Tag - CSAP

The Best Teachers Make Learning Memorable

By Blog Editor Susan Wells

As the summer begins to wind down, parents begin to trek to the stores with supply lists in hand and the summer learning break turns to talk about our education system.

What do teachers do over their summer break? Some take to the classroom to do a little learning themselves. Some of the best of the best travel to Denver for Science in the Rockies, a 3-day hands-on science class taught to teachers by our very own Steve Spangler.

Over 100 teachers from across the country (and a few from across the globe) came to learn how to squeeze a little science, a little laughter and a little engagement into their classrooms this next school year.

As testing pressures increase, budgets shrink and class sizes grow, how do teachers motivate and cultivate learning and thinking inside and out of their classroom?

Preschool is all about hands-on learning – tactiles, imaginative play, color mixing and science centers. But what happens when they trek off to elementary school?

At our elementary school, science and social studies rotate. Two weeks for science, while social studies take a break, then
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CSAP Testing in Colorado – Is Proficiency Enough?

By Guest Blogger Debbie Leibold

Recently, I ran across an editorial in the Denver Post that was written by a former English teacher.  I am also a former high school English teacher, so I was intrigued when I saw the title of the article – “O CSAP!  MY CSAP!”  The article discussed one of my favorite films, “Dead Poets Society,” and used the contrasting teaching styles of Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) and Mr. McAllister (the old Latin professor) to make a point about our education system and one of its unintended effects on our students.

In the film, Mr. Keating is a teacher who inspires his students and helps them develop a love of learning.  He creates lessons that are relevant to his students, teaches them to make the most of what they’ve been given, and encourages them to “Seize the Day!”  Mr. McAllister teaches his students to memorize Latin verbs and vocabulary and drills his students repeatedly.  He believes students succeed if they can recite back what they have been taught.

The editorial’s author made the point that our current educational system is working
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