Doesn’t it feel as if some of the most powerful stakeholders are trying to undermine our efforts with children? Often, the ones that complain the loudest about a lack of success (as they’ve decided to measure such a thing – inaccurately and on the cheap) are
Read MoreThe Common Core Assessment: One Year In
Last August, shortly after we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11’s moon landing, I wrote The Common Core: Are We Talking about Apollo 11 or Healthnet.gov? on my Digressive Discourse blog. The piece was inspired by The Key to Successful Tech
Read MoreEveryday (and Every Day) Teacher Leadership
This year, I have been participating in the second pilot year of the Teacher Leadership Initiative. This program is a partnership among the National Education Association, National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, and the Center for Teaching Quality. Since August
Read MoreWhy I Love Wednesdays
Wednesdays at my school, like several others are early release days. Typically in the front office, Wednesdays are more hectic than other days with parents picking up their child early or increased discipline referrals because students are out of their normal
Read MoreMissing Our Mr. Miyagi Moment
Think about “Star Wars.” How would the tale have ended if Luke had confronted Darth Vader, but had yet to meet Obi-Wan Kenobi and learn the ways of The Force? Or, consider a storyline where the Karate Kid had never
Read MoreOpen Door Policy
My last post addressed some reasons why teachers may choose to close their doors. By this I mean that some (many?) otherwise highly effective teachers still function in that self-protective mode of outward compliance with policies and initiatives that they
Read MoreClosed Door Policy
Most administrators tell faculty and staff that they have an open-door policy. However, it is important to remember that, besides the restrooms, there are two metaphorical doors in a school: the administrator’s office and the teacher’s classroom. Many writers about
Read MoreThe Principalship: Noble Attempt, Daffy Model
You know the expression. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. No matter how many times the duck says it’s a swan, or those around the unnecessarily insecure creature agree with him… It’s still a duck. Not that many
Read MoreStaying Mindful
Lately it has been easy to let the days and weeks slip away. October seems like it was months ago. November is just a few days from becoming December. Student-led conferences, report cards and progress notes, IEP and 504 meetings,
Read MoreGuest Teaching as Civic Duty
Like jurors, substitute teachers should be drawn from the public as part of one’s civic duty, at least according to a colleague. Among other things, pulling subs from the public could create more awareness of life in our public schools, get
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