Do you remember the childhood story, Henny Penny? Or more commonly known as “Chicken Little?” As the story goes, Henny Penny meets up with several different animals and warns them the sky is falling after being hit on the head by an acorn. Oh! The terror! The fear! The worry…the SKY is falling?! Whatever will […]
education reform
Posted inHow to Fix Education
Parents have Rights. Really!
Parents have rights. In their efforts to promote charter schools, some education reform activists couch their advocacy in language describing “choice,” parent rights and even sometimes suggest that traditional schools and teachers pose a danger to students while going virtually unaccountable. This skewed and theatrical view of reality may be a reason many parents have […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Race-Based Silence is Violence
Look around your school. Who would be the person to talk to your students about race and how it affects minorities? Who would start the conversation about Alton Sterling or Philando Castille? If you cannot think of anyone, there is an issue. If you don’t think children need to discuss racially charged incidents, there is an […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
The Original Purpose of Charter Schools
For me, the core of the charter school issue lies in the difference between what charters were originally intended to be, and what they have become. The original model (and I can remember hearing about this when I was a teenager), was a student-centered, educator-designed and delivered, locally controlled endeavor. Consider the New York Times, […]
Posted inUncategorized
What Teachers Are Really Searching For Online
Wonder what teachers are really searching for online? I can tell you – it’s not just lesson plans or decoration ideas. It’s not just how to deal with the unruly child, or how to motivate a reluctant reader. Those searches would be understandable. What teachers are really searching for online is this: jobs for retired […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines, Uncategorized
A Closer Look at School Choice: The Ohio Problem
choolRecently the United States Department of Education made a unique move regarding federal funds that had been awarded to the state of Ohio for expansion of charter schools. Here is part of the story. The summer of 2014 The Ohio State Board of Education began an investigation into the Horizon Science Academy High School in […]
Posted inFeatured, Uncategorized
As Education Resources Dwindle, So Do Quality Teachers
More and more quality teachers and administrators are resigning from positions they’ve held for years in the state of North Carolina. I suspect the same holds true for schools in many locations around the United States as education funding fails to meet the needs of children and those who teach them. Continuing to work for […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Uncategorized
Trusting Teachers Creates Truly Successful Schools
I am lucky. As these final days of summer tick away, I find myself, like many teachers, preparing to return to my classroom: reviewing curriculum, revamping lessons, and revving my recharged engines. However, I’m not doing this on my own. I have the fortune of working in a collaborative, creative environment with teachers from around […]