In relationships, the balance of give and take is usually not 50-50. Sometimes you give your half and the other party doesn’t. Sometimes it’s the other way around. If you stay in a relationship with this imbalance, there is usually a reason; maybe not a good reason, but a reason nonetheless. With shame, I admit […]
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Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Opinion
The Assault on Teacher Pension Plans
All across the United States, there is an unprecedented attack on public employees’ rights and benefits, especially teachers’ pensions. Those of us in Illinois have felt, as has the nation, the impact of the 2008-09 financial crises. State policymakers have responded to this catastrophe, not by addressing the structural deficits that are a result of […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion, The Unemployed Teacher
The End of the Year Means the End of a Job for Many Teachers
The end of the school year is usually a time of concluding lessons, wrapping up projects, packing up classrooms, and looking forward to a bit of recovery time (however brief it might be).  Most of all, it brings a huge sigh of relief – the school year has been conquered! But for many teachers this […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Uncategorized
Letterman’s Top Ten Tribute to Teachers Needs More than Teach for America
[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”] Tributes for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week are appreciated coming just as the school year comes to a close, when very tired teachers are looking back to see student progress over the past […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, How to Fix Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Throwing Each Other Under The Bus: Where has Mutual Teacher Support Gone?
School bus (noun) – (1) A bus that transports students from home to school, school to home, or school-sponsored events; (2) a typically yellow-colored vehicle designed to deliver students on their school-related travels; (3) a place under which teachers can throw one another. I’m often amazed at how often teachers commit to definition 3. Why? […]
Posted inCharter Schools, High School, Principals' Corner
Sensitive Teachers & the Benefit of the Doubt (Charter School Diaries #18)
Week 5/6 – 5/10 I had no clue that this week was Teacher Appreciation Week. As a matter of fact, I thought Tuesday was the only day for teacher appreciation. My wife actually informed me that it was an entire week. I had no idea. Either way, I was glad to hear that there was […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Teacher Branding
Teacher Branding 101: Present On Your Area of Expertise
As  teachers, how many times have we sat in professional development and listened to an educational consultant  tell us what would work with our students? They bring all kinds of pretty data, display boards and all sorts of testimonials, but for some reason their presentations usually do not move me, or other teachers. Many of my […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Middle School, Uncategorized
A Day in the Life of a Teacher in An Urban School
Many times I’m asked what it’s like to work in an urban school in an urban area. Knowing they are genuinely interested, I usually just laugh and tell them to come visit my my classroom. Knowing  the 99.9% of them won’t, I decided to give a real “no holds barred” look at what a day is like […]