Shared Smarts: The Wisdom of EduCon

By Suzie Boss

“What is smart?”

That question provoked intriguing responses from a panel of big thinkers during the opening session of EduCon 2.2, a conference that recently wrapped up at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia.

What it Takes: America's Best High Schools

By Suzie Boss

When U.S. News & World Report released its latest edition of "America's Best High Schools," Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, in Alexandria, Virginia, topped the list for the third straight year.

The Art of Building School Community

By Suzie Boss

At Eagle Rock School, in Estes Park, Colorado, the alpine air is so thin, it literally takes your breath away. For most of the 96 teens living and learning here, the Rocky Mountain setting couldn't be more different from the city streets they've left behind.

How Does Your School Garden Grow?

By Suzie Boss

On a crisp fall morning, I watched students at Lewis Elementary School, in Portland, Oregon, roll up their pant legs and wade barefoot into piles of sand, clay, straw, and water.

Let's Get Real About Innovation in Our Schools

By Suzie Boss

Innovation seems to be on everyone's lips lately: President Obama has called for what he calls "a new generation of innovation." Secretary of Education Arne Duncan aims to turn his department into what is in his words an "engine of innovation," with his plan to dole out $650 million in grants to school districts through the U.S. Department of Education's Investing in Innovation Fund.

The Importance of Project-Learning Schools

By Suzie Boss

When I talk with groups of teachers about project learning, audiences typically divide along predictable lines.

Making Time for Teacher Collaboration Is Crucial

By Suzie Boss

In his frequent speeches and interviews about 21st-century learning, Steven Paine often mentions an idea that sounds more folksy than futuristic. In West Virginia, where he has been state superintendent of schools since 2005, Paine is building what he calls "a back porch for teachers."

Students Take Action in the Community

By Suzie Boss

When New York City's 1.1 million public school students return from summer vacation, they can look forward to rolling up their sleeves and getting busy improving the world, or at least their corner of it.

Teachers as Curators of Learning

By Suzie Boss

Quick: Name ten excellent Web sites related to the grade level or subject area you teach.

An Environmental Educator Makes a Splash Challenging Students

By Suzie Boss

Christopher Swain describes himself as an ordinary guy. Maybe. But how many of us ordinary folks would consider swimming 1,000 miles along the Atlantic coast to raise awareness about the planet's fragile health?