eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Understanding disparities in school readiness among America’s children when they begin kindergarten is critically important, now more than ever. In today’s 21st century global economy, it is expected that the great majority of children will complete high school ready to enter college or begin a career, and assume their civic responsibilities. This requires strong math, reading, science, and other cognitive skills, as well as the abilities to work well and communicate eeffectively with others, solve problems creatively, and see tasks to completion. Unfortunately, the weak early starts that many children are getting make it hard to attain these societal goals. Knowing which groups of children tend to start school behind, how far behind they are, and what factors contribute to their lag, can help in developing policies… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This article provides concrete critical and ethical responses to dominant educational policies promoting the teaching of STEM fields. Recognizing how dominant discourses of modernity (Martusewicz, et al. 2015) work discursively to constitute STEM, this paper examines and exposes how STEM education is prioritized via funding in teacher education. As well, STEM is prioritized throughout state teacher licensure policies, to the effect that, e.g., all licensed elementary teachers are required to take STEM methods courses. This article provides an example whereby the space that mainstream STEM creates can then be appropriated for radical, EcoJustice Education (Martusewicz et al., 2015). Specifically, this paper shares conceptual research theorizing the inclusion of Ecojustice Education in elementary science methods and elementary math methods courses. Building on the work of social justice education,… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Teacher evaluation is at the center of current education policy reform. Most evaluation systems rely at least in part on principals’ assessments of teachers, and their discretionary judgments carry substantial weight. However, we know relatively little about what they value when determining evaluations and high stakes personnel decisions. The author leverages unique data from a public charter school district to explore the extent to which school administrators’ formative evaluations of teachers align with teacher and school effectiveness and predict future personnel decisions. While previous research has examined administrators’ subjective evaluations of teachers in surveys and in practice, this study links a detailed evaluation in practice with multiple types of personnel decisions to provide new insights into administrator decision-making. A better understanding of the teacher contributions that administrators… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: William Taylor, 29, a third generation Washington, D.C. resident stands out for a number of reasons. For one, he is an African American man who taught math at an elementary school for many years. Taylor excelled in the role, so much so that he now coaches his fellow math teachers at Aiton Elementary School, which is located in a high-poverty Washington D.C. neighborhood. He has also been profiled in the national news–specifically in “The Atlantic”–where it was noted that, in a typical school year, 60 percent of Taylor’s students start their first day in his class doing math below grade level, but by the end of the year, 90 percent of his students are performing above grade level. For his exemplary work Taylor earned $131,000 in 2013–another… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Despite the growing use of computers and software in every facet of our economy, not until recently has computer science education begun to gain traction in American school systems. The current focus on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the U.S. School system has disregarded differences within STEM fields. Indeed, the most important STEM field for a modern economy is not only one that is not represented by its own initial in “STEM” but also the field with the fewest number of high school students taking its classes. It is also by far the one that has the most room for improvement, and that is computer science. Among the key findings in this report: (1) Only a quarter of high schools offer computer science,… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: In the United States, the prevailing high school mathematics course sequence begins with a year of Algebra I, followed by a year of geometry and a year of Algebra II. Educators and others have raised concerns about the extent to which this sequence, which prioritizes the mastery of algebra, is appropriate for the longer-term education and career goals of students who do not intend to pursue STEM degrees in college. These concerns have impelled educators and policymakers to reexamine the prominence of algebra in high school mathematics curricula and to consider new approaches that provide students with more mathematics course options better aligned with their academic and career goals. In this paper, we explore existing approaches to high school mathematics curricula as well as new developments in… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Following a high-quality early care and pre-K experience, the kindergarten-through-third-grade years set the foundation upon which future learning builds; and strengthening this continuum creates opportunities for later success. Key components of a quality experience in K-3 include school readiness and transitions, kindergarten requirements, educator quality, prevention, intervention and assessments, and social and emotional learning and mental health. Education Commission of the States researched the policies and regulations that guide these key components in all 50 states to provide this comprehensive resource and many others. The data in this document show at least 20 states require some form of math knowledge for pre-service teacher candidates. Five additional states only require professional development in math for in-service teachers, with three states having requirements for both teacher candidates and current… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This article presents the partial results of a larger study conducted in Bogotá (Colombia) with public elementary school teachers. Given their nature, and since they are equally affected not only by one, but by every policy of the Colombian educational system, the primary school teachers cannot be treated here as if they taught English only. They are responsible for teaching all subjects (math, social studies, physical education, English, Spanish, etc.). Data were collected through focus groups. Partial results show that the teachers’ identities range from feeling powerful to feeling powerless, depending on where they stand, that is, the field of knowledge, in the classroom, and in their relationship with the policies makers. Link til kilde
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The discretion provided to states under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers new possibilities for policymakers to determine how best to allocate resources and support policies to provide students with a well-rounded education. As states begin to examine new strategies for improving student outcomes and developing the next generation of innovative, socially conscious citizens, policymakers frequently ask how to effectively accomplish this. Increasing access to arts in education by integrating it with other courses–such as math, science and language arts–is one strategy to consider. Integrating arts education–which includes dance, music, theater, media arts and visual arts–has proven beneficial in improving student learning and developing thinking skills and capacities, as well as supporting the civic skills necessary to contribute as a member of a diverse community. Expanding… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Two decades after the United States was diagnosed as “a nation at risk,” academic standards for our primary and secondary schools are more important than ever?and their quality matters enormously. In 1983, as nearly every American knows, the National Commission on Excellence in Education declared that “The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people.” Test scores were falling, schools were asking less of students, international rankings were slipping, and colleges and employers were complaining that many high school graduates were semi-literate. America was gripped by an education crisis that centered on weak academic achievement in its K-12 schools. Though that weakness had myriad causes, policy makers, business leaders,… Continue Reading →
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