Why OnPoint?

Educational systems today must meet the demands of a new age, the Conceptual Age. In the Conceptual Age, every successful individual – and every successful nation – will have to master the interpretation, manipulation and creation of ideas. The watchword of the Industrial Age was “productivity.” The watchword of the Conceptual Age will be “understanding.” The key question that faces us as individuals and as a nation is this: How do we best prepare ourselves for the demands of this conceptual future?

When most of today’s teachers are trained by listening to lectures for the first three years of their college education, and then being a “student teacher” in a classroom for a year, where they might or might not experience research-based best practices of instruction, there is little wonder as to why they enter the profession unprepared.

“In order for their teacher training to truly be effective, teachers need to experience “teaching” from day one, and benefit from expert teachers modeling best practices.”

In order for their teacher training to truly be effective, teachers need to experience “teaching” from day one, and benefit from expert teachers modeling best practices. OnPoint provides such training. Our teachers sense of confidence and efficacy is strong.

The bottom line is the educational challenge our nation faces:
One-third of high schools students in the United States do not graduate.

Students reading to understand complicated information at a proficient level:
50% of all White 17 year olds
25% of all Latino 17 year olds
20% of all African American 17 year olds

Students writing for purpose at a proficient level:
28% of all White 17 year olds
13% of all Latino 17 year olds
10% of all African American 17 year olds

Source: National Education Assessment Progress (NEAP), 2002