My first honest conversation about white privilege came much too late in life. I was a 40-something doctoral candidate taking a class on multicultural education with a dozen other white women. Thankfully, the course was taught by the same (white) professor whose mantra became my own: The more I learn, the less I know. This […]
metacognition
Integrating Trends in Education: Lesson Plan Development for the 21st Century
When school starts next year, I’ll be in my thirty-fifth year in education. I feel like the slogan of the Farmer’s Insurance ad, “I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two.” Group work is now “Cooperative Learning.” Homework and tests are now tagged as “formative” and “summative” assessments. “Bloom’s taxonomy […]
Think About Your Thinking—Going Beyond State Testing
“The ear of the leader must ring with the voice of the people.” –Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924). In our state, we test reading, mathematics, and science in fourth grade. I understand and respect a tool that can show learning and growth, comparing students and schools. It is also a philosophical struggle to spend eight days testing […]