Education Obituary

Obituary

By Ross Brenneman — June 02, 2015 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Grant Wiggins, a nationally prominent educator and author who helped usher in a shift in pedagogy, died May 26 of a heart condition. He was 64.

In 1998, with Jay McTighe, Mr. Wiggins wrote Understanding by Design, a book that extolled the virtues of backward planning, in which teachers focus on learning goals and craft a curriculum that drives toward the desired outcomes. The book had a major influence on instructional practices.

He was also the president of Authentic Education, a New Jersey-based education training and consulting firm. He previously worked in secondary education for 14 years, as an English and philosophy teacher, as well as a coach.

Grant Wiggins

Mr. Wiggins wrote like an unstoppable engine, whether through his personal blog “Granted, and ...,” op-ed essays, Twitter, his Authentic Education blog, or letters to the editor. He sought to “facilitate serious and spirited discourse about educational topics of import,” his wife, Denise Wilbur, said last week.

Of Mr. Wiggins’ impact on classroom practice, Diana Neebe, an English teacher and instructional technology coach in California, blogged last week: “The best units, the best lessons, the biggest ‘aha!’ moments in my classes have been fueled by his work.”

A version of this article appeared in the June 03, 2015 edition of Education Week as Obituary

Events

Teaching Profession K-12 Essentials Forum New Insights Into the Teaching Profession
Join this free virtual event to get exclusive insights from Education Week's State of Teaching project.
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz What is a Project 2025 Author Doing at the Education Department? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 11, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Quiz What Is the #1 Factor Boosting Students' STEM Motivation? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 4, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read