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Raising Young Sheldon -- or anti-Sheldon
Young Sheldon, which finished its seven-year run last month, shows the challenges of “parenting a very bright child,” writes Jonathan...

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 15, 20243 min read


Ready to teach? Unions fight tests, assessments for new teachers
Teachers' unions don't like skills or knowledge tests for teachers -- unless everyone passes. They're too stressful. They're not aligned...

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 13, 20242 min read


Sold a story problem: Start simple, build mastery, says Jump Math founder
Jamal and Maria don't have any apples. Aidan has three Fujis from the supermarket and Olivia has five Honeycrisps from Trader Joe's....

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 4, 20242 min read


If teachers ban AI for students, can they use it for grading?
Can teachers ban AI for students' writing but use it for grading?

Joanne Jacobs
May 26, 20242 min read


Teachers say students' behavior is bad, and getting worse
Half of U.S. teachers say most of their students exhibit poor or fair behavior, according to a Pew survey. The numbers are almost...

Joanne Jacobs
May 15, 20242 min read


Education degrees don't pay: What can we do about it?
"Majoring in education has a near ZERO return on investment for lifetime earnings," notes Matthew Kraft, citing a new report that...

Joanne Jacobs
May 15, 20242 min read


It's 'MATH-ish' -- but is it math?
Stanford will not investigate a complaint accusing Education Professor Jo Boaler of “reckless disregard for accuracy” by misrepresenting...

Joanne Jacobs
May 7, 20243 min read


Kids can learn a lot more math -- and have fun -- in kindergarten
Kindergarten math may be too easy, writes Holley Korbey for the Hechinger Report. The focus is on reading. Math expectations are low. In...

Joanne Jacobs
May 6, 20241 min read


DIY math: Many high school teachers rewrite the curriculum
Many teachers are creating -- or downloading -- their own math materials, according to a recent survey, writes Hechinger's Jill Barshay....

Joanne Jacobs
May 6, 20241 min read


How a middle school kicked the phone habit
Smartphones are a major classroom distraction, say nearly three-fourths of high school teachers and a third of middle school teachers in...

Joanne Jacobs
May 5, 20242 min read


Why I quit teaching: Pay was OK, but not the loss of autonomy
Ben Stein quit teaching after 20 years as a teacher and coach in the West Des Moines school district, he writes on USA Today. He was...

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 2, 20242 min read


Teachers aren't unhappy or underpaid
Most teachers like teaching, enjoy the flexible work schedule, live comfortably and are no more likely to quit their profession than...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 26, 20241 min read


Old school: Strict and safe is making a comeback
"Super strict schools" are "increasingly popular" in England, writes Emma Bubola in the New York Times. She focuses on Michaela, an...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 18, 20242 min read


Teach the children: 'Is the Soviet Union a country?'
Teaching is "oppressive." Teachers should "guide" students to discover things on their own, based on their interests, but shouldn't...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 16, 20242 min read


Teaching science and social studies improves reading (and math)
After a long battle to persuade educators they need to teach phonics, systematically and explicitly, the science of reading has moved on...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 12, 20242 min read


'Don't say gay' when you're supposed to be teaching fractions
One out of three classroom teachers are working under "gag orders" that limit their speech on gender, sexuality and critical race theory,...

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 26, 20242 min read


Poet X replaces Romeo: Why high school students can't read
Adam Kotsko, who teaches humanities at a small liberal arts college, finds that even his best students are unprepared to read and...

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 23, 20241 min read


Rewarding good behavior works -- but what about the love of learning?
Awarding "points" for good classroom behavior improves behavior -- without destroying intrinsic motivation, writes Emily Oster on her...

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 13, 20241 min read


No extra credit for Kleenex: 'Equitable grading' is honest -- not easy, says advocate
"Equitable grading" isn't a strategy to inflate grades and lower expectations, argues Joe Feldman, author of Grading for Equity and CEO...

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 13, 20242 min read


Teachers are fed up with student misbehavior, classroom chaos
The "new normal" of student behavior -- a toxic mix of disrespect, disruption, violence and apathy -- is driving teachers to despair,...

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 24, 20243 min read
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