What you think does matter

T he academic comeback we’ve all been hoping for since the pandemic is proving to be a long and challenging road, especially for our middle school students. A recent report from NWEA, a well-regarded K12 assessment and research organization, brings this reality into sharp focus. Their findings, which are underscored by recent data from the National Assessment on Educational Progress (NAEP), confirm that the average eighth-grader today requires nearly a full academic year of additional reading instruction to catch up to their pre-pandemic peers. This is a significant gap, and it highlights a critical issue: many students are simply not prepared for the complex reading demands of middle school and beyond. The data from the NAEP, which shows that a mere 30% of eighth-graders are performing at or above proficiency, paints a clear picture of the challenge. According to researchers, this learning gap is not just a side effect of disrupted schooling, but a symptom of a deeper issue: a lack of...

Why Today’s Classrooms Are Changing — and Why That’s a Good Thing for Your Child When you think back to your own school days, you probably remember desks lined up in straight rows. Maybe a chalkboard at the front, a teacher’s desk in the corner, and a room that didn’t change much from year to year. That’s how school “looked,” right? But today, things are starting to look very different—and for good reason. Across the country, schools are redesigning classrooms in ways that are surprising to many parents. The desks don’t always face forward. There are soft spaces where kids can read or work quietly. You might even see flexible chairs that bounce or rock. Some classrooms have big round tables instead of desks, and students often work in groups or move around during the day. At first glance, it may seem unusual. You might even wonder if all that moving around means less learning. But the truth is, this new style of classroom is helping students learn better—together—and even helping their...

Reading Comprehension Could Be Your Biggest Paycheck As an author and blogger, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the transformative power of words. We live in an age where information is abundant, yet true understanding often feels elusive. There’s a prevailing notion in the content creation world that to reach the broadest audience, you must simplify, distill, and aim for a fifth-grade reading level. The mantra, it seems, is "dumb it down for the masses." While this approach certainly has its place in rapid consumption and casual entertainment, it begs a crucial question: are we inadvertently hindering intellectual growth and, perhaps, even economic prosperity? This brings me to a fascinating and, frankly, sobering insight that challenges our current perceptions. While many might dismiss the idea that advanced reading skills are crucial beyond childhood, experts suggest otherwise. There’s compelling evidence that reading at a higher level—beyond, say, a sixth-gr...