If you’ve ever flown on a commercial airline flight, you are well aware of the instructions that occur before the airplane approaches the runway. It may sound something like, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for flying XX airlines…please fasten your seatbelt and make sure that your tray and seat are in the upright position…emergency exits are here, […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics
Why the "New" Math?
The public in general, and parents specifically, have been asking why current teachers are using such different methods to teach math. The comment most often heard goes something like this – “Why can’t teachers just teach math the way we learned math?” There are some very good reasons why the teaching of math has to […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Opinion
The Power Of A Teacher
I ran into my first grade teacher the other day while shopping. I knew that she had gone on to be a counselor, then retired a few years ago, after 30+ years of service. I would love to be able to say I told her what an amazing impact she has had on my teaching, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, Parents, The Student Teacher Diaries
Student Teacher Diaries: Parent Teacher Conferences
Twice a year the school system demands we stop and reflect. This is not enough, but I love this time of year when I look at the growth all students have made. Not everyone is where I want them, but it is important to focus on how far students have come in the year and […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Literacy
Teachers as Voice Over for the Student-Hero Journey
Saturday, March 14th, Cornelius Minor, a Staff Developer at The Reading & Writing Project gave the luncheon keynote address to over 300 educators at the 2nd Annual Conference for The Teaching Studio at The Learning Community, a public charter school in Central Falls, Rhode Island. While he began his address with humor and participation, Minor quickly got to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics, Parents
Tips for Parents: Change Your Math
I love math! In high school, however, I remember we were asked to show ALL work. There were things I was just doing in my mind that I had never been asked to break down or explain. This was a difficult task, but it made me push myself to understand the process. No longer was […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, Mathematics, Special Education
Tips for Parents: Conquering Common Core Math: 8 Tips to Use at Home
I teach students who fall far below grade level in math and parents tell me all the time how impossible Common Core Math concepts are. They don’t even get it, so how can they help their children? But math itself doesn’t change–the way we look at it does. If you want to help your children […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, How to Fix Education, Opinion
The Resource Desert: Schools in the 21st Century
Dry. Thirsty. Tired. Beaten-down. Hopeless. Stranded. Barren. Arid. Scorched. Desolate. Endless. These words can describe a desert, but they can also describe some of our nation’s resources for education. Taxpayers / community members (their demonym of choice depends on how angry they are) will be the first to tell you that. Property taxes – the most […]