It takes at least 22 years to meet standards, and try as they might — students fail to retain the majority of what they learn. Awash in a Sea of StandardsView source → Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation EraResearch summary (based on library-catalog publisher synopsis): Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith argue that American schools should shift attention from credentials and conventional academic ranking...View source → There’s certainly a dismal picture: 51% of students in 4th grade are unhappy at school, 74% are unhappy by 8th grade Strauss, 2018; 41% feel unsafe at school, 34% feel unsafe in their classrooms Spotlight on School SafetyView source →; 7.4% of 9–12th graders attempted suicide in the last year. Suicide StatisticsResearch summary (based on statistical resource): The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention presents US suicide statistics drawn from CDC data, with accompanying definitions and annual updates....View source →
Yet, as these problems grow ever more problematic, the system continues to promote standardized testing. How Americans View the Opt Out MovementResearch summary (based on the primary publisher or institutional source): This Teachers College account summarizes national online surveys conducted in 2017 about parents refusing standardized...View source → Testing hampers motivation, discourages critical thinking, discourages student choice, and reduces teacher autonomy. Amrein & Berliner, 2003 Yes, students do learn when taking tests, but only recall-based facts which is not a requirement for critical thinking. Needham, 2010 In fact, testing does little more than highlight the inequities in our existing culture, rather than measuring any meaningful difference in intelligence. The Testing Culture and the Persistence of High Stakes Testing ReformsEducation and CultureThe purposes of this critical analysis are to clarify why high stakes testing reforms have become so prevalent in the United States and to explain the connection between current federal and state...View source → The practice may even make the inequities worse. The Development and Impact of High Stakes TestingThis paper reviews recent developments in the growth of testing as a requirement for high school graduation for K-12 public school systems throughout the United States. It then examines performance...View source →
When teachers are burdened with a standardized testing culture — one that does anything to increase scores: cutting the arts, doubling down on preparation, enacting strict discipline policies — little is done to focus on the aforementioned problems above. The pressure associated with this culture completely diminishes any academic gain that could be achieved. High-Stakes Testing and Student Achievement: Problems for the No Child Left Behind ActResearch summary (based on the original source text): Nichols, Glass, and Berliner construct a rating of state testing pressure and examine its relationship with NAEP performance in 25 states from...View source → Although we want learners to make meaningful connections and experience learning — testing just gets in the way. The Impact of a Junior High School Community Intervention Project: Moving Beyond the Testing Juggernaut and Into a Community of Creative LearnersSchool Community JournalInvolvement by the adult community in schools and students' lives is an effective way to increase student attendance, boost morale, and improve students' perceptions about their school experience....View source → It even gets in the way of teacher and parental relationships with children. The Impact of High-stakes Testing on the Learning EnvironmentView source → The Experience of Education: The Impacts of High Stakes Testing on School Students and Their FamiliesResearch summary (based on the primary publisher or institutional source): The Whitlam Institute introduces a qualitative study of how high-stakes testing affects students and their families,...View source →
But it’s not only standardized testing. We continue to prop up systems that don’t work because that’s just the way it’s always been. It’s what our favorite teacher did. It’s what everyone else does.
We want students to be prepared, so we assign homework. But homework does little to motivate or enable further learning — it may even reduce it. Testing a Model of School Learning: Direct and Indirect Effects on Academic AchievementContemporary Educational PsychologyContinued concern about the quality of American education highlights the need for a better understanding of the influences on school learning. Theories of school learning are consistent in pointing...View source → Testing a Model of School LearningContemporary Educational PolicyResearch summary (based on the verified ERIC indexed abstract): Cool and Keith use path analysis of High School and Beyond data from 28,051 high school seniors to examine a model of school learning....View source → The marginal at best results are only found in high school, with none elsewhere. Costley, 2013 However, what homework does cause is increased stress at home and increased familial tension. Kralovec & Buell, 2001 And no, we’re not falling behind other countries. The countries that assign the least homework perform better on any international achievement test. National Differences, Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of SchoolingUsing American schools as a reference point, this book provides a comprehensive, comparative description of schooling as a global institution. Each chapter develops a story about a particular global...View source → The only benefit? Students perform better on state-driven standardized tests. When is Homework Worth the Time?: Evaluating the Association Between Homework and Achievement in High School Science and MathThe High School JournalEven with the history of debate over the merits of homework, there are significant gaps in the research record regarding its benefit to students. The focus of this study is on the association between...View source →
We want students to know how they’re doing, to ensure they understand the material, so we give them a grade. Yet those who receive a grade are much less motivated to continue learning than those who are simply given feedback. Task-Involving and Ego-Involving Properties of Evaluation: Effects of Different Feedback Conditions on Motivational Perceptions, Interest, and PerformanceJournal of Educational PsychologyA total of 200 fifth- and sixth-grade students with high or low school achievement were given interesting divergent thinking tasks in each of three sessions. Individual comments, numerical grades,...View source → Enhancing and Undermining Intrinsic Motivation: The Effects of Task-Involving and Ego-Involving Evaluation of Interest and PerformanceJournal of Educational Psychology132 Jewish Israeli 5th and 6th graders received ego-involving numerical grades, task-involving individual comments, or both after performing interesting tasks, 1 convergent and 1 divergent, on each...View source → Lipnevich & Smith, 2008 Students who focused on their grades learn less and are more stressed. The Relations of Learning and Grade Orientations to Academic PerformanceTeaching of PsychologyThis investigation assessed the roles of learning orientation (LO) and grade orientation (GO) in academic performance. Most important, we found that GO was negatively correlated with grade point...View source → And when their groups are graded, students are less likely to contribute. Grading Hampers Cooperative Information Sharing in Group Problem SolvingSocial PsychologyWe hypothesized that individual grading in group work, a widespread practice, hampers information sharing in cooperative problem solving. Experiment 1 showed that a condition in which members’...View source → Without a grade, students still are motivated to take tests, as long as they see the applicability. A Second Look at Grading and Classroom Performance: Report of a Research StudyThe Modern Language JournalEighty-four students enrolled in German classes completed graded communication activities and oral proficiency interviews to examine whether grades motivate classroom performance. Data show that...View source → Those who see relevance in their learning desire to find out more. Quality of Learning With an Active Versus Passive Motivational SetAmerican Educational Research JournalThis study tested whether students who learned with an active orientation would be more intrinsically motivated to learn and would learn more than students who learned with a passive orientation. The...View source →
When a student performs poorly, they don’t desire to achieve — they are pushed out of school. Failing Grades for RetentionView source → When a midterm grade card is released, those with low grades do even worse — they’re demotivated and disengaged. Do grades shape students’ school engagement? The psychological consequences of report card grades at the beginning of secondary schoolJournal of Educational PsychologyReceiving report card grades is psychologically salient to most students and can elicit a range of affective reactions. A 3-wave longitudinal study examined how grades shape students' (N = 375; M age...View source → Even those doing well tend to avoid any educational risks — chances of innovation — due to fears of a low grade. Pulfrey & Buchs, 2011 Further, students fearing a stereotype threat (e.g. women in STEM fields) perform worse with competitive grading practices. Souchal et al., 2014
The more students have a seat at the table — power in their learning, their choices— the more driven they are to remain in school. Self-Determination and Persistence in a Real-Life Setting: Toward a Motivational Model of High School DropoutJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyThe purpose of this study was to propose and test a motivational model of high school dropout. The model posits that teachers, parents, and the school administration's behaviors toward students...View source → They are willing to set their own standards for understanding and remain intrinsically motivated while setting their objectives. Student Self-Assessment: The Key to Stronger Student Motivation and Higher Achievementeducational HORIZONSIn the current era of standards-based education, student self-assessment stands alone in its promise of improved student motivation and engagement, and learning. Correctly implemented, student...View source → Student and peer assessment in actionUniversity of CumbriaView source → Assessment Matters: Self-Assessment and Peer AssessmentView source → When not highly controlled, children have an innate desire to learn and express themselves. Autonomy in Children's Learning: An Experimental and Individual Difference InvestigationJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyNinety-one fifth-grade children participated in a study that assessed the effects of motivationally relevant conditions and individual differences on emotional experience and performance on a...View source → Motivation and Education: The Self-Determination PerspectiveEducational PsychologistReviews self-determination (SD) research and theory in terms of motivation and educational outcomes, social-contextual influences on students, and influences on teachers. SD theory distinguishes...View source → Of course, those that see meaningful actions in their classroom are engaged. Classrooms: Goals, Structures, and Student MotivationJournal of Educational PsychologyExamines the classroom learning environment in relation to achievement goal theory of motivation. Classroom structures are described in terms of how they make different types of achievement goals...View source → To find meaning, schools need time to let students ask inquisitive questions. Children's Need to Know: Curiosity in SchoolsHarvard Educational ReviewIn this essay, Susan Engel argues that curiosity is both intrinsic to children's development and unfolds through social interactions. Thus, it should be cultivated in schools, even though it is often...View source → The Blue Blood Is Bad, Right?Research and Theory on Human DevelopmentResearch summary (based on the linked organization or publisher page): Katherine G. Simon argues that curriculum becomes more meaningful when students can connect disciplinary content with questions...View source → Otherwise, our classes are subjugated to a singular identity to aim towards — one that takes away or dismisses students’ innate knowledge and abilities. Education, Politics, and Social TransformationUniversity of WisconsinView source → The "Banking" Concept of EducationResearch summary (based on the chapter text): Paulo Freire criticizes a model of education in which teachers deposit information and students receive, memorize, and repeat it. He argues that this...View source → Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of FreedomResearch summary (based on library-catalog synopsis): bell hooks presents education as a practice of freedom and explores the teacher’s role in helping students cross boundaries organized around...View source → Often, we conflate students working on what we want with grit, but grit is obtained by students working on what they want. Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term GoalsJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyThe importance of intellectual talent to achievement in all professional domains is well established, but less is known about other individual differences that predict success. The authors tested the...View source →
Further, the more active and experiential the classroom, the more students are motivated. Motivating Project-Based Learning: Sustaining the Doing, Supporting the LearningEducational PsychologistProject-based learning is a comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic problems. In this article, we present an...View source → Project-based learning (PBL) or experiential education has various linkages to increased traditional academic performance, as well as cognitive development and social/emotional wellbeing. A Review of Research on Project-Based LearningView source → Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the FutureThe Clearing HouseProject-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative approach to learning that teaches a multitude of strategies critical for success in the twenty-first century. Students drive their own learning through...View source → Experience and EducationResearch summary (based on library-catalog synopsis): John Dewey revisits his educational philosophy after years of engagement with progressive schools and criticism of his earlier positions. This...View source → When engaging in experiential learning, we work together and solve problems, leading to substantial gains across the board. Making Cooperative Learning WorkTheory into PracticeResearch summary (based on the ERIC-indexed source): This article explains what distinguishes cooperative learning from simply placing students in groups. It considers forms of cooperative learning,...View source → And when we care about each other and build a lasting community, our students are better off. Community in the Classroom: An Approach to Curriculum and Instruction as a Means for the Development of Student Cognitive, Social and Emotional Engagement in a High School ClassroomResearch summary (based on the original source text): Jones studies an intellectually safe community of inquiry in one Hawaiian public high-school classroom using Philosophy for Children. Over ten...View source → McGraw, 2012
In addition to caring for each other, students who practice self-care and self-regulation feel more attuned to their learning. Mindfulness for Students Classified with Emotional/Behavior DisorderManhattanville CollegeResearch summary (based on the original source text): Malow and Austin examine six weeks of classroom mindfulness activities in a self-contained school for students classified with emotional or...View source → If we wish school to be a haven from whatever personal problems a student has — to enable them to succeed despite their difficulties in a learning community — then we must give them the tools necessary. Peacock, 2015 De-stressing Stress: The Power of Mindsets and the Art of Stressing MindfullyThis chapter strives to paint a more balanced view of stress, and to propose how a mindful approach may help transform stress from a toxin into a resource. First, we show that, aside from the wealth...View source → This isn’t to make traditional learning more manageable, but to enable students to deal with stressful times in their lives. The Effects of Mindfulness on Students' AttentionView source →
Those who self-regulate have greater life outcomes. A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safetyPNASPolicy-makers are considering large-scale programs aimed at self-control to improve citizens’ health and wealth and reduce crime. Experimental and economic studies suggest such programs could reap...View source → With less structure and direct instruction, students naturally become better at self-regulation. Less-structured time in children's daily lives predicts self-directed executive functioningFrontiers in Psychology<p>Executive functions (EFs) in childhood predict important life outcomes. Thus, there is great interest in attempts to improve EFs early in life. Many interventions are led by trained adults,...View source → And there is still room for an educator — with various techniques and tools to connect with students during this process. Classroom Applications of Research on Self-Regulated LearningEducational PsychologistThis article describes how self-regulated learning (SRL) has become a popular topic in research in educational psychology and how the research has been translated into classroom practices. Research...View source → The Role of Goal Orientation in Self-Regulated LearningView source → Of course, more time provided to students means more play and socialization: both vital components of brain development. The Value of Play I: The definition of play gives insightsResearch summary (based on source article): Peter Gray develops a definition of play centered on motivation and mental attitude rather than the outward form of an activity. He emphasizes voluntary...View source → Recess and free time is not disposable or less important than class time, it is quintessential to learning. Recess: Its role in education and developmentWriting a book about recess could be a very questionable endeavor for a serious academic psychologist. At first blush it seems to be a pretty trivial topic. It's the time during the school day where...View source →
Throughout, our goal should be to instill a sense of purpose in our children’s lives. Students are more satisfied, content, and less depressed when they embark on purpose-finding. Character strengths predict subjective well-being during adolescenceThe Journal of Positive PsychologyPrevious research indicates that several character strengths (e.g., gratitude, optimism, persistence, and self-regulation) correlate positively with measures of subjective well-being in adolescents....View source → They have greater agency and push harder toward their goals. Understanding the pathways to purpose: Examining personality and well-being correlates across adulthoodThe Journal of Positive PsychologyAlthough finding a purpose is almost universally accepted as a developmental achievement, relatively little research has sought to understand the potential means by which individuals do so. Using a...View source → They overcome obstacles and are more likely to choose pro-social behaviors. Sayles, 1995 Buffering the Negative Impact of Poverty on Youth: The Power of Purpose in LifeSocial Indicators ResearchAdolescent poverty is associated with increased antisocial and decreased prosocial behaviors. Attenuating these negative effects is relevant for both individual and societal well-being. Research...View source → And as they work toward greater meaning, they understand their place in the world and reap rewards academically, socially, emotionally, and sustainably through life. The Development of Purpose During AdolescenceApplied Developmental ScienceThe field of psychology has been slow to recognize the importance of purpose for positive youth development. Until recently, purpose was understood, if at all, as a means of adapting to threatening...View source → Persevering with Positivity and Purpose: An Examination of Purpose Commitment and Positive Affect as Predictors of GritJournal of Happiness StudiesGrit, defined as a passion and perseverance for one’s goals, has been consistently demonstrated as an adaptive resource across multiple domains. Less explored, however, are the correlates of and...View source → The role of purpose in life in healthy identity formation: A grounded modelNew Directions for Youth DevelopmentResearchers contend that committing to an inspiring purpose in life is an important component of healthy identity development for adolescents; however, little research has focused on how identity and...View source →
There’s hundreds, perhaps thousands, of articles promoting progressive education. Research among child development psychologists overwhelming favors student choice and voice and experiential learning. The research supporting test preparation and traditional academia is centered on making said system stronger (recall, increased test scores) — continuing to bolster a dehumanizing model. Those of us adopting progressive models — rooted in philosophies of 100+ years ago — are not reinventing the wheel. The Psychology of the ChildThe definitive account of renowned psychologist Jean Piaget’s work on children’s cognitive development. Jean Piaget’s influence on child ps...View source → The School and Society: Being Three LecturesView source → The Discovery of the ChildView source → Johann Bernhard Basedow and the PhilanthropinumView source → Elements of Morality for the Use of ChildrenView source → Our imaginations aren’t running rampant, our ideas aren’t radical — they’re grounded in research. If we want to transform our schools, let’s use the facts.