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Improving Learning

A comprehensive look at the latest trends, expert advice and recent studies into improving student learning. Explore the latest studies into links between student performance, sleep and music. See why schools are opting for later start times and year round schedules.

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<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">The Evolving Role of Interim Assessments
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The Evolving Role of Interim Assessments
Explore the often-overlooked tool in K-12 education - interim assessments. Understand what they are, their importance, and how they can enhance your child's learning experience. Dive into real-world case studies and find out how technology is changing the game. This informative, parent-friendly article aims to shed light on the value of these assessments in today's educational landscape.

Let's talk about school tests. Remember those pop quizzes, final exams, and everything in between? Today, I'd like to introduce you to a type of assessment you may need to learn about - . In an ever-evolving education landscape, these play a crucial role.

Understanding Interim Assessments

Interim assessments are like temperature checks for learning. They happen a few times throughout the school year, helping teachers gauge where students are in their learning process. Unlike the pop quizzes (formative assessments) that check daily learning or the end-of-year exams (summative assessments) that measure what a student has learned, interim assessments sit snugly in between. These can be benchmarks to compare student learning against standards, diagnostics to pinpoint specific gaps, or progress monitoring tests to see how well a student is advancing in their learning journey.

The Importance of Interim Assessments

Think of your child's learning journey as a road trip. You wouldn't want to drive across the country without a GPS or roadmap, right? Interim assessments are like GPS, providing regular updates on where the students are and helping teachers navigate the teaching process more effectively. They allow teachers to adapt their instruction to meet your child's needs. As a parent, they give you a more nuanced understanding of your child's progress beyond the report cards and parent-teacher meetings.

This video shows the approach to planning interim assessment tests that the Connecticut Department of Education takes.

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<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">What Public School Students Should Expect After COVID-19
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What Public School Students Should Expect After COVID-19
In this article, we鈥檒l take a closer look at the financial impact of COVID-19 on public schools and what to expect in the future. We鈥檒l talk about the effects of budget cuts and other challenges affecting the public school system for the remainder of this school year and into the next.

The coronavirus pandemic entered the United States with force, shutting down businesses and closing down schools in a matter of weeks. After months of partial or total lockdown, parts of the country are starting to reopen which leaves parents wondering what the future holds for their child鈥檚 education.

In this article, we鈥檒l take a closer look at the financial impact of COVID-19 on public schools and what to expect in the future. We鈥檒l talk about the effects of budget cuts and other challenges affecting the public school system for the remainder of this school year and into the next.

Budget Cuts and Changes in State Revenue

The public school system is generally funded by the state through income, property, and sales taxes. Some public schools receive federal funding as well, or funding from outside sources.

In many cases, the school districts that need the most funding are not the ones that get it. In Pennsylvania, for example, high-poverty districts receive 33% less funding than wealthier districts. On the whole, only about 1 out of 5 states spend more money on their neediest schools, though that鈥檚 an improvement from 2008. In the wake of COVID-19, many public schools fear for their futures.

In Michigan, the Kalamazoo Public School鈥檚 budget is expected to decrease by 10% to 25% in the coming school year. A 25% cut in funding amounts to roughly $27 million. According to KPS , it鈥檚 the worst state cut he鈥檚 ever

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<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">How Scaffolding Could Change the Way Your Child Learns
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How Scaffolding Could Change the Way Your Child Learns
Every child learns differently and it鈥檚 a teacher鈥檚 job to meet students where they are and guide them through the learning process. Scaffolding is a teaching tool that helps students develop critical thinking skills and the ability to learn independently.

It is a teacher鈥檚 job to shape the minds of the nation鈥檚 youth, teaching them the concepts and skills they鈥檒l need to become functional adults. Early childhood education is critical and can affect everything from a student鈥檚 future academic success to his mental and emotional health.

Every child learns differently, and his educational success depends, in large part, on his teachers and their method of instruction. Children learn by listening, observing, exploring, and asking questions. The more a child understands the 鈥渨hat鈥 and 鈥渨hy鈥 of the lesson, the more motivated and engaged they will be. Scaffolding is an instructional tool teachers use to develop critical thinking skills and other skills they need to work more independently.

Read on to learn more about scaffolding, how it differs from other teaching methods, and its benefits for student success.

What is Instructional Scaffolding?

In higher education, students are often left to their own devices to take a project from the assignment phase to completion. A college professor might give a classroom full of students a research article and ask them to write a detailed essay about the critical topic. As the professor in this example, you might expect mixed results. Some students are more than capable of completing a project with minimal instruction, while others might struggle. In many ways, it comes down to how the student was taught in his early education years.

that breaks up a lesson or project into

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<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">10 Top Study Tips for High School Students Preparing for College
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10 Top Study Tips for High School Students Preparing for College
Are you preparing to make the transition from high school to college? Many things are going to change for you in the coming years, so prepare for them academically by learning strong study skills now that you can apply during your college years.

Preparing for college can be nerve-wracking for a high school student, even if you鈥檝e already been accepted by a school. During that final year of high school, it may be difficult to concentrate on academics, but you want to show your college that you aren鈥檛 slacking off just because you鈥檝e already been accepted. It is always important to do your best.

This video offers a step-by-step plan to help you organize your week.

As you prepare for college, not only should you be keeping up with your schoolwork, but you should take some time to evaluate your study habits to see if you are properly prepared for college. In this article, you鈥檒l receive the top ten study tips to get you ready for the transition into college.

How Much Studying Do College Students Do?

According to a national study, the average full-time college student spends about 15 hours per week studying. Of course, the number of hours a student spends studying doesn鈥檛 necessarily correlate with their level of academic success. For example, students who studied an average of 20 hours per week or more were not always fully prepared for class, according to the results of a campus-wide student engagement survey. The amount of time students spend studying may also depend on their major and their class load. For example, senior engineering students reported 19 hours of study per week while students in the

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<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">Homework: Creating A Healthy Environment
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Homework: Creating A Healthy Environment
Homework has become deeply ingrained in the U.S. educational system, but how much homework is too much and how can you create a healthy environment for your child to do schoolwork at home?

Doing homework is an unavoidable part of being a student but some children have more trouble than others doing school work on their own at home. As a parent, it is your job to get your child the help he or she needs to learn and to thrive academically 鈥 you should also think about ways to create a healthy environment for doing homework at home. Keep reading to learn more about minimizing distractions and cultivating a good homework environment for your child.

The History of Homework

Homework has become a tradition in academic environments, but where does this tradition come from? The concept of extra school work that must be completed at home has become engrained in U.S. academic culture and some believe that it doesn鈥檛 provide much value for students. The use of homework has changed as the course of education in history has changed. During the late 19th century, education for primary grades was irregular and most classrooms contained students of different ages. Primary students were rarely assigned homework and the older students got, the more likely they were to leave school for the workforce. In the early 20th century, there was a rise in progressive education as well as an anti-homework movement. When the Cold War came around, however, homework once more rose its ugly head as America became obsessed about competing with the Russians. In the years since the pro-homework movement gained strength but it is once more starting to come into question.

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麻豆果冻传媒 Articles

Drug Testing Teachers: Testing Positive or Negative?
Drug Testing Teachers: Testing Positive or Negative?
This article examines the ongoing debate about drug testing for teachers in public schools. It discusses the rationale behind such policies, privacy concerns, cost implications, and the relatively low prevalence of drug use among educators. The piece also explores future considerations for drug testing policies in educational settings.
Head in the Clouds: Why Public Schools are Embracing Cloud Computing
Head in the Clouds: Why Public Schools are Embracing Cloud Computing
Explore how public schools are integrating cloud computing into their educational frameworks. Understand the advantages such as enhanced collaboration, cost savings, and accessibility, as well as the challenges schools face in adopting this technology.
Understanding Rubrics
September 27, 2024
Understanding Rubrics
This article explores the fundamental principles of rubrics in education, focusing on their role as assessment tools. It breaks down the key components of rubrics, including criteria, performance levels, and descriptors. The piece also delves into the two main types of rubrics - holistic and analytic - providing authoritative definitions and explaining their unique applications in educational settings.