Category Archives: improving teacher quality

Progress in Reading Scores?

Posted on November 23, 2011 by meritsoftware

Earlier this month the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report on 4th and 8th grade reading and math scores were released by the U.S. National Center for Educational Statistics.   Reading scores continued to show no progress.

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Improving Writing Support

Posted on October 18, 2011 by meritsoftware

According to a new report, there are three effective strategies instructors can employ to improve student writing skills. Published by the Alliance for Excellent Education, the report examines whether formative assessment can improve students’ writing skills and what techniques are … Continue reading →

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Greatest challenges teachers face for helping at-risk students

Posted on August 18, 2011 by meritsoftware

Recently, we conducted an informal survey about the greatest challenges teachers face for helping at-risk students.  Their responses seemed to break out into various categories, which we present here.

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Cheating in Schools – Lessons Learned

Posted on July 27, 2011 by meritsoftware

The recent discovery of vast numbers of teachers in Atlanta who faked students’ scores on high stakes tests is an astonishing twist in the use of tests in U.S. public schools. To deal with this issue, some have called for … Continue reading →

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Grammar Fitness Online Named Best Reading/Language Arts Finalist

Posted on May 23, 2011 by meritsoftware

Merit Software is pleased to announce that Grammar Fitness Online has been named a finalist in the 2011 Association of Educational Publishers’ AEP Awards, the highest standard for quality in professional educational resources. Grammar Fitness Online is a 100% web-based … Continue reading →

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How Merit Makes a 3rd Grade Teacher More Effective

Posted on February 25, 2011 by meritsoftware

A 3rd grade teacher at a California public school recently wrote how, and why, she likes using Merit’s Basic Skills Pack with her students. I like Merit because it is not just drill and kill. It helps my students think … Continue reading →

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On IBM’s Watson and Educational Technology

Posted on February 23, 2011 by meritsoftware

IBM’s Watson computer recently crushed the competition on the popular game show “Jeopardy.” One can’t help but wonder about the current and future role of technology in education. During the competition Watson was able to access answers to a variety of … Continue reading →

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Surprising Study Habits That Work

Posted on September 20, 2010 by meritsoftware

Common theories and advice for studying can be a disserve to students according to the recent article “Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits.”

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Will Common Standards Improve U.S. Schools?

Posted on July 28, 2010 by meritsoftware

Twenty-six states have now adopted the Common Core standards in English language arts and math developed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, and all but two states have expressed interest in following suit. … Continue reading →

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Writing to Read – Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading

Posted on April 26, 2010 by meritsoftware

Last week a new report, “Writing to Read – Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading,” was released by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Alliance for Excellence in Education.

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