“Consider one unmistakable driver of students’ achievement: Carefully built and practiced routines…” Doug Lemov, Teach Like A Champion We begin class each day with the Kick-Off prompt on the Weekly Lifeline (Page B). The Kick-Off takes its name from starting a game. Players on a team would never show up to a game and take […]
“When you enter a new social role, such as entering college as a student, the expectations aren't always clear…Students need help not just setting vague goals but figuring out a plan to reach them.” Melinda Karp The first page in Organized Binder is the Goals page. It is colored gold because we want students “going […]
As our ongoing Sacramento City College collaboration continues to grow and expand, a number of English instructors implemented Organized Binder in the college's Accelerated Program. The acceleration model is in response to AB 705 mandating that Community Colleges "maximize the probability that the student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and mathematics within a […]
This is an incredible report from the University of Chicago on the impact of noncognitive skills in the modern classroom. This report sheds light on why Organized Binder has such a significant impact to help teachers be more effective and students more successful.
This article by David Brooks in the New York Times highlights Paul Tough's emphasis on the importance of noncognitive skills. In his latest book, Tough asks, "how, concretely, can we improve students’ noncognitive skills." From my years of experience in the classroom I am convinced that in order for students to master noncognitive skills they require daily exposure […]
May 2016: "Oh, that is what you mean!" Whenever I get the privilege of speaking to a group of educators I always make a point to ask one simple question, “What are teachers doing from within the classroom that most directly impacts student learning and achievement?” The responses always vary but one classroom strategy is always […]
April 2016: Subjects Not Objects All too often throughout the school day education is going on around students instead of with students. One report notes students spend just minutes of the school day engaged in Academic Learning Time. If we have a starting routine students can predict and be successful in, then we draw them into their […]
SCHOOL PROFILE School: Harbor High School | Santa Cruz | California Two years ago Harbor High School implemented Organized Binder:Teacher. The effort, lead by principal Dick Davis, has been the model of a faculty committing to a reform initiative. All of the teachers who have participated in Organized Binder have committed to trainings, follow-up sessions, and implementing the system […]
February 2016: Be Dependable To help your students succeed, employ a simple starting routine in which students can be successful—and continue using it every single day of the year! I am on my way to my English class during my senior year of high school. The classroom is at the back of the campus and the walk […]
January 2016 NEWSLETTER The Opportunity To Reteach A few years ago I was helping Helen, a teacher at an Organized Binder school, who was swamped by a very large exam she had to grade. I offered to help her record the scores and file some papers while she finished the grading. I overheard her talking to herself […]
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