In 2013, Education Week published in print and online more than 100 thoughtful Commentaries on education issues. To give a sense of which opinion essays our readers found most compelling, the editors at Education Week have compiled a list of our 10 most-viewed Commentaries. Below, they are ordered by the number of online page views they generated. Revisit these Commentaries and examine perspectives you may have missed in 2013.
1. A Sandy Hook Parent’s Letter to Teachers
Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose daughter Ana Grace was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School last year, writes about the courage of teachers. (September 6, 2013)
2. We’re Teaching History Wrong
For many students, history is not presented as an edifying learning experience but rather a litany of disconnected events, writes Vicky Schippers. (January 29, 2013)
3. An Opportunity to Talk About Testing
Protesting teachers at a Seattle high school leave the door open for an important discussion about the quality of assessments, writes Celine Coggins. (February 13, 2013)
4. A Nation at Risk: Where Are We Now?
Education Week Commentary editors look at academic, demographic, and other trends since the landmark report was released 30 years ago. (April 23, 2013)
5. How Do You Evaluate Teachers Who Change Lives?
Can evaluation rubrics capture the qualities that make some teachers extraordinary, asks Lorraine Bellon Cella. (April 16, 2013)
6. Why Grades Should Reflect Mastery, Not Speed
Schools need to change their grading to truly reflect students’ comprehension of subjects, Ryan McLane writes. (June 3, 2013)
7. Taking a Relationship-Centered Approach to Education
When schools employ a transdisciplinary model for teaching and learning, students thrive, Tyler S. Thigpen writes. (September 10, 2013)
8. Mr. Obama: Most Schools Aren’t Like Your Daughters’ School
Why can’t children in public schools have the same rich learning experiences that President Obama’s daughters receive, Alan C. Jones asks. (January 22, 2013)
9. It’s Not the Test That Made Them Cheat
No good can come of shifting the blame from the perpetrators to the system when it comes to organized cheating on standardized tests, writes Michael J. Feuer. (April 17, 2013)
10. Encouraging Educator Courage
Teachers need to stand up for their principles, even if it means being labeled as troublemakers, Alfie Kohn writes. (September 16, 2013)