by John McCarthy | Jun 11, 2025 | Assessments, Differentiated Instruction, resources
At the Orchard School in Indianapolis, teachers are exploring new ways to meet the needs of their learners. I spent a day with the middle school teachers to explore ways to incorporate Differentiation into their practice. They are passionate about growth for their...
by John McCarthy | Jun 16, 2016 | authenticity, Driving_Question, Formative Assessments, Global Skills, PBL, Project Based Learning
Checkout ALE/PBL Guide Entering most classrooms, there is information about the learning outcomes and assignments posted. The purpose is to let students know what is the focus and follow up work that is connected. This information is like the billboards along the...
by John McCarthy | May 30, 2016 | Assessments, Formative Assessments, resources
Assessment is a major topic that teachers discuss when implementing innovative instruction, such as PBL or Authentic Learning Experiences (ALE). When the PBL/ALE unit starts at the beginning of your instruction, students do better. Makes your use of assessment...
by John McCarthy | Dec 22, 2015 | Formative Assessments, Pedagogy, resources
Guides for giving good feedback and using formative assessments are many and varied. Here is a distilled list of articles that create a solid foundation for doing both and extends practice for the veterans who seek to build on what they already do. If you have...
by John McCarthy | Dec 16, 2015 | Assessments, Differentiated Instruction, Formative Assessments, resources, strategies
Last year I wrote for Edutopia a six-part series that’s spanned two months. What a great experience it’s been to share ideas. The response by readers has been amazing. So what follows is that deeper dive, including added resources since the posting of the...
by John McCarthy | Apr 20, 2015 | Differentiated Instruction, Formative Assessments, PBL, Pedagogy, Project Based Learning
I got a question from S. Crowder asking how to address student apathy and struggles with developing critical thinking skills through Differentiation for STEM/PBL curriculum. It’s an important concern that is shared by many who truly want their students to...
