Summer is finally over. Parents are secretly smiling as they shoo their kids out the door, snap a few first day of school photos and sigh. Yes, some of them might shed a few tears over the passage of time and the impending high school graduation – even if it’s still five years away. And some […]
students
Posted inFeatured
Tri’ing and Teaching
“Tracie Happel…YOU! ARE! AN! IRONMAN!” The most chilling words to ever enter my ears back in 2006 at my first Ironman competition. After a grueling 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run in the cold, wind, rain, and a little snow, I became an Ironman triathlete for the first time. […]
Posted inParents
Fostering an Independent Three-Year-Old
Children are capable of so much more than society gives them credit for. Helicopter parenting is becoming increasingly common and children are being required to do less and less for themselves. Sure, it’s easier to do for your child rather than wait or risk a tantrum. How much are they learning from it though? Today’s society […]
Posted inHigh School, Literacy, Special Education
Dewey in 2016: Still Relevant?
When I was pursuing my master’s in education, I spent a great deal of time examining the philosophies of various critical theorists. Vygotsky, Piaget, Freire, Montessori, Gardner, Pestalozzi and a whole host of other big educational names became part of my courses of study. Knowing these philosophers and their perspectives even helped me pass Florida’s […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines
Losing Sleep Over Charlotte… Danielson, That Is.
It was my first year back to public school. I had spent so many years in alternative ed, special ed, charter and private schools, and I thought this might be my road to retirement. Until I met Charlotte. Actually, I didn’t so much meet her as I was hit over the head by her Framework […]
Posted inFeatured
One Standardized Test, Many Different Student Stories
Testing is upon us or was upon us a couple of weeks ago. Scores are coming back and no matter what, there are consequences to those scores. I have never made it a secret that I completely disagree with the way our system uses standardized testing. Standardized testing only measures where a student is now, […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
No One Should be out of Place at the Opera
Right before Spring Break, my third graders took a trip to the Metropolitan Opera to attend a dress rehearsal of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Going to the opera isn’t a normal part of third grade for a lot of New York City students. But thanks to my school’s dedicated music teacher, our third, […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
School Safety Doesn’t Mean What You Think
School safety is paramount to most parents. They want to believe that their children can go to school, get an education and not be bullied or threatened. The current problem in our schools is that those who make decisions about the safety of schools seem to be more focused with attacks from strangers rather than […]