This article is published simultaneously with its partner article, “What Bothers Me About Public Schools“ Let me preface this article by saying that I am in no way, shape, or form opposed to private or charter schools. There’s a school for every child on this planet, and for some students, it’s not a public […]
What Bothers Me About Public Schools
This article is published simultaneously with its partner article, “What Frustrates Me about Non-Public Schools.” As a teacher who will never say “I’ve seen or heard it all,” I have become disenchanted with public schools, especially in Oklahoma. I feel that our schools, overall, do a severe injustice to our students by not providing […]
Study Your Students (Charter School Diaries #11)
Week 3/18 – 3/22 Educators can be some of the most rigid people in a school. Many educators believe that the schoolhouse is simply for kids to come prepared to learn and that they should only do just that; students are to be well behaved, fed, rested and prepared to learn. Unfortunately, that is not […]
Listening with Empathy—Can You Hear the Growth?
“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” –Ernest Hemingway. [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”] Spring is here; too bad Mother Nature has not listened to that […]
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Standardized Testing Here We Go!
[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”] How stressful is standardized testing at your school? I remember my own children getting physically sick when testing time came around. Teachers would pile on the pressure and even tell their […]
The Anti-Equality Movement
[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”] When I look at the oeuvre of a proponent of modern school reform orthodoxies like Eric Hanushek, I’m struck by the disturbing fact that much if not most of his research […]
Profanity: Putting F.U.N. Back in the Discussion of F.U.
It seems, as of late that profanity is used excessively in schools without reservation. Students swear so comfortably, so often that they often pepper classroom responses with many four letter favorites. Maybe I have become old fashioned but the argument that the “f” word is a reasonable noun, verb, an adverb and an adjective has […]
The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat
This is a tough time of year for all teachers, not just Physical Education teachers. The winter months seem to drag on. The calendar says it is Spring, but the weather doesn’t feel like it. Children have been in our classes for over half the year and we all know each other’s patterns. “Recess” time […]