish 1. Her New York City school couldn't find a permanent teacher, so...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 11, 20231 min read
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