It’s August 1, and for those who teach in schools with traditional academic calendars, that means… Well, I think you know what it means, and I don’t want to say much more, in case you’re trying not to think about it. But, really, what teacher ever fully disengages her brain from thinking about school, the…
academic calendar
Longer and Longer
Thanks to a substantial grant, several school districts in the US are extending their academic calendars. Why? To accommodate all the extra learning required to meet new standards. In districts spanning socioeconomic groups, the effort is being coordinated by the National Center on Time and Learning and the Ford Foundation and is being paid for…
When New Students Move In
It’s been a weird few weeks and an odd couple of days in my life at The Mailbox. Don’t worry, your trusted Upper Grades Exchange blog author is in good health in general and good standing at work (last I checked). We’ve been moving offices within our space, and many of us have faced interesting…
The Best-Laid Plans for Planners
Behold, the planner: that beautiful portal to a student’s personal organization, that vehicle in which a student will make note of every assignment, every deadline, and every waypoint in order to achieve ultimate academic success. Handled faithfully and with great care, a personal planner or homework planner will be the tool that each of your…
How much is too little?
Some classes latched onto the idea of a thesis statement like a kid latches onto a new video game. Other classes approached understanding a thesis statement with all the wariness, trepidation, and uncertainty of a Paleolithic tribe handed a ringing smartphone. Mapping out a lesson (or series of lessons!) that introduced the thesis statement and…