During the summer, while many students were far from their classrooms, 15 students in Maryville were in the middle of their writer’s workshop. The Maryville City Schools district had been fortunate enough to receive a Read to be Ready Summer Grant from the Tennessee Department of Education, which paved the way for a wonderful learning …
“As a seasoned educator I have had the privilege of seeing many of the students I’ve taught over the years become adults and take their place within the community. It proves that the long hours, hard work, and sacrifices are worth it. I’m especially proud when a former student joins the education profession and becomes my colleague. Teaching is and always will be my first love. What a joy to see that love being continued through those that I’ve had the honor of teaching. That joy will multiply many …
As teachers, we know that differentiating instruction is challenging—but important—work. Many times, I felt like it was an experiment and that I was flying by the seat of my pants. A questioning strategy or sentence stem that would work for some students wouldn’t necessarily work for others. I was always left with the question, “What …
How the Teaching Literacy in Tennessee: EL Companion supports my instruction Read More »
“If I could have one wish, it would be for everyone in my class to understand that reading is incredible, and sometimes it’s just a journey of figuring out what you like to read. If you can teach a child to read, you can teach him to learn for the rest of his life and to love …
I have never been more proud to be a part of Tennessee’s work in education. Over the past year, with the support of our districts, educators, families, advocates, business leaders, elected officials, and higher education partners, we have made incredible strides in strengthening our K-12 education system. I am confident that our collective efforts will …
How We Will Continue to Create Opportunities for Students in 2017-18 Read More »
When Kim stepped onto the campus of Hixson High School, she knew she wanted to find her passions. These passions, she hoped, would propel her to skills that would make her ready for her future career. However, her answer came in a combination of in-school and off-campus work-based learning. Kim’s school is part of Pathways …
Gestamp-ing through Chattanooga: Hamilton County’s Work-Based Learning Experiences Read More »
By Jerre Maynor, Director of Student Readiness Ensuring that students get the academic support they need when they need it is the intent of the state’s Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) framework. The RTI2 framework began official implementation for high schools beginning in the 2016–17 school year. As we approach the conclusion of the first year of full …
How Knox County Aligns Enrichment for Postsecondary Readiness Read More »
Over the past year, we have been working to draft our state plan to transition to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and build on the work we’ve started in partnership with our school districts through our strategic plan, Tennessee Succeeds. In December, the department released our draft ESSA state plan that incorporated much of …
ESSA feedback is leading to positive changes and supporting Tennessee’s future success Read More »
We asked members of our Teacher Advisory Council to share their proudest moments from the classroom in 2016. Here’s what they had to say about the incredible work being done in our schools across Tennessee. Derek Voiles “My proudest moment was when a parent of one of my seventh graders told me that for the first …
Leigh Cooksey, deputy director of educator engagement, chats with Jarred Amato, who teaches English at Maplewood High School in Nashville. Jarred and his students recently founded Project LIT Community, which aims to spread a love of reading and eliminate book deserts in Nashville. Where did you get the idea for Project LIT Community? Over the …
