Category Archives: Federal policy

Collaboration’s Key When Planning Common Core Implementation

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Abner Oakes

My recent piece for ASCD on Common Core implementation at Lexington School District One near Columbia, SC. You can also read it here. It is not surprising that school districts are finding that effective Common Core State Standards implementation is … Continue reading →

Posted in Federal policy, Principal, School district, Teachers | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking for a school or district report card?

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Abner Oakes

You and your family are moving to a new state, and you have some idea of where you are moving – a metropolitan area, for example – but before you make any firm commitments, you want to get some sense … Continue reading →

Posted in Federal policy, Parents, School, School district | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Summer slide” and engaging summer school programs

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Abner Oakes

There was a great piece in a recent Education Week that shared some of the work happening ‘cross the country to ensure that kids don’t suffer from “summer slide,” particularly, as the article stated, “underprivileged students who lack opportunities for … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom, Federal policy, School, School district, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Qatar, its educational system, and books

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Abner Oakes

A former colleague and current teacher is spending the year with her husband in Qatar, and she blogs about it here. She had a great post about Qatari schools and schooling, of which I have taken a large snippet. Thanks, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Federal policy, School | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mathematics musings: the Common Core, algebra, and instruction

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Abner Oakes

I got math on the brain. Scary, I know, for an old English teacher. It started when a friend tweeted this article about a charter school in San Diego that had revamped its math curriculum so that their kids would … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom, Federal policy, School district, Teachers, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tuesday Tidbits, December 7, 2010

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Abner Oakes

There are interesting things happening at the Big Ideas Fest, which started on Sunday, out in sunny Half Moon Bay, CA. Martha Kanter from the Department of Education shared this YouTube clip at the kick off: One of things highlighted … Continue reading →

Posted in Federal policy, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment