by Laura Maniglia | May 31, 2021 | attention & focus, cognitive skills, instruction, mindset, note-taking, reading, students, study skills
A previous blog post on active learning presented evidence from several research studies indicating that the “low tech” method of handwriting notes provides certain advantages over the high tech note-taking on tablets and...
by Laura Maniglia | May 20, 2021 | attention & focus, cognitive skills, instruction, language, non-cognitive skills, PISA, reading, student engagement, students, teacher effectiveness
A war is waging in English departments around the country regarding the literature syllabus: Should teachers follow the canon of classical literature or encourage student choice of young adult or graphic...
by Laura Maniglia | May 13, 2021 | cognitive skills, instruction, metacognition, non-cognitive skills, public schools, student engagement, study skills, teacher effectiveness
The history of formal education begins in the Middle East. The ancient civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia (circa 3150 BCE -30 BCE) required education systems that maintained their cultures. In Egypt, the priests were a “powerful intellectual elite who . . ....
by Laura Maniglia | Apr 23, 2021 | academic standing, instruction, NEA, PISA, students, teacher effectiveness, teacher training, teachers
Since the year 2000 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has administered the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) to 15 year olds around the world. The exam provides comparative performance data among 80 countries in...
by Laura Maniglia | Apr 2, 2021 | Charter schools, instruction, learning, parents, pods, public schools, school choice, student engagement
Virtual learning has become the norm during school closures. Children are isolated at home with little or no interaction with classmates and friends. Most schools remain closed, with few plans to reopen soon, continuing to offer only remote or hybrid forms of...
by Laura Maniglia | Mar 22, 2021 | academic standing, instruction, learning, student engagement, students, teacher effectiveness, teachers
Many parents have expressed concerns about their children’s learning during the pandemic. They want to understand how they can determine their children’s academic skills amid the significant alteration of their learning environment amid year-long disruption of the...
by Laura Maniglia | Mar 14, 2021 | attention & focus, cognitive skills, instruction, intrinsic motivation, mindset, montessori, student engagement, students, waldorf Schools
Intrinsic motivation is defined as performing an action or behavior because you enjoy the activity itself. What are the essential components comprising intrinsic motivation, and how can educators spark that flame in their students? One of the critical goals of...
by Laura Maniglia | Mar 8, 2021 | active learning, attention & focus, cognitive skills, instruction, language, reading
My previous blog stressed the importance of vocabulary acquisition and called for a return of intentional vocabulary study. One of the key indicators of students’ success in school, on standardized tests, and indeed, in life, is their vocabulary. The focus...
by Laura Maniglia | Mar 1, 2021 | academic standing, active learning, instruction, language, learning, public schools, reading, study skills
Vocabulary is an integral part of literacy. A good vocabulary promotes comprehension and communication. Vocabulary size predicts comprehension. According to W.B Elley, Emeritus professor of Education, Vocabulary is the best single indicator of intellectual ability...
by Laura Maniglia | Feb 3, 2021 | Tutorial
The College Board, makers of the SAT, recently announced significant changes effective in the spring: The optional essay will disappear, and Subject Tests will no longer be offered. These changes are the latest in a series of alterations in the test that have occurred...
