Research findings: How best to study

The New York Times Magazine - September 6, 2010

Want to help your child learn better? It may be time to rethink age-old views on how best to study.

The New York Times points to a recent review of research on the subject that was published in the journal, Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Among the conclusions of the psychologists who conducted the review are: students study better when they vary their environment and material, when they space study sessions, and when they self-test.

The psychologists also concluded that the notion that children have specific learning styles - some visual and others auditory - lacks credible evidence.

Standardized Test Overhaul

The New York Times Magazine - September 2, 2010

This New York Times article explains that the new standardized exams being introduced under the Obama administration represent an overhaul of those established under the No Child Left Behind Legislation introduced under former President George Bush.

The newspaper reports that new tests described by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will be computer based and "will measure higher-order skills ignored by the multiple-choice exams used in nearly every state."

These high-order skills reportedly will include students' ability to read complex tests, synthesize information and do research projects. They will be administered several times during the school year.

Mass. to lead development of new standardized tests

The Boston Globe - September 3, 2010

A consortium of states led by Massachusetts and Florida have received a $170 million federal grant to design a standardized testing system for U.S. states.

The move, reports The Boston Globe, is another signal that the future of the MCAS could be in doubt. Some - reportedly many of them conservatives and Republicans - oppose Massachusetts dropping the MCAS in favor of the new tests, arguing that they will not be as rigorous.

Governor Deval Patrick says he remains firmly committed to the MCAS as a graduation requirement.

The next testing system is expected to be ready by the 2014-2015 school year.

Boston Magazine: Best High Schools in Massachusetts 2010

Boston.com - August 31, 2010

Boston Magazine has ranked Weston High School the best public school in the state.

The Boston Globe carries this summary of public high school rankings reported in the September issue of Boston Magazine.

Also among the top ten are: Dover-Sherborn, Lexington, Wellesley, Concord-Carlisle, Bedford, Brookline, Wayland, Newton North and Newton South.

Some of the criteria used in the rankings are: MCAS scores, SAT scores, per pupil spending, and student-teacher ratio.

Achievement-based teacher evals gain ground

The New York Times Magazine - September 1, 2010

Evaluating teacher performance by calculating the value they add to their students' achievement is becoming more widespread, reports The New York Times.

The newspaper writes that the system, known as value-added modeling, is exploding nationwide and has become a factor in deciding bonuses and even who gets fired.

While some support the method - saying it is an effective method for increasing teacher accountability, others argue it can be unfair.