[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] One of my colleagues, we’ll call her Sharon (not her real name), taught for two years in a high performing charter, and she loved it. Whenever we got together, all I’d […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Technology
Teachers Lead In-Service… Unthinkable Possibilities!
The unthinkable happened. Our faculty provided expertise for a recent In-service. Incentive to turn the reigns over to in-house professionals result from either our successful embrace of the PLC model or because the budget is frozen. Whatever the reason, the opportunity to explore the Ed Camp model of professional collaboration is a turning point in […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion
10 Myths and Facts about Teacher Unions
I admit that I sign up for education haters’ email lists, and one thing that seems to be trending is differentiating truths and myths. Most recently in the cross hairs are teachers’ unions. It’s time you heard from someone in the field about some honest truths. Myth 1: Teachers are forced to join unions Fact: […]
Posted inClassroom Management, High School, How to Fix Education, Middle School, Opinion
The Student Deserving of an "A" (and Other Grading Policies)
When I was in an interview for the job at the school where I now work, one of the questions they asked me was what I thought about the importance of grades. My answer? Grades are merely a tool. They don’t always represent the heart of a child, or the effort that was put forth or where […]
Posted inCommon Core, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Hate the Language of the Common Core? Blame the Adverbs (Angrily)
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] I believe the author Stephen King would hate the language of the Common Core State Standards for one reason: unnecessary adverbs. His book On Writing has a section devoted to explaining why The adverb is […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Opinion, Uncategorized
Scratching the Wall of a Condemned Cell: Teaching Humanity
“Tastes change; truths become clichés; whole art forms disappear. Even the greatest art’s triumph over death is risibly temporary. A novelist might hope for another generation of readers—two or three if lucky—which may feel like a scorning of death; but it’s really just scratching on the wall of the condemned cell. We do it to […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Opinion
You Can’t Scare Me I’m a Teacher: The Truth About Lies
We’ve probably all seen those t-shirts or bumper stickers that read, “You can’t scare me, I’m a …..mother/ school nurse/ correctional officer…well in this case, you may want to insert the word “teacher.” Why? The premise to the captivating statement implies that we’ve seen it all, so there’s just no way you can scare us with […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Mathematics Education – Pedagogy vs Content
The issue of which is more important: mathematical content knowledge or knowledge of educational pedagogy has been swirling around for some time.