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In 7th grade, I started Algebra I. At the time, I was a happy and social kid, not especially focused, but definitely a straight-A student. I had spent 3rd grade in test-in special math classes, but in algebra, I flopped miserably. My teacher was this military-esque woman who steamrolled us and never explained to me what “equal” meant. My parents said that if I didn’t get my grade up from my first-ever “C,” I couldn’t swim anymore. So I fumbled along and made it happen, but I honestly never understood what was happening in that class. 8th grade geometry was a blast – fat A, one of the highest averages. Then came Algebra II. Another nightmare. A cute little old man who wrote quickly on the board as he bounced on his toes. He thought we all knew Algebra I, so he would skip full solutions, instead writing, “S. M. A.” for, “Some More

We are delighted to share the success of our client, the National Head Start Association (NHSA)! This past year, Pensarus led the strategy and development of the National Head Start Association’s Go Smart web app! We helped NHSA manage funding from Nike, Inc. and garner White House attention to translate a proven supplemental curriculum into a cost-effective and broadly accessible mobile web app! On October 1st, NHSA launched the Go Smart web app developed in partnership with Nike and created to engineer movement back into the daily lives of young children. Designed to address the epidemic of physical inactivity, the Go Smart web app is a “coach in your pocket” that gives teachers, caregivers and parents of children aged 0-5 easy access to fun physical activities anytime, anywhere, on any device. Beautifully designed by an international team of illustrators, Go Smart offers an invi

Common Core is an issue of Change Management. Reading opinions about common core, I am struck by the fact that America has an educational change management problem. The Oklahoma state legislature recently voted to repeal the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching standards in the state and allow Oklahomans to create new English and Math standards.  Oklahoma will be using their old standards as a “stop-gap” until new standards can be drawn up by the State Board of Education. Now, Oklahoma is serving as the beacon for other states that may repeal common core. Articles report that in Missouri, the governor has signed a bill that will “replace national Common Core education mandates with Missouri’s own set of educational criteria.” Common Core standards will be abolished by the 2016-2017 school year, and new state standards will be established with a built-in pro

I definitely found this piece interesting… “Former Dean of Admissions for Bates College William Hiss led [a] study which tracked the grades and graduation rates of students who submitted their test results against those who did not over several years. Hiss’ data showed that there was a negligible difference in college performance between the two groups. Only .05 percent of a GPA point set “submitters” and “non-submitters” apart, and the difference in their graduation rates was just .6 percent.” Amazing. We’ve been relying upon college entrance exams for years, saying that they more accurately communicate actual potential for academic performance than good grades will, as the latter may be harder or easier to achieve depending upon the school. Everybody can recall classes where easy-A’s were awarded. I also remember working in a school where almost all of the

The statements in this article are special – not because they have a strong research backing; rather, they are special because they are clear and elegant and they resonate with every educator. Teachers can enjoy working in Ms. Getz’s school. She appears to blend rigor with grace, reality, and understanding. The statements pay hommage to artifacts of the “old way” that still have relevance to the way great schools become so, and how teachers are inspired to make magic with their students. They reassert the essence of good teaching… “Many are the ways Ms. Getz evaluates teachers. She regularly visits classrooms. She looks at the written materials they send to families and the administration. She watches them during group planning sessions with other teachers. She studies their lesson plans and notices how they maintain their rooms, when they show up for