Thompson: What We Need To Know

We need to know what is in every segment of this outstanding PBS Need to Know  episode, from the roundtable discussion with Susan Szachowicz, Zakiyah Ansari, and Pedro Noguera,  to its scientific evidence that explains why high-quality physical education increases academic performance.  My favorite, however, is the account of Brockton High School where the entire faculty helps improve reading comprehension, writing, and thinking skills.  In educational parlance, this is known as "horizontal alignment,"  which is a fancy word for teamwork.  In Brockton, chorus teachers teach literacy by exploring the history of the music they sing, and science teachers use writing to improve analysis and critical thinking.  Every class should contribute to reading comprehension, outlining the written word, and problem solving, and Brockton shows that teamwork horizontal alignment works.   - JT (@drjohnthompson) Image via.