Rubrics have fundamentally changed how teachers approach assessing student work. That is a good thing. On the other hand, standard analytical rubrics have not been without limitations. In response, different types of rubrics and strategies for implementing rubrics have emerged. Most recently, variations of a single point rubric have been developed and publicized. Single point […]
Riina Hirsch
I have been an educator for 17 years. I love teaching like breathing. I am a former luddite turned blogger and professional development nerd. My BA in English is from Earlham College, my MAT is from Brown University, and my EdD in Teacher Leadership is from Walden University. I am also a Level 1 Google Certified Educator.
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Not All Charter Schools Are The Same
Not all charter schools are evil, corporate, for-profit monstrosities. Again: not all charter schools are the same. Some modern charter schools are operated by for-profit corporations or non-profits who pay their leadership exorbitant salaries. Almost all the common arguments against charter schools are rooted in those corporate models. They are the loudest, but not the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Opinion: Age-Grading is Stupid
Age-grading is, in a word, stupid. It is built on a cultural conception of development that precludes the ability of individuals of different ages to have healthy, appropriate interactions and learn from one another. Unless, of course, a clear power dynamic defines the relationship: teacher-student, babysitter-child, employer-worker, coach-player etc., then the interaction is sanctioned. Instead […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
On Being Radicalized: A Teacher’s Struggle
My whole life I have wondered how people become radicalized. What prompts someone to follow what started as logical beliefs to a dangerous extreme? It has always seemed so irrational to me. Now, I think I get it. The current political climate is testing me, radicalizing me, despite my best efforts to the contrary. There […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Reading and Writing Volume Counts
Volume is its own goal. The more we read and write, the better we read and write. That doesn’t mean volume alone leads to excellence. It doesn’t. But progress without volume is almost impossible. Last winter, I was privileged to attend the regional ELA teacher’s conference in Missouri called Write to Learn. Two of the […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
The High Expectations Myth
The high expectations myth is a pernicious, insidious mantra. It is the notion that if I, as a teacher, say and believe I hold high expectations, it is magically true. Examining actual teaching practices is neither necessary nor worthwhile. I have better things to do. Change or growth or flexibility aren’t needed. It is the […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
I Left The Classroom for A Central Office Job…This is My Letter to My Former Students
Dear Students, I didn’t leave because of you. I don’t love you any less. I won’t stop thinking about you or missing you or hoping you are well. You know how much I love you. I won’t stop wondering about how you are doing or forget your sweet faces or devious antics. I can’t imagine life […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Changing Schools: How do you know when it’s time to go?
How do you know when to leave? When to change your job, school, district, profession? There is only one thing that is unfailingly true: no matter what, someone will disagree with your choice. I am not talking about the obvious stuff: total misery, incompatible supervisor, burn-out, moving for love. I am talking about the times when […]