Peter DeWitt is the founder and CEO of the Instructional Leadership Collective. A former public school teacher and principal, he now facilitates professional learning in the United States and abroad based on the content of many of his best-selling educational books. Former superintendent Michael Nelson is a frequent contributor to this opinion blog. He is the co-leader of ILC and a former superintendent who has been an educator for more than 40 years.
Education
Opinion
'Testing for Joy and Grit'? I Don't Think So.
The NY Times recently ran a story about testing for joy and grit. Seriously? It seems as though joy and grit are really just used for compliance.
Education
Opinion
12 Words That Should Be in Our Educational Vocabulary
The other days I posted about 12 words that should be banned from our educational vocabulary. Here are 12 that I believe should be added.
Education
Opinion
Should These 10 Educational Words Be Banished?
Words in education can bring on a visceral reaction by educators. Here are 10 words that should no longer be in fashion in 2016.
Education
Opinion
Do Teachers Need Response to Intervention?
Response to Intervention (RTI) has been proven to work with students. Why don't we use it with teachers?
Education
Opinion
Is Collaboration One-Sided?
Too often, education leaders believe that the point of collaboration is to further their own interests.
Education
Opinion
Why We Shouldn't Hire From the Gut
We often approach interviews as a "desexualized version of a date" and hire from the gut. There are many reasons why that's the wrong way to go.
Education
Opinion
Why Learning Intentions Don't Necessarily Work
Too many times students are forced to do an activity that surrounds a concept they already know. The activities focus on doing something, rather than learning something. We need to stop doing that.
Education
Opinion
Feedback: How Good Are You at Receiving It?
Feedback is easier to give than to get. Here are a few ways to take it all in without letting it ruin your day.
Education
Opinion
Ability Grouping or Mixed Grouping: A Point of Contention?
In a recent blog post, Shirley Clarke wrote about how ability grouping doesn't work, and it raised quite a stir. I would suggest that mixed-ability grouping doesn't either, because many people use it by name alone.
Education
Opinion
Should Teachers 'Come Out'?
Why is it that straight teachers can talk about their lives, but as soon as a gay teacher talks about hers it has to be about pushing an agenda?
Education
Opinion
Why Do We Need Tomorrow's Classrooms Today?
Many classrooms still look like they did yesterday and yesteryear. We need to be talking about tomorrow's classrooms today, and there is a venue where this will be happening, and some awesome educators leading the discussion.
Education
Opinion
Why Do We Have a Deficit Mindset With ELL/ENL Students?
Why is it that when we talk about ELL/ENL and indigenous students we seem to focus on what they can't do rather than what they can do?
Education
Opinion
Changing State Testing From the 'Autopsy' Model
How do we get leaders and policymakers to step away from the autopsy model of assessment that state tests seem to focus on?