Posted inAdult Learning, Featured, New Teacher Bootcamp, Principals' Corner, The New Teacher Chronicles

Teachers are Not Martyrs

Three weeks ago I made the difficult decision to leave my school and accept a 4th grade co-teaching position at another public school just blocks away. When I came back to teaching after a year in grad school, one thing that had changed for me was a deeper commitment to build community within and outside my […]

Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Uncategorized

Why Data is Important

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, […]

Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Opinion

Want to Fix Schools? Give Teachers More TIME!

A few weeks ago, fellow columnist Jeremy Adams posted an article called “The Magical Solution Illusion,” illustrating how schools, students, and teachers are being pounded by an array of self-proclaimed “saviors” of the education system. I loved the article. He examined our proclivity to move toward change, from increasing class sizes to shrinking them; from […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Opinion

A Tale of Two Cities: How Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Sports at the Expense of Education

[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”] When the Seattle Mariners signed Robinson Cano to a 10 year, $240 million contract, I scratched my head. Weren’t the Mariners one of the “poorer” teams in Major League Baseball? Yet […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured

Sec. Duncan Pushes for Pre-K, But Not Funding

Claudia Melendez Salinas recently wrote an article for the Monterrey Herald (CA) about Secretary of Ed. Arne Duncan’s push for a nationwide Pre-K system. President Obama also reaffirmed (and doubled-down) on his support for universal Pre-K funding by speaking about the system once again, including full-day Kindergarten in his plan. Educational Impact: As Ms. Salinas […]