In this article, the author points out that schools have been designed, among other purposes, to prepare students for work, and that the dominant work paradigm of each era has influenced the design of schools. In today's era of technology, virtual schools, and massive open online courses (MOOCs), education in this country has at least in part…

Today, independent school leaders operate at the fault line of pundits, parents, teachers, staff, students, board members, researchers, consultants, and more. They need to lead key constituents while weighing constituent expectations. They need to know how to sift through the increasing flow of evolving practices, research, and viewpoints…

In this article, the author describes the benefits of a program where he has taught for many years. It is a program that emphasizes personal narratives drawn from memory--and that also celebrates the personal essay, which usually incorporates narrative content. The article begins by addressing concerns expressed about this form of writing. It then…

Independent schools are, for the most part, exempt from mandatory participation in standardized tests designed for state and federal comparisons, nor are they required to take part in comparative international assessments. The anxiety in the broader culture, however, is driving a growing interest among independent school parents (and prospective…

In a time of great flux and dynamic change in schools, from where will our future school leaders come? The answer, of course, is from a variety of places. By and large, however, most of these leaders are already in the nation's schools. Some are highly engaging teachers who have a particular knack with parents, some are department chairs…

Confident that understanding and employing new approaches to assessment is a top priority for admissions professionals, the Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSATB) recently launched a Think Tank on the Future of Admission Assessment, with a two-year timeline and a charge to educate its membership and inspire greater innovation in admissions…

In this article, the author addresses the issue of bias in language used in conventional training in scientific writing that encourages adherence to the rule: "don't use 'I' when writing science reports." Such writing is to be objective rather than subjective; it is to be dispassionate, detached, fact-based, and…

In this article, the author states: "It doesn't matter how many computer-related devices we have in school, what matters is how we employ technology toward a large learning goal, toward a new vision of education." She continues, "When I suggest the cultivation and integration of digital, media, and global literacies, I do so…

Author Jonathan Howland writes here that he is hardly the first to suggest that much of the testing going on in the educational system today appears dumb. The tidal change that brought schools the Common Core standards is a maneuver born of an admission: educators took their eye off the ball, testing for too much of the wrong thing--thin skills…

As recently as five years ago, educators politely listened to, and largely ignored, suggestions that the world is changing at a dramatic rate and that education must adapt. Today, many educators agree that the traditional Industrial Age model of learning no longer adequately prepares students for their futures. As a result, many schools, and…

What motivates human creativity? Sometimes creativity emerges because people need to solve a problem or communicate an idea. The desire for novel amusement or complex entertainment also inspires creative thought. Environmental factors are also influential in motivating a student's creativity. An instructor's personal enthusiasm for the…

While white parents' intention is to convey to their children the belief that race should not matter, the message their children receive is that race, in fact, does not matter. The intent and aim are noble, but in order for race not to matter in the long run, we have to acknowledge that, currently, it does matter a great deal. If white…

Thinking critically about the future is a mainstay of best practice in any organization, and an important aptitude for school leaders, yet many feel as if the world is changing too rapidly for traditional methods and timelines to be effective. As a result, many organizations are transitioning away from discrete moments of strategic planning and,…

Since the late 1920s, diversity initiatives at the "Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School" (LREI) in New York City have centered on strategic conversations related to equity, justice, and inclusion. In this article, Sandra Chapman, Director of Diversity and Community, and Phil Kassen, Head of School, decided that they…

In this article, the author notes that diversity and America's schools have historically played a crucial part in the broader movement for civil rights. This often has him considering the ways one can celebrate their community's diversity and curate meaningful conversations about their multiple identities/affinities, especially as they…