by Laura Maniglia | Jul 20, 2023 | classroom management, instruction, parents, SEL, teacher effectiveness, teachers
A previous blog from 2019 presented information about a popular disciplinary system, restorative justice, an alternative to traditional methods of punishment such as suspension that “invites those in conflict to talk through the issue so they can understand the harm...
by Laura Maniglia | Jun 29, 2023 | academic standing, instruction, language, learning, math, NAEP, parents, public schools, reading, testing
Two years ago, I reported the disheartening results of NAEP, the Nation’s Report card):”Only 35% of the fourth graders test at or above the Proficient level. The math scores were only slightly better, with 41% reaching proficiency” The scores for eighth grade were...
by Laura Maniglia | May 24, 2023 | academic standing, grading system, instruction, learning, NAEP, parents, public schools, reading, students, teacher effectiveness, teachers, testing
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card, has been the subject of previous blogs. The test is usually administered every two years, on odd numbered years, to a “sample of students who represent the student population...
by Laura Maniglia | May 11, 2023 | academic standing, Admissions, homeschooling, instruction, language, learning, math, public schools, reading
The importance of periodic testing to assess students’ progress was the subject of previous blogs. Most American colleges and universities have become “test optional,” no longer requiring standardized admissions tests (ACT and SAT). These two exams have been...
by Laura Maniglia | Apr 14, 2023 | instruction, parents, reading, student engagement, teachers, testing, writing
Previous blogs have stressed the benefits of reading and writing on paper rather than on digital devices. However, fewer studies compared the results of written tests to those of computer-based tests(CBT). In 2015 the National Institute of Health (NIH) released a...
by Laura Maniglia | Apr 1, 2023 | academic standing, attention & focus, brain development, Child development, cognitive skills, homeschooling, homework, instruction, intelligence, language, learning, math, NAEP, parents, PISA, public schools, reading, students, teacher effectiveness, teacher training, teachers, testing
A previous blog presented the theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence: “Fluid intelligence involves the ability to reason and think flexibly, whereas crystallized intelligence refers to the accumulation of knowledge, facts, and skills that are acquired...
by Laura Maniglia | Mar 22, 2023 | active learning, attention & focus, brain development, exercise, intelligence, parents, public schools, recess, student engagement, whole brain learning
The concept behind whole brain teaching and learning is to engage as many parts of the brain as possible to enhance learning. This “embodied learning approach” is based on the idea of “an inseparable link between body and mind in learning, aiming for teaching methods...
by Laura Maniglia | Mar 1, 2023 | attention & focus, brain development, Child development, cognitive skills, interpersonal relations, language, parents, teachers
A recent National Institute of Health review about the effects of screen time on the adolescent brain provides some sobering information: 1) frequent use of screen time relates to less efficient cognitive control 2)repeated screen time amplifies the need for...
by Laura Maniglia | Feb 21, 2023 | academic standing, cognitive skills, instruction, math, NCTM, parents, public schools, students, teachers
A previous blog focused on the benefits of math instruction for preschoolers because it predicts future success in school. Fifteen years ago, President Obama signed legislation prioritizing math and science education. The policy statement for the National...
by Laura Maniglia | Jan 23, 2023 | active learning, attention & focus, creativity, instruction, learning, math, retrieval practice, students, teacher effectiveness
While many theories of intelligence exist, one that has recently received renewed interest was first proposed almost eighty years ago. It partitions intelligence into two parts: fluid and crystallized. “Fluid intelligence involves the ability to reason and think...
