Everything is already over before, while, during, or after it’s already begun. Nothing in middle school lasts. Failure, success, shame, anxiety—all of it is over as quickly as it has happened. This is sometimes a curse. You may succeed during your two classes in the morning but still have abysmal failures in lessons, classroom management, […]
Posted inFormative Assessments
How Schools Hinder Student Learning and How They Can Advance It
Longitudinal assessments of preK-12 students’ academic achievements show minuscule progress since the now famous report, A Nation at Risk (1983), warned that “the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and as a people.” What makes these assessments even […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Good-Bye Biden: The impact on America’s educators
Joe Biden removing himself from the 2024 bid for the President of the United States will come with cheers and jeers. Some people will look at his decision’s global political implications. Others will look at the more intricate issues impacting everyday Americans with this political move. I look well beyond that as a former teacher […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Vice President Harris Outlines Vision for America’s Future in AFT Address
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), focusing on public education and her vision for the future. Harris highlighted her connection to public education and praised the work of teachers and education professionals. “I am a proud product of public education,” Harris said, recounting how her first-grade teacher, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Thank You, Joe Biden
I’ve been a teacher since Bill Clinton. In my first year, when kids didn’t speak up during a presentation I’d say, “Let’s use the same voice a president would use to give a speech.” Later, after the September 11th attacks, I’d tell my class how some things must be taken seriously, just like President Bush […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
New York City Council aims to tackle school dress code policies
Last Thursday, the New York City Council voted to approve legislation requiring the education department to create a more uniform dress code policy amid criticisms that some schools discriminate against students for what they wear to class. Criticisms of the current policies of New York City’s Department of Education (DOE) focus on transparency and inclusivity […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
The Ten Commandments For the Outside of My Classroom Door
Many people may not be aware that when a public school teacher is first hired, they swear an oath. This oath, like the oath of the presidency, like the oath of the Oklahoma State Superintendent, of the Louisiana Governor’s, like the oath of all who work for US government agencies, involves the duty to protect […]
Posted inBack to School
Abbott Elementary renewed for season 4
ABC announced a new season of Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning comedy Abbott Elementary, which will air on the night of October 9. It will be followed by the ABC News Studios docuseries, Scamanda. The workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers—and an oblivious principal—are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the […]