The U.S. Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, and I do not see the world the same way. She is interested in privatizing education to support an agenda where parents can use public monies to attend private (mostly religious, mostly Christian) schools. DeVos and her allies have supported charter schools, which have diverted much-needed resources from public […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Covering is Not Teaching: The Case for Explicit Instruction
“I covered that unit.” “We talked about the vocabulary words.” “I touched on grammar last week.” “We went over the test.” “We did an activity on that.” “We went through the discussion questions.” These common phrases by some teachers are, unfortunately, becoming all too common. Our verbiage as educators is powerful and also an interesting […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
An Open Letter to Bill and Melinda Gates: What Students Really Need
Dear Bill and Melinda Gates, I’m not one to dismiss those willing to help, and I have a tendency to believe the best in people until proven wrong. You certainly use your money to do a lot of good, so I have to believe you want good outcomes for public school students. I’m just waiting […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
No Kidding: Making April Fools’ Day Educational
Yes, you read the title correctly. April Fools’ Day can actually be educational! Typically, around this time, articles and ideas circulate providing teachers with ideas on how to prank their students and colleagues. You’ll see posts and videos of teachers trying their best to outwit their students on this day. While it is great to […]
Posted inCharter Schools
The Importance of Public Schools
Public schools are a cornerstone of our communities, and help to shore up our society as a whole. Public Schools Week 2019 (March 25th to 29th) is seeking to spread that love and say it proudly. The week is almost over, but that’s no reason to either forget how important our schools are or that […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Spring Fever: Teachers, Take Care of Yourself.
The weather is warming up. The trees are blooming. The days are longer. Spring is in full effect. Most school districts here in Georgia are gearing up for Spring Break in the next week or so. If you’re not in the school system, you don’t really understand the great need for teachers (and students) to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
The Problem with Alien: A Teacher’s Perspective
Recently, North Bergen High School in New Jersey put on a production of Alien: The Play. The show was clearly beautifully done, with the students building massive and accurate sets and costumes out of nothing but recycled materials. The show was a big hit and brought in a good deal of money for the previously-fundless drama […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
This is Why Teachers Quit
Looking for a message about your value as an educator? Well then, an over-the-top active shooter drill is a perfect addition to the “reasons why teachers quit” list. Teachers know there are better ways to save lives. Subjecting children, schools, and teachers to the sick, sad theater of these drills is just one more trauma […]