Whew. Presidential pinch-hitting, brat summer, literacy lawsuits, DEI drama, awful TIMSS scores. . . . It鈥檚 been quite a year. Before we turn the page, it鈥檚 always worth taking a moment to reflect on some of the highs and lows. In that spirit, I like to revisit the RHSU columns I penned during the year and surface the top 10鈥攁s determined by readership, feedback, and personal preference.
There are always a few pieces that don鈥檛 necessarily make the cut of 鈥渢op 10鈥� but still seem to deserve a mention. This year, those include How Bad Journalism Encourages Bad Education Research (March 11), Restorative Justice, the Classroom, and Policy: Can We Resolve the Tension? (Oct. 29), and Chronic Absenteeism Could Be the Biggest Problem Facing Schools Right Now (Feb. 21).
Now, without further ado, here are the top 10 RHSU columns of 2024.
10. No, the U.S. Ed. Dept. Won鈥檛 Be Abolished. But Here鈥檚 What鈥檚 Likely to Happen Instead (Dec. 10): There are big changes ahead that seem likely to catch many educators, advocates, and observers by surprise.
9. Boys Don鈥檛 Love to Read. Could This Former Teacher Be on to Something? (Nov. 19): Boys are falling behind in reading. Books with military-history themes may help reverse this trend.
8. Does 鈥楪rading for Equity鈥� Result in Lower Standards? (April 29): Equitable grading doesn鈥檛 call for heightened leniency, says the author of a book on the subject.
7. It May Be Time to Retire the Carnegie Unit. Are There Better Measures of Learning? (May 28): The Carnegie Foundation popularized seat time as a measure of learning. Now, the organization鈥檚 president lays out a new vision.
6. What Should Schools Do to Boost Teacher Pay? (Jan. 16): School spending has gone up in recent decades, but teacher pay hasn鈥檛. Can we reimagine teacher work so as to dramatically boost teacher pay?
5. 鈥楯argon鈥� and 鈥楩ads鈥�: Departing IES Chief on State of Ed. Research (April 8): Better writing, timelier publication, and more focused research centers can help improve the field, Mark Schneider says.
4. 鈥楢cademic Rigor Is in Decline.鈥� A College Professor Reflects on AP Scores (Oct. 31): The College Board鈥檚 new tack on AP scoring means fewer students are prepared for college.
3. Does Ideology Matter When It Comes to Good Educational Ideas? (Sept. 4): Disputes over norms, expectations, and instructional practice are inevitably informed by values.
2. How Can Educators Strike a Healthy Balance on Diversity and Inclusion? (Oct. 15): DEI advocates and opponents both have good points鈥攁nd both can go too far.
1. Trump鈥檚 Win Is a Wake-Up Call for Educators. Here鈥檚 Why (Nov. 12): Following the election, those in and around K-12 should reflect shared values and turn down the heat.
OK. Time to start fresh and see what 2025 holds. Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
