Research and Reflections
Delve into new research and perspectives on instructional materials and practice.
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Limiting “Teacher Talk,” Increasing Student Work!
A team of teachers share strategies to increase student ownership in literacy
Learning From Mistakes: Easier Said Than Done
How can you turn mistake-making into mistake-learning in your classroom?
Standardized Assessment from the Student Perspective
What educators can learn from current students’ reflections on their assessment experiences
Novice Wisdom
How novice teachers are building the foundation for the future of education
Part 3
What Role Do Teachers Play in Empowering Students?
The difference between teaching and educating
Part 1
The Impact of Positive Representation in the Classroom
Showcasing Black brilliance is essential
Low Expectations Are Prevalent but Preventable
Unpacking and addressing biases as educators
Prioritizing Your Work During Times of Overload
A process for unpacking priorities for educators
Debunking the Myth of the “Math Person”
What messages are we sending students?
Part 2
What Is Academic Success?
Reimagining how to foster academic success in the classroom and document students' growth
Learning New Tricks
How veteran teachers are thriving in this shifting educational landscape
Greeting Mistakes with a Smile and a Question
Creating the conditions for experimentation in our schools
To Teach the Truth
Teaching a more complete history
Prerequisites in Mathematics
Necessity or Unnecessary?
Helping Our Students See Themselves and the World Through the Books They Read in Our Classrooms
The impact of text selection on students
What’s in a name?
Undoing a deficit framing of our English learners
Hip-Hop and Education. An Odd Couple No More!
A culturally responsive approach to boost Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
“SCCANning” Your Library for Culturally Relevant Books
A method for ensuring ALL students see themselves in books
The Power of Students’ Self-Perception
Countering stereotypes and promoting positive math self-identities
Part 3
Amplifying Student Brilliance in Mathematics Is Critical
How to see more than one ray of mathematical sunshine
Part 1
The Power of Representation in Culturally Relevant Texts
Celebrating children of color in the classroom
You Can’t Tackle Culturally Responsive Teaching Without Addressing Teacher Language Ideologies
Social justice work in the classroom begins by examining our beliefs about language.
Why A Skills-Based Approach Is Failing Students in Reading
A reflection on Natalie Wexler’s The Knowledge Gap
Part 3
On English Learners and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Why the hip-hop mindset applies across the board
Part 2
On Student Genius and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
The connections between hip-hop and student brilliance
Part 1
On Hip Hop and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Why staying fresh is critical to student learning
Let’s Not Make Power ELA/Literacy Standards and Talk About Why We Didn’t
Concerns about the effect of "power standards" on student learning
Beyond the “Magic Bullet”: Lessons on the Integration of High-Quality Instructional Materials and Personalized Learning
Five fundamental findings from independent research conducted by Student Achievement Partners and the Highlander Institute
Feeling Good About Being “Bad” at Math
Rethinking how we communicate our values in the classroom
Every Student Can Learn
Confronting entrenched beliefs about student ability
Dual Immersion Instruction: The Promise of Equitable, Effective Instruction for English Learners
Research points to the benefits of dual immersion instruction
What the Data Can’t Tell Us
Concerns about summative assessment in a pandemic year
Transforming Literacy Instruction
An opportunity to equitably accelerate students’ literacy development
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Knowledge-Building Model Lessons for Middle and High School
Rethinking how we define “text” to engage older students and accelerate learning
Part 2
What Principles Must Underlie Successful Personalized Learning?
What educators should consider when selecting or using personalized learning approaches to accelerate literacy outcomes
Part 1
Is it Possible to Use Personalized Learning to Accelerate Students’ Literacy Outcomes in the Time of COVID?
Examining the research base
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Two Facts: We Are Better Together, And We Can Do Hard Things
Exploring what it means to be “good at math"
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How Honestly Willing Are We to Create Equitable Opportunities and Experiences for All Students?
Transforming education by leading teachers to empower students
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Growing Your Craft, Virtually!
Achieve the Core’s webinars can help your K-12 staff grow and reflect!
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Why Teaching Justice Through Reading & Writing Cannot Wait
How teachers can enact change and combat racism through purposeful discussions and literary curricula
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You Have a List of Culturally Diverse Texts. Now What?
Guidance on facilitating classroom lessons and discussions that push student thinking
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Digital Coaching Menus Bring the Professional Learning Principles To Life
Designing effective coaching sessions that reflect teacher needs
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What to Consider if You’re Adopting a New ELA/Literacy Curriculum
Recommendations for how to search for a new ELA/literacy program
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Not Your Mom’s Professional Development
What needs to change in professional learning design
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Designing for Equity (Teachers as Designers)
Helping folks who care about equity do equity.
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Finding the Courage to Teach Texts Outside Your Comfort Zone (2019 Blog Competition Finalist)
Teaching texts that honor difference and inspire challenging conversations
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Creating a Culture of Shared Norms and High Expectations in Your Classroom (2019 Blog Competition Finalist)
How to create a culture that facilitates powerful learning for ALL learners
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Say “Author” (2019 Blog Competition Finalist)
Strategies for including all learners in discussions about complex text
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How Does Education Research Relate to My Practice?
Is your reading program working? What can you do to improve it?
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My Experience with Teachers College Units of Study
A veteran teacher explains the strengths and weakness of the program based on her experience
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For the Love of Learning
How a focus on building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction can enrich ELA instruction and engage learners
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A New Way to Consider Cognitive Demand in ELA Assessments
A Framework for Text Complexity in ELA and Reading
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Striving for Foundational Excellence
Country Heights' Journey Through Foundational Skills Instruction
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Professional Learning Design 101
How to Craft a Meaningful Professional Learning Experience for a Room Full of Strangers
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Quality Instructional Materials or Quality Professional Learning Opportunities for Teachers?
Support for educators serving English Learners
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Strong Materials in the Hands of Great Teachers
A year of school visits highlights what makes curriculum work
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On Curriculum: How Pinterest and TpT Exacerbate Inequity
The danger of fragmented materials and the power of a cohesive, knowledge-building ELA curriculum
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Designing a Holistic Learning Experience
Why school communities must integrate social, emotional, and academic considerations into instructional planning
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Social Emotional Learning and Academic Content: A Natural Pairing
Reflections on how best practices for social emotional learning (SEL) and academic instruction are mutually supportive
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A Switch to Standards-Based Learning
How the standards can support instruction and feedback
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Effective Reading Instruction
Why a text-centered approach, instead of a strategies-based approach, is more effective
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Observing Reading Foundational Skills Instruction
Introducing a new tool to observe the components of foundational skills instruction
Part 1
Addressing Common Challenges with Student Writing
Why aren’t students successful writers and what can teachers do to help?
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Doing Better: Aligned Instructional Practice
An overview of the Instructional Practice Guide suite of tools
