Chandler School

because poor districts had lost more ground, their progress was not nearly enough to outpace wealthier districts, widening the gulf between them.

“We seemed to have lost the urgency in this crisis,” said Karyn Lewis, who has studied pandemic learning declines for NWEA, a research and student assessment group. “It is problematic for the average kid.

“But it’s an unevenly felt recovery,” Professor Reardon said, “so the worry there is that means inequality is getting baked in.”

When looking at data available in 15 states, researchers found that in a given district — poor or rich — children across backgrounds lost similar ground, but students from richer families recovered faster.

Even when schools offered interventions to help students catch up, lower-income families might have been less able to rearrange schedules or transportation to ensure their children attended. (This is one reason experts advise scheduling tutoring during the school day, not after.)

Take Massachusetts, which has some of the nation’s best math and reading scores, but wide inequality. The recovery there was led by wealthier districts. Test scores for students in poor districts have shown little improvement, and in some cases, kept falling, leaving Massachusetts with one of the largest increases in the achievement gap.

In states like Kentucky and Tennessee that have traditionally had more middling test scores, but with less inequality, poor students have recovered remarkably well.

Because “memory is the residue of thought,” and this MCQ requires more thought, it will almost certainly result in more memory (a.k.a. “learning”).

to encourage our students to think more.Step 1: show the MCQ — but not the potential answers;Step 2: pause just a bit;Step 3: okay, NOW show the answers.In theory, students just might use that strategic pause to see if they can think of the answer on their own.

easy strategies to improve the quality of MCQs

Conclusion #1: the wait just a bit strategy worked

Conclusion #2: the benefit came from effortful thinking

Conclusion #3: the “make the alternative answers plausible” strategy still works.

If you want to have your students learn more from multiple-choice questions, build in a short pause between the question and the possible answers.And, encourage your students to think during that pause: what will the right answer be?The more thinking, the more learning.

Have your kids write their assignments in their new planners and on a family calendar for all to see

Week Three

Empty out leftover school supplies from backpacks and desk drawers

Make a list of what you have and what you need, then take advantage of end-of-the-school-year sales.

Week Four

Organize your home’s designated homework spot

Week Eight-ish

restart routines around two weeks before the first day of school. That includes pushing up bedtime, setting back-to-school screen schedules, and practicing getting up and out the door on time in the morning.

Right Now

Take time now to create your summer calendar to feel more prepared. Add vacations, kids’ sports activities or summer camps, family reunions or parties, and any events you’re committed to attending.

Make sure to use this time to schedule the unscheduled!

Bonus tip: Involve your children in your activities and summer plans.