I just got back from an exciting conference about the state of STEM in U.S. schools, sponsored by U.S. News and World Report! As an AVID teacher and coordinator, I was invited to San Diego to learn more about how to include STEM into AVID’s college and career readiness program. STEM is an acronym representing […]
How to Fix Education
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Prize: Mark Zuckerberg & His $100 Million Gift to Newark Public Schools (Book Review)
The subtitle of Dale Russakoff’s book begs the question — who’s in charge of America’s schools? In the push-and-pull system of school reformers vs. union members, outsiders vs. insiders, school boards vs. state and federal leaders, elites vs. grassroots, admin vs. teachers, and a host of other stakeholders over the “best interests of students,” it’s not […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
When You Deserve a Promotion
Last week, I sat down with some college friends of mine and as we discussed our families, our professional lives, and our hopes we came across the topic of career advancement. Two of my friends talked about a recent promotion in which both of them gloated on the bonuses they received from “closing” a major […]
Posted inSocial Justice
Failing our Poor Students: A Crisis of Morality and Character
Our schools aren’t failing, we all are. When outcomes for our poorest students are the concern, education reform advocates like to point to”failing schools”, but it’s not just about schools. It isn’t out-of-touch middle class parents, teachers and their unions, or civil rights organizations willing to challenge the “school choice” narrative. Those are only convenient scapegoats […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
The Educator’s Room Statement on the Appointment of Betsy DeVos
At The Educator’s Room we have been energized to see how many people have recognized the importance of a strong public education system and have stepped up to take action on behalf of our students and teachers. The support has been non-partisan with Democratic, Republican, and Independent voters questioning who would think to be a good […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
What I Hope for The Educator’s Room in 2017
Exactly 54 months ago, I made the decision to create a space for educators where we could laugh, debate and share about what really happens in the classroom. For months I did all of the obligatory things to make sure that I could secure a strong “debut”. I secured a name for the site (alas […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
[Podcast] What’s Best for Children: An Interview with Susan Ochshorn
During this episode, Franchesca Warren talks with Susan Ochshorn who for nearly two decades, has worked in a broad range of settings at the local, state, and national levels to bridge research, policy, and practice, to integrate ECE into the larger education reform conversation, and to catalyze social change. We started with a basic question- […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
[Election 2016] What Do We Tell Our Children?
Last night, in an upset many did not see coming, reality show star, Donald Trump was announced President-Elect of the United States. As I stared at the screen, I initially was too shocked to even react. In the polls leading up to the election, it was clear that he was “gaining ground” but to see […]