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
Creative Learning Environment
If educators are not promoting a respectful climate in a creative learning space, then they're just moving furniture.
Education
Opinion
Professional Development with the Experts Through Twitter
Great teachers know that they don't have to know it all. They just have to know their resources.
Education
Opinion
Catcher's Mitt
Later on, I found my niche. It wasn't baseball; it was school, and running and art and music. Dad and Mom had taught me that life is special. It doesn't always work out the way you want--sometimes it works out better.
Education
Opinion
Why Educators Should Join Twitter
In late July I decided to join Twitter. To be perfectly honest with you I had no idea what I was supposed to do when I got on there but I heard so much about it I thought it would be a worthwhile experience. The only concern was that we have so many distractions already in life that I wasn't sure that I needed to add one more the list.
Education
Opinion
Common Core Standards will be Uncommonly Expensive for School Districts
"Textbooks should be used like a dictionary, not a novel." Unknown
Education
Opinion
Using Social Networking to Build 21st Century Skills
"Good people know that high stakes testing has limited value and they keep operating anyway. They don't let testing get in the way of doing the good work they want to do to get kids prepared for life." Todd Whitaker
Education
Opinion
Four Day Weeks OR Extended Days: Where's the Equity?
Recently there was a story in Education Week entitled Push is On to Add Time to School Day, Year (Fleming). Some schools are adding time to their school day and school year. If done correctly, this will allow teachers the time to focus on great instructional tools like Project-Based Learning (PBL) and perhaps offer students the time to create service learning opportunities within the school district.
Education
Opinion
What if We Taught at Hogwarts?
Every student should be able to get lost in their imagination from time to time. As we grow older there are so many times that we are too busy to retreat within ourselves to imagine bigger ideas. We need to encourage students to do that when they are younger so they can strive for something new in their lives.
Education
Opinion
Parents Shouldn't Have to Talk Educationalese
Are we talking at parents, or are we talking with them?
Education
Opinion
No Testing Week: Part Deux
Although, we have always been a close staff we have had open and honest discussions about testing, NCLB and how we can move forward in a time with so many mandates.
Education
Opinion
Death By Ditto
Everyone uses worksheets but it can be very depressing to see a pile of dittos on a teacher's desk waiting for students as they enter a classroom to begin the day. Although there is always a time when worksheets may be appropriate, dittos can be a symbol of a lack of creativity. We must try to limit there use in classrooms.
Education
Opinion
The Issue of School Climate: A Conversation with Jonathan Cohen
"Educators are now used to data being used as a hammer rather than a flashlight." Jonathan Cohen
Education
Opinion
Parent-Teacher Conferences WITHOUT Report Cards
Report cards have long been the focal point of the first parent-teacher conference of the school year. In the mind of the teacher, as well as the parent, it always made sense to have the report card sitting front and center as they discussed the academic progress of a child. However, instead of making grading the focus of the conversation, many school districts are making the student the center of attention by having parent teacher conferences without the report card.
Education
Opinion
High Stakes Testing is not a 21st Century Skill
Recently, New York State test scores were released to the public and showed that students scored lower in the areas of ELA and math than in previous years. The results were quickly announced by the media. Even the national news chimed in to report the devastating results of the high stakes tests.