The Educational Pendulum Ask any educator about the pendulum effect in education, and you will likely get the same response. Teachers who have taught for ten or more years have not only heard of, but also experienced the familiar back and forth of researchers aiming to determine the best, most effective ways to educate children. One study will prove phonics instruction is the most reliable way to teach a child to read. A few years later, a new study will show that the whole language approach is the way to go. Back and forth the pendulum swings, and teachers are left on the frontlines trying to sift through the data, make informed decisions, and effectively teach the young minds in front of them. It can all be quite overwhelming. At the end of the day, though, we all share a common goal: to meet the needs of our students and make them as successful as humanly possible. With thirty years in education under my belt, I have lived through more than my fair share of educational trends....