Teaching – Page 2 – Embrace the Absurd

Teaching Literacy

A Holistic Reframing of Assessment Literacy for Teachers In this post, I summarize a presentation made at the 2021 annual meeting of the New England Educational Research Organization (NEERO). The presentation is based on my paper, Teaching Literacy – A Holistic Reframing of Teacher Assessment Literacy, in which I offer an alternative perspective on teacherContinue reading “Teaching Literacy”

Morbid Math

“Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty—a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture, without appeal to any part of our weaker nature, without the gorgeous trappings of painting or music, yet sublimely pure, and capable of a stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.” – Bertrand RussellContinue reading “Morbid Math”

All Aboard!

When the recovery train leaves the station will we be ready to hop on board Throughout this month I have stressed the importance that planning will play in the recovery from the impact of the pandemic on student learning. What does that planning look like? What should be considered? And what role do large-scale stateContinue reading “All Aboard!”

Assessment by Any Other Name, Please

Edy’s Pie, Ben’s Original Rice The Chicks, Lady A The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs The Washington Football Team The Altria Group, American Outdoor Brands Corp. WW, Dunkin’ One of the legacies of 2020 is a spate of name changes, most for the same underlying reason. As demonstrated by final rows of theContinue reading “Assessment by Any Other Name, Please”

Don’t Go There, Charlie

In 2017, I shared an idea for a post with my small circle of confidants. The response was immediate and unanimous, “Don’t go there, Charlie.” Last year, I shared the same idea with a wider circle of family and colleagues and again, “Don’t go there, Charlie.” But with the world already turned upside down inContinue reading “Don’t Go There, Charlie”

You never forget your first

Time passes. Interests change. Something new catches your eye. Yes, life moves on, but you never forget your first. You never forget that lecture, book, or journal article that sparked the flame that ignited your career – it’s always a part of you. For many of my colleagues in measurement and assessment itContinue reading “You never forget your first”

My Miss Brooks

Our Miss Brooks was a highly successful comedy series on radio and early television that followed the life and career of a fictional high school English teacher, Connie Brooks. My Miss Brooks, Ann Brooks, was a highly successful teacher of the fifth and sixth grade Advanced Work Class at the Mather School in Dorchester, MassachusettsContinue reading “My Miss Brooks”

And all the teachers are above average –

A case for a norm-referenced criterion Charlie DePascale, June 2014 This brief was written in response to questions about the use of norm-referenced criteria in teacher evaluation systems. Specifically, questions were raised about the fairness of systems in which the bottom ‘x’ percent of teachers were always identified as less effective regardless of their levelContinue reading “And all the teachers are above average –”

It’s January. Can Johnny Read?

While we spent the fall waiting for PARCC to set performance standards, NAGB to release NAEP scores, and Congress to reauthorize ESEA, students and teachers across the country were going to school day after day, week after week, month after month. Now it’s the middle of January and half of the school year is complete. Continue reading “It’s January. Can Johnny Read?”

He was my teacher, and he was effective

Labor Day is one of those times each year when memories of my father come flooding back. Dad was a high school teacher for forty years from the late 1950s until the late 1990s. Labor Day, signaling the end of summer and the beginning of each new school year, was a major event for ourContinue reading “He was my teacher, and he was effective”