For educators, the most important task and often the most challenging, is to ensure every student succeeds to the very best of her/his ability. Understanding that, educators recognize the importance of offering quality instruction, best practices, and instructional materials that have been shown to achieve the outcomes required for that student population. It is incumbent upon decision makers to select from among those instructional materials that already offer evidence of those outcomes.

Only one-third of American students entering high school are proficient in reading (National Assessment of Educational Progress). Many students lack the basic, foundational reading skills necessary to be successful academically.

There is a common tendency today to link higher math standards for our students with the kind of achievement we see in other countries. A complementary thread is to link high standards in math to the broad trends in our ever-changing, information economy. By implication, we need to ensure all students are proficient in this discipline.

Two weeks ago, we shared Part One of our inspiring conversation with Julian Gaines is a globally recognized artist whose work is unique, inspiring, and embodies what it is to be MORE. Here is Part Two.

Once upon a time, students engaged in creative writing. In fact, creative writing constituted the bulk of the writing students generated. The educational pendulum rarely finding balance has now swung wholeheartedly to expository writing, often completely shunning narrative writing instruction.

Because of his work and belief in the potential in every child, Voyager Sopris Learning commissioned Julian to create our signature #IAmMore graphics, which have been the focal point of the movement and campaign designed to give teachers and students a voice and share their stories of what makes them more than meets the eye.