What is Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)? Cognitive load theory (CLT) is an instructional design principle at the intersection of psychology and education which helps teachers optimize the learning potential of their students. CLT divides the storage in our brains into 2 fundamental buckets, short-term and long-term memory, and helps define instructional procedures and
What is a Reluctant Learner? How do educators find motivations for students and reluctant learners? Virtually everyone has encountered students who experience some degree of motivation challenges. A wide variety of complex reasons help explain "reluctant learners", including problems at school, problems at home, confidence challenges, and illness. And student engagement plummeted during
Common Core Math Standards and Fractions The myth that Common Core is “new math” can spell disaster for teachers, kids, and parents. For one thing, Common Core has been around since 2010, so it’s hardly still in its infancy. We call the math NEW because we still don’t know how to teach the
By Candace Williams & Marquise Atkinson Across the nation, students are still facing the lingering effects of learning loss due to the pandemic. For students in certain demographics, that learning loss is even more apparent. In many cases, typical approaches to catching students up have not proven effective. What can educators and administrators
By Christina Barragan & Alicia Atkinson What constitutes granular data? Granular data breaks information down into its most detailed parts. In any assessment, the data can be broken down into tiers of granularity. The broadest assessment data is represented by the summative score. From there, the data can be broken down by
Multiple Meanings of the Science of Reading Executive Summary The term Science of Reading has long been applied to reading programs and frameworks. It’s undergone a myriad of changes from its early use in the 1800s to describe pronunciation of primer words, to Kenneth Goodman and Frank Smith’s use to describe their
Global Math Assessments Beginning this fall, American students will participate in a global math study, known as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Beginning in 2000, this study is given every 3 years, however it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so the tests being given this fall are occurring 4
“A growing body of research finds that states that have achieved both equity and adequacy see stronger achievement and graduation rates, which translate into societal savings in lower rates of crime, incarceration and welfare and higher rates of employment, wages and taxes.” (Forbes, 2019) IDEA and Special Education Funding IDEA and its
44%+ teachers leave education within their first five years (Council of Exceptional Children [CEC], 2021). What can you do to make them want to stay? Here are 5 easy tips on how to support and retain your new teachers this school year. Tip 1: Welcome the innovation your new teachers bring. Yes,
Help your students use their data to build confidence It’s that time of the year again! Students all over the country are anticipating their state tests. Some are busy sharpening their #2 pencils, while others are charging their laptops to prepare for testing online for the very first time. Whether your students have a
