Six in the morning is early for any faculty meeting, especially on the Monday after the July 4th holiday, but I was told to report to the library in a large high school I have only driven past. Hired over the phone, I wonder what kind of Gong Show I am attending. Is my employment […]
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Posted inAdult Learning
2018: Reflections on a School Year
It’s the Saturday after the last day of school for teachers. I am turning 58 today. I just completed my 34th year as a social studies teacher. Tomorrow is Father’s Day. Looking back over the past year and over the arch of my career, I want to write about the struggles and successes of my […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
The High Expectations Myth
The high expectations myth is a pernicious, insidious mantra. It is the notion that if I, as a teacher, say and believe I hold high expectations, it is magically true. Examining actual teaching practices is neither necessary nor worthwhile. I have better things to do. Change or growth or flexibility aren’t needed. It is the […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
“Young Voices Matter:” My Fifteen-Year-Old Sister’s Response to the Florida Massacre
Written by Sylvia Denice This is my sister Ellie. At fifteen years old, Ellie’s time is consumed mostly by school, swimming, and socializing. She’s an enthusiastic learner, listener, observer, and friend with a cheery disposition. Ellie has goals and dreams of her future, going to college to study Education or Journalism–no denying that relation! On […]
Posted inElementary School
#NationalSchoolWalkout Activities for Elementary Students
On March 14th, 2018, teachers, students, and families will participate in a #NationalSchoolWalkout organized by the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER. The walkout is meant to last 17 minutes in protest of congressional inaction after the 17 people murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The Parkland shooting seems to have reignited a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
How a Nationwide 5G System Would Impact Students
On June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, creating a “national system of interstate and defense highways.” The work to create a national system of highways, now something we seemingly take for granted, was nearly an unprecedented public first waged by President Franklin D. Roosevelt with a bill of the […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Donald Trump Isn’t the Problem…The U.S. Education System Is
When You Can’t Repeat the President’s Words… Last week The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump had an issue with immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador, and African countries coming to the United States. You probably heard about his choice of language, so I won’t repeat it here. As usual, there was outrage and condemnation from […]
Posted inInterviews
Moving From Teacher to Private Employee:Tips on How to Start the Process
Last week, over 300 Chicago teachers lost their jobs. Every year, teachers leave the profession for a myriad of reasons, but then come back because the private sector doesn’t seem to recognize our skills outside the classroom. Doesn’t matter the reason for not being in the classroom anymore, being jobless with a background in teaching […]