We’ve all heard the expression, “Use it or lose it.”  It applies to skills; it applies to possessions; it applies to memory; and it applies to learning. “Teaching to the test” simply puts knowledge into short-term memory.  If what we learn is not reviewed through a “spaced repetition” process, we will retain little of what…

This article is the first of five highlighting five problems which work together and create a system which makes improving education a difficult task.  Tackling each of the problems individually may require a significant amount of effort, but when all the elements of a system work in concert with each other, if they’re all not…

Technology is becoming more and more prevalent in schools: One-to-one initiatives, giving a computer or tablet to every student in the school, and potentially replacing textbooks; Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives, allowing the school to protect itself from having to repair, service, or replace expensive technology, as well as absolve itself from potential inappropriate…

Homeschooling seems to be a growing trend. According to a report from Education News in May 2012, homeschooling has continued to grow due to the dissatisfaction with the public school system. Looking at the information provided by the families surveyed, we found it costs an average of $1,295 to homeschool an elementary school student in…

(Original article published in March 2016; updated for March 2019, March 2022, and March 2025) At least, that’s what the media is teaching our society.  Check out these Web resources, and see if you find the dysfunction.  Begin by visitng http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/stamp-out-bullying/ Pay close attention to the section that says, “What Are the Signs That My…

Consultant Patrick Lencioni published a book several years ago called, “The Advantage.”  In it, he speaks about what gives an organization or business an “advantage” over another.  In a nutshell, the advantage is “Organizational Health.”  It’s all those things that can’t be measured by data analytics. Business leaders like when they can share positive news…

According to the National Education Association (NEA), the average starting teacher salary in the United States is $44,530 in 2024. Twelve years ago, in 2012, it was $35,641.  That’s an increase of $8889.  Over 12 years, that an average increase of $740.75 a year. And with 990 hours in the average school year, that’s about…

Take a look at the graphic that accompanies this text.  At first glance, you may think that just by rearranging the shapes, the “whole” now has a “hole.”  But if you look very, very closely, you’ll see that the hypotenuse lines are not the same.  Superimposing the two triangles shows a difference in the lines. …

Most people believe there are two paths to follow – the stairway to heaven or the highway to hell; the high road or the low road; life or death. In many cases, this can be true.  However, it’s important to realize that sometimes, there may be only one correct choice amid a number of paths…

More and more education professionals and experts are advocating discontinuing use of the red pen when “correcting” tests, evaluations, quizzes, or whatever they’re calling assessments today.  Visit http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com/red-pencil.html for one such article.  Do a search on “Throw away your red pen” and you’ll find more articles about it. The point is that tests marked with…