UnboundEd Blog

Find the latest research, commentary, and resources to empower educators and help all students meet the challenges of higher standards.

“We need to have new ways to think about how to teach research to students.” – Judson Odell

In this episode, UnboundEd’s David Abel and Amy Rudat sit down with Judson Odell, CEO of Odell Education, and Diana Leddy, co-founder of the Vermont Writing Collaborative to discuss the impact of writing, research and argumentation on the development of students as critical thinkers. While listening to this episode, you’ll learn about: Why the standards are a shift towards “appropriate …

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Still Wondering How Important Curriculum Choice Is?

StandardsWork recently completed a research review project with the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy that looked at the effects of curricular choices in K-12 education and arrived at some compelling findings. While there is still much to learn about the specific elements that make one set of curricula more effective than another, this review highlights key big picture insights …

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An Interview with Dr. Thelma Jackson

Recently, we sat down with Dr. Thelma Jackson, principal of Seminole Elementary School in Okeechobee, FL, to talk about her experience at the Standards Institute. Dr. Jackson shared what she learned alongside her team and how her practice has changed as a result. UnboundEd: Tell me about your experience at Standards Institute. Dr. Thelma Jackson: Standards Institute was hope. It …

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The Literacy Imperative: How Research-Informed Literacy Instruction Can Engender Democracy & Civic Participation

David Abel talks with Dr. Timothy Shanahan about the state of literacy in US schools and what the research is telling us to do differently. While listening to this episode, you’ll learn about: What surprised Dr. Shanahan about the way teachers reacted to the Common Core State Standards Why using a standards-aligned curriculum doesn’t take away teacher autonomy The idea …

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Democracy, Equity, and Mathematics Education with Doug Sovde

Kristen Ehlman interviews Doug Sovde about the role of mathematics knowledge in who acquires power in a democracy, and how it is incumbent upon us to widen the net of opportunity. While listening to this episode, you’ll learn about: What trends Doug sees as leaders implement standards Why it is important for leaders to become co-learners with teachers and other …

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RAND Releases New Report on Popularity of EngageNY Materials: Our Takeaways and Reflections

The RAND Corporation recently released a new report, “The Use of Open Educational Resources in an Era of Common Standards: A Case Study on the Use of EngageNY” that examines the popularity of EngageNY Materials. EngageNY, created and now maintained by the New York State Education Department, provides high-quality, standards-aligned free curriculum materials that have been downloaded more than 66 …

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5 Reasons to Implement Fluency Practice for Your Students Today

As an ELA teacher, I am always looking for ways to help my students grow in their literacy, and quickly. I have taught in New Orleans for almost 5 years now. Each year, many of my students come to me reading well below grade level. It is sometimes very overwhelming to be tasked with ensuring that I catch my students …

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