There were eight of us gathered together early Wednesday morning: 8th grade teachers of History, English, PE, Math, Science, Spanish, a para educator and a counselor. Our task? Analyzing data from last year’s SBAC scores. To three in the group, this was an impossible task. Immediately the environment became toxic. “Maybe you like data, Jennifer, […]
Arne Duncan
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Opinion
Why I Support Teacher Tenure
I’m a teacher. I have tenure. This gives me staying power and job security. My job isn’t supposed to be political – it’s supposed to be about teaching student. For that reason, tenure is something I feel that I need in my profession. Why? As a social studies teacher, I need academic freedom. It’s my […]
Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Uncategorized
"TestingTalk" Website Where Teachers Can "Be Brave"
Education historian and activist Diane Ravitch was the keynote speaker at the 86th Saturday Reunion, March 22, 2014, at Teacher’s College in New York City. Introducing Ravitch was the high energy Lucy Calkins, Director of Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project, who took several minutes using her “teacher voice” to address the crowd with a litany of […]
Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, Opinion
The Common Core – Finding a New, Common Path
Embattled Secretary of State Arne Duncan recently dealt with renewed policy blowback after he made a backhand comment about parents who were opposed to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). He told a gathering of state superintendents that white suburban mothers are complaining suddenly because “their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were, […]