An Instructional Best-Practices Blog
The Science of Reading (SoR) can be a game changer for students, especially student demographics that have historically struggled in reading. However, as states figure out how to fully implement SoR into classrooms across the country, one key ingredient of success is often still missing: effective teacher and leader training. In our January 31st post, … Continued
Where would I be without the mentorship and tutelage of Julie Jackson? Yes, Julie Jackson has impacted the careers of countless school leaders across the educational landscape. For me personally, I struggle to name all of the countless ways Julie has seen me, poured into my development as an educator, delivered tough feedback when I … Continued
Picture this: You’re about to teach one of your favorite history lessons. It’s a subject so nuanced and relevant that you want your students to come out of the lesson with the same passion and understanding that you have. It sounds simple. Yet the reality can be far different. Too often, when the day finally … Continued
“The constant communication and productive collaboration provide continuous feedback that ultimately helps to improve student outcomes – it promotes an ‘iron sharpens iron’ mentality.” –Dare’ra Spragg, first-year principal, Brownsville Collegiate Middle School The power of peer mentorship Authentic collaboration is one of the pillars of Uncommon Schools’ culture, and that extends to our Principal … Continued
Last winter, I got a call about Emmett Till. The caller was a member of my team, one of a brilliant group of teachers and planners who develop middle and high school history curriculum and assessments. This team member was creating curriculum for Uncommon Schools’ first African-American History course, and asked for help framing his … Continued
Having an effective principal is a key driver of student success, teacher retention, and teacher satisfaction. Unfortunately, across the country, we’re seeing a decline in school leaders’ average number of years of experience, especially within the highest-need schools. Over the past several years, we at Uncommon have been laser-focused on cultivating a pipeline of teachers … Continued
Welcome back to another school year! I love so many things about this season, but I especially enjoy reconnecting with our returning teachers and meeting the new additions to our team. This year, I was thrilled to see a returning teacher, Mr. Shawn Toulson, who also happened to be my student in my first year … Continued
Almost one-year ago, we shared our K-12 plan for the 21-22 school year in Our Plans to Reverse COVID-related Learning Loss. Our approach was designed to address both the academic and the social-emotional needs of our students grounded in the pillars of staff and student wellness, prioritizing reading instruction in K-6, small group instruction focused … Continued
“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.” -bell hooks My teenage years included trips to the movie theater where I was mesmerized by 3D movies. I loved watching … Continued
Cajsa is a 1st grader at Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. In September 2021, after a year and a half of remote learning over Zoom, she started the year as a STEP 1 (Fountas and Pinnell (F&P) Level A), with a reading accuracy of only 83% (90% is a passing score). In just 6 … Continued
One year ago, we introduced Uncommon Sense, a blog whose intention is to introduce you to some of the incredible members of our Uncommon team along with ready-to-use resources and the cutting-edge research that we utilize to drive student engagement and achievement. Our hope was and continues to be that when asked, “Are your students … Continued
“If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.” —Dr. Maya Angelou I began my career at Uncommon Schools as a teacher. As part of my hiring process, I guest-taught a lesson. It didn’t go well. I knew it, and the hiring principal Michael Mann knew … Continued
