This is that marvelous time of the school year when teachers can begin to see that (sometimes desperately) needed break coming in December. Some schools even get an entire week off for Thanksgiving, and that’s right around the corner! Often parent-teacher conferences happen around this time of year, and there are grading days to get […]
Opinion
Data-Driven Politics
One of the driving forces behind the advancement of bubble-test tyranny in our school systems today is the concept of data-driven decision-making. Back before we tested every student in every subject on almost every day of the year, cigar-chomping school administrators just pulled decisions out of their backsides and hoped they worked. They threw the […]
Making an Impact-How Influences Shaped My Teaching
I am daily reminded of how much of an impact I have on my students. For instance, I have a parent who is always in a hurry to drop off their student. This parent doesn’t stop to look at poetry I have displayed on the wall or work that has gone home with great big stickers and […]
Substituting – The Not-Quite-Teaching of Teaching
One of the new adventures I’ve embarked upon since my layoff in 2011 is substitute teaching. Many unemployed teachers I’ve spoken to have been substituting for a very long time, sometimes half a decade or more, waiting to get back into a permanent position. Substituting can be one of the worst – or best – situations in which an […]
Unreason on the Throne of American Thought
Conspiracy theories have long enjoyed a quirky place in American public life. We’ve questioned whether there was a second shooter when President Kennedy was assassinated, whether the moon landing actually happened, whether Elvis really died, and whether 9-11 was an inside job. Conspiracy theorists alleging UFO cover-ups have been with us for years. Alternatives to the official […]
Teachable Moments During Teacher Unemployment
As teachers, we instinctively look for those teachable moments in the classroom. You know them – those moments when suddenly space and time open up to reveal an opportunity to take what is at hand and turn it into a way to delve more deeply into whatever subject we are teaching. Exercising this habit outside […]
Education Myths that Eliminate Good Teachers
Teachers are among the many casualties of this faltering economy, especially young, motivated teachers. So many promising educators –who have chosen a career path of little financial reward because they want to help growing young minds — are waiting in the wings, wondering when they’ll get their opportunity.  Those new teachers now must compete with […]
Educating the Uneducated: 10 Things I Wish Every Parent Knew
I’ve been on both sides of the fence: the educator side and the parent side. I’m sure most of you have been there also. We’ve all had the families come through our classroom doors that we cannot wait to develop relationships with. You know the ones: they fill out every line on the volunteer form then add […]