Text Messaging to Learn Poetry?

Source: ASCD SmartBrief

In one district, teachers are hoping that their students have their cell phones out during class.  Why?  Chester School District is using text messaging as an incentive to learn poetry. The students are using new media technology- their cell phones- to boil down poetry to the main point, and learn to communicate these ideas through a short message.  Here's the really shocking part about this story: kids using the new method answered twice as many poetry questions correctly on the state test.

Michigan Improves Curriculum

Source: ASCD SmartBrief

Students in Kalamazoo, Michigan have seen a great improvement in achievement over the past five years.  More are passing state assessments, less are dropping out before graduating, and enrollment in advanced courses is increasing.  What have teachers and administrators done to bring about this increase?  Districts in the area brought in an outside company to re-evaluate their curriculum and make sure that it was alligned to state standards.

How excactly did Kalamazoo accomplish this?

Technology Is Essential

Source: ASCD SmartBrief

A Harvard University professor discusses finding each student's "price point" in order to have truly effective instruction methods. Price point in the context of a classroom refers to the particular type of information that a student is ready to learn at their age/performance level.  Professor Paul E. Peterson sees technology as an essential tool for being able to differentiate instruction. 

Teaching to a Student's Price Point

Using Yoga to Stretch Minds

Source:  ASCD SmartBrief

Physical Education classes in Pittsburgh Public Schools are taking a new approach to the traditional Phys Ed. curriculum.  Teachers see many benefits of incorporating Yoga into the classes, the most significant of which being that the students perform the stretches at their own pace.  The district hopes that yoga will help improve any body image issues, and give students the confidence to become involved in other physical activities.

Read more about Yoga in phys ed classes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 

Technology Aids Motivation

Source:  ASCD SmartBrief

"This is their medium, this is their future," a California teacher says in response to the recent $592,000 federal grant for technology that her district received.

SMART Boards, document cameras, and new laptops are just a few of the things that the grant was used to purchase. Teachers agree that the new technology keeps students engaged in the learning process. Textbooks come with supplementary online programs and students who may not have computer or Internet access at home are encouraged to use school computers to complete assignments. [source]

This story featured in:  thedailybreeze.com

RTI is the "Last, Best Hope" to reach 100% Literacy Rates

Source:  ASCD SmartBrief

A University of Tennesee English professor and literacy expert believes that Response to Intervention is America's 'last, best hope' for achieving full literacy.  Richard Allington has written many books on the subject, and has performed studies that prove that using the RTI methodology brings literacy rates up to an astounding 98% by the end of first or second grade.  Allington also emphasizes the importance of effective professional development and high quality training for teachers.

EdWeek's article about RTI:  Get It Here

OnHand Schools Gives PSSA Tips to Districts

Source:  onhandschools.com

In an effort to increase student achievement on standardized testing in PA School Districts, OnHand Schools recently sent out a series of 5 emails containing helpful tips for teachers and administrators. These tips included information on appropriate testing environments, the importance of using benchmark assessments, and motivating students. Click the links below to view each tip, or visit the 'Forms' page of our website to view all five.

Read the tips here: Tip 1 | Tip 2 | Tip 3 | Tip 4 | Tip 5

District of the Month: April 2010

Keystone Oaks School District

Congratulations to Keystone Oaks School District for being named the OnHand Schools district of the month. Please visit http://www.onhandschools.com/Profiles.html to find out more about Keystone Oaks. A big thank you to Scott Hagy, High School Principal, for supplying us with a testimonial pertaining to how EdInsight is enhancing classrooms in his school. 

Way to go, Keystone Oaks!

Moon Area SD Weighs New Curriculum

Source:  ASCD SmartBrief

Moon Area School District in Pittsburgh is considering a new English curriculum in which students at the Senior level would get to choose between 8 different semester-long courses. This new K-12 curriculum would replace the one that Moon has been using for the past nine years. Some of the new courses would include: poetry, contemporary fiction, play writing and performance, as well as creative non-fiction writing.

Read more about Moon in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette