I’m one of those educators who is cautious of any conference put on for educators. I’m always suspicious that these conferences are backed by some corporate giant that wants to feed me test rhetoric all day. So imagine my surprise after attending the ASCD Conference in Chicago and realizing that many big conferences can be informative and beneficial to […]
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Posted inCommon Core, Featured, Uncategorized
What Interdisciplinary Writing Assessments Can Learn from Saturday Night Live
This post completes a trilogy of reflections on the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) which will be terminated once the new Smarter Balance Assessments tied to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are implemented. There will be at least one more year of the same CAPT assessments, specifically the Interdisciplinary Writing Prompt (IW) where 10th […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, Kindergarten, Uncategorized
A New Generation of Educators Leads the Way
For the last several years, the ASCD has honored two educators with an Outstanding Young Educator Award. This year at the ASCD Annual Conference, we had a chance to talk with one of the recipients, Dr. Joshua Garcia. Garcia is the Deputy Superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools in Tacoma, Washington. He was a teacher, principal, […]
Posted inCommon Core, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion, Uncategorized
The Irony of Not Teaching the Importance of Teaching
Every May, one week is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week. There will be the customary newspaper coverage of favorite teacher stories, the hashtag #thankateacher will trend on Twitter, and celebrities will post videos thanking teachers as the most important influences in their lives. These are all wonderful and appropriate tributes to the profession that prepares our nation’s […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, Uncategorized
Good-bye to the Inauthentic "Make a Connection" Questions
As the Connecticut State Standardized tests fade into the sunset, teachers are learning to say “Good-bye” to all those questions that ask the reader to make a personal connection to a story. The incoming English Language Arts Common Core Standards (ELA- CCSS) are eradicating the writing of responses that begin with, “This story reminds me […]
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Day 1 at the ASCD Conference!
[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”] What a busy day! What does 10, 000 teachers, over 400 workshops, and a facility that rivals any college campus all have in common? Of course the ASCD 68th Annual Conference! […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Principals' Corner, Uncategorized
The Deafening Silence of Teachers
As Americans, we have always been taught that one of the greatest things about being an American Citizen is that we are protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. We pride ourselves on having the ability to speak without fear of retribution and to make sure if injustices are occurring, we have the ability […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Uncategorized
Digital Learning and You: How Online Tools Prepare Students for Citizenship
Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational and professional development organization whose mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice and anti-Semitism in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry. In the article below, Facing History’s Director of Online Community, Practice, and Research […]