How can we personalize learning for ELL students?
How can we personalize learning for ELL students?
March 20, 2017
Categories:
Assessment
No two students are alike. Every student has a different background, different interests, and different classroom needs. To nurture each student’s individual strengths, learning must be personalized for each. For example, let’s take a look at Isabel and Luis, two [...]
PD, personalized learning, and daring classrooms: the big topics at SXSWedu® 2017
PD, personalized learning, and daring classrooms: the big topics at SXSWedu® 2017
March 16, 2017
NOTE: This event is in the past. To give you a bit of insight into the general vibe of this year’s SXSWedu® conference, I’ll relay a story about what happened on Tuesday last week. The Renaissance team [...]
Who’s your hero? Celebrating Women’s History Month
Who’s your hero? Celebrating Women’s History Month
March 9, 2017
Categories:
Reading
My mom is my biggest hero. From supporting me (most of the time) to always being there to talk when something was on my mind, my mom has shaped me into who I am today. She is caring, strong, and [...]
A week in Austin, Texas: Being a student again at SXSWedu® 2017
A week in Austin, Texas: Being a student again at SXSWedu® 2017
March 1, 2017
Flights booked? Check. Hotel rooms secured? Check. Full-access conference passes? Check. Next week, from March 6–9, 2017, Renaissance will be in Austin, Texas, for SXSWedu®. For those not familiar with SXSWedu, it’s an offshoot of the popular [...]
Sparking student growth with personalized learning
Sparking student growth with personalized learning
February 27, 2017
Categories:
Assessment
One of the many benefits of a learning data solution is the support it provides teachers to help personalize learning for every student. “Personalized learning refers to instruction in which the pace of learning and the instructional [...]
ReadQuest 2017: Your passport to everywhere
ReadQuest 2017: Your passport to everywhere
February 23, 2017
Categories:
Reading
Waiting for six weeks I got my first passport when I was 15 years old. Standing in line at the local post office, nervous and not really sure what to expect, I waited. Clutching the pre-filled paperwork, I made my [...]
9 book ideas to celebrate Black History Month
9 book ideas to celebrate Black History Month
February 9, 2017
Categories:
Reading
This month is a special time. Since 1976, February has been officially recognized as Black History Month, although the celebration goes back decades beforehand. Black History Month honors not only the achievements of African Americans, but also recognizes their importance [...]
The difference between proficiency and growth
The difference between proficiency and growth
February 2, 2017
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
Introduction This blog is rated PG for Proficiency and Growth. Readers are advised that the content of this blog is rigorously debated among noted experts and common understandings are yet to be realized. Even so, the terms “proficiency” and “growth” [...]
3 ways you can use the What Kids Are Reading report in your classroom
3 ways you can use the What Kids Are Reading report in your classroom
January 26, 2017
Categories:
Reading
In between episodes of Parks and Recreation, I was sifting through some of the recently added movies and TV shows on Netflix. One title caught my eye—A Series of Unfortunate Events. Where have I seen that before? Why does that [...]
STEM: Stamina and the competitive skill
STEM: Stamina and the competitive skill
January 19, 2017
Categories:
Math,
Reading
Is STEM—the focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—a concept or a curriculum? Is it a reaction or a reinvention? Is it four distinct disciplines (S, T, E, M) or one (S+T+E+M)? Let’s open with a bit of background on [...]
