Janelle's Elementary Education Blog

One of the most controversial issues in education today, is how do we measure student growth, and is it through teacher evaluations? Standardized testing is an age-old way to measure student "growth" and see if a student is improving throughout the school year. Although the data collected from these tests are limited, there are far better ways to measure student growth than just though reading and math. To see a real growth in learning, evaluation systems should use multiple measures to check for student achievement. Standardized testing can be one component of a students assessment, along with a variety of other measures throughout the individuals school years.

How can we evaluate teachers based on the narrow results of standardized tests? Research has shown that, although teachers have a direct impact on student achievement, teachers should also be evaluated on multiple measures of their performance, not just their students test scores. President Obama's goal is for teachers to make every one of their students "college ready" by the time they get out of school. If we incorporate a variety of measures to promote student achievement, and evaluate students and teachers based on more than just a test score, I think we will accomplish Obama's goal.

Where do you stand on using student performance to evaluate teachers? What ways do you measure and promote student growth in your classroom? Feel free to comment here or see what other teachers are saying in the education forum.

• Simple Ways Teacher's Can Measure and Promote Student Achievement

Memorial day weekend is usually associated with kicking the summer off by hosting a backyard barbeque, watching a local parade or decorating your house with American flags. Although these traditional ways of celebrating this national holiday may be fun, young children may misinterpret the main reason we actually celebrate this holiday. Children may correlate this day with no school, playing in the yard and watching a parade.

This Memorial Day, help your students understand why we observe this holiday, and why we to pay tribute to the soldiers that have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Teach your students to instill pride for our nation's soldiers by creating a few age-appropriate Memorial Day activities.

What is your favorite activity or book to read to your students on Memorial Day? Comment below or in the teacher forum.

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This week is National Children's Book Week , it's a national celebration that goes from May 7th to May 13th. During this week, schools and libraries across the coast will participate in book-related events and activities. To get your students involved in this time-honored celebration, have them participate by creating a few fun book-related activities.

What are some things you do in your classroom during book week? Please feel free to share your ideas here in the comment section below or in see what other teachers are doing in the teacher's forum.

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Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This is a week to honor, celebrate and give thanks to all educators for all of their hard work and dedication. Sometimes just saying a simple thank you is enough to warm the hearts of our teachers. While other times, you can take a more valuable approach and say thank you in a bigger, more elaborate way.

Teachers may not always see the impact they have on students, so to get you inspired, I have compiled a list of ideas to show your appreciation to a teacher that has made a difference. Whether you are an administrator, teacher or student here you will find a variety of simple ways to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week.

How do you celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week? Please respond here or see what others are saying in the teachers forum.

_{Photo © Jamie Grill Getty Images}

Finding ways to manage your class is not always an easy task. Before creating a plan of action start by learning more about what strategies will help motivate good behavior in your classroom. Something as simple as starting your daily routine with a morning message, will make your students more alert and ready to work. Once you eliminate the unwanted behavior and promote appropriate behavior you will start to see a nice change in students.

What strategies do you use in your classroom to motivate good behavior? Share your thoughts and ideas in the education forum and hear what your fellow teachers are doing.

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Mother's Day is upon us! It's time to celebrate and show our appreciation. As a mom myself, I know that I look forward to nothing more than to see what my children have made with their own hands! If your looking for ways to incorporate Mother's Day into your classroom, look no further. I have compiled a great collection of Mother's Day resources for you to browse, along with a few fun facts and ideas.

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Is it almost the end of the school year already? Well for some states it is. For those of us on the East Coast, school goes until June. As the end of the school year approaches, the children (and us teachers) are counting down to the last day. But, how can we keep our students still motivated to learn when all they are thinking about is summer break? A great way to encourage your students to learn and keep them energized, is to put a twist on your normal routine and lessons. Try these six fun project ideas to wrap up the end of the school year.

What activities and projects do you at the end of the school year? Share your thoughts and suggestions here or in the education forum.

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Due to the new federal guidelines, and the first lady's endearing quest, it looks like school lunches are finally getting a healthy makeover! The days of meat tacos and pepperoni pizza just may be replaced with turkey tacos and veggie pizza. I personally always pack my children's lunches for the sheer fact that I know what they are putting into their bodies. But, now that the schools have to offer new options on their menu, I just may let my kids buy lunch.

With the child obesity rate so high, It's important to engage your students with informative information on nutrition. Teach them about the new food plate and give them the knowledge they need to make healthy food choices. I have provided a thematic unit on nutrition to help teachers educate their students and give them the tools to make healthy choices.

What is your school doing to promote healthy eating? Do they serve healthy meals for lunch? Find out what other teachers are saying in the education forum.

_{Photo © Jamie Grill Getty Images}

Earth day is celebrated every year on April 22. This is a day to take the time to remind students the importance of preserving our earth. Help your students get a better understanding of how they can help our earth with a few fun activities and ideas.

Do you reduce, recycle and reuse items? How do you plan to celebrate Earth day with your classroom? Learn what other teacher's are doing in the education forum. Share your ideas, you may inspire others!

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Harold and the Purple Crayon is a wonderful book by Crockett Johnson. In this book, Harold's imagination takes him to a lot of very interesting places. This is the perfect book to use the instructional strategy, Sketch-to-Stretch. This is a technique that I learned when I was in college, and have used it many times in the classroom.

Inspire your students to let their imaginations run wild by providing them with a fun and creative lesson on Harold and the Purple Crayon.

_{Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber}