In the fifth grade, our daughter’s school district has a test designed to test math skills. The results are very important: they will determine Arieana’s math abilities and will place her in the middle school class that best matches her skills. To give her a legup in middle school, we decided that we would enroll her in Afficient Academy, [...]
It is December, which means that winter break is quickly approaching. While short breaks of less than four weeks provide great opportunities to celebrate holidays with family and rest after semesters, spending too much time away from school can be detrimental to students' academic growth. The traditional school year in the United States involves a 10-12 week-long summer break [...]
It is the end of November, and officially college application season for high school seniors. The end of the fall semester can be exciting and nerve-racking for students taking steps to complete their applications and submit them in December and January (for the Common Application). Since 2020, many colleges and universities have revised their expectations for applicants, particularly considering [...]
We all remember sitting in that room before end-of-year testing, filling out scantrons and sharpening our no.2 pencils. We remember sitting in silence for hours so everyone could focus on math, reading comprehension, and listening skills. We remember massaging our hands when we finished, relieved that summer vacation was quickly approaching. We don't often remember the ultimate purpose of [...]
The COVID-19 pandemic has required many industries to experiment with new and innovative approaches to serving the needs of the public. The education industry is no exception. The 2020/2021 school year was tumultuous, to say the least, and incessant disruptions widely impacted student learning. Indeed, K-12 students began the 2021/2022 school year an average of five months behind grade level [...]
Schools throughout the United States and around the world share a common goal of producing global citizens. This goal hinges upon making sure students have a solid understanding of the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is common knowledge that the United States lags behind its European and Asian counterparts in mathematics education. The Common Core State Standards are a direct effort [...]
What does it mean to make high-school students “college and career ready“? Does it mean that they have memorized a lot of information or have a deep understanding of core concepts? Does it mean that they write essays based on their personal experiences, or evidence-based background knowledge? Does it mean that they accept all information given as fact, or [...]
When we think of traditional education spaces, we picture a classroom filled with children, all around the same age, sitting and raising their hands while a teacher lectures at the front of the classroom. While this method of teaching and learning is ideal for some circumstances, it is by no means the best or only way that students can master the [...]
Throughout 2021, the Afficient English team has been committed to elevating our English content to meet the needs of learners across the globe. By tracking student data across our platforms and incorporating customer feedback, we realized the benefits of incorporating developmental reading metrics into Afficient English. While our curriculum has always been aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and content standards for [...]
Last week, we discussed the importance of leveled reading in developing literacy skills. Another essential component to increasing literacy and critical thinking skills is vocabulary development. When I entered kindergarten, teachers and other adults were surprised at my highly advanced vocabulary for such a young child. This resulted from two actions taken from infancy: my mother both read and [...]
