Here’s to the best of the best: talent that we don’t deserve, but that our children do.
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What Do Teachers and Jersey Shore Have in Common?
One exhausted night at the end of May 2011, I got sucked into a Jersey Shore marathon and began to wonder if teachers could “GTL” like the overly-tanned and overly-paid reality show MTV characters. According to the oh-so-charming Mike “The
Read MoreThat’s Not My Job!
Four different people said that to me on Friday when I returned to my classroom after summer break and it got me thinking, "What exactly is my job?" When I came into my classroom after the break, I knew that
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Teaching: Should It Really Be Like Selling Christmas Trees?
Teaching, learning, and leading, is apparently a part-time job. And, to me, it says a lot about what we value.
Read MoreSB 1070: What It Cost Arizona’s Students?
When the Arizona K-12 Center began this website, I was encouraged to write about how policies impacted my classroom. There has been no other policy that has had a bigger impact on my classroom than SB 1070. In case you
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Whose Responsibility Is It?
Every school needs good teachers who step up and accept responsibility for their teaching and student learning. In the same respect every school needs strong administration to hold teachers responsible for their teaching and of student learning. What happens when
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The Teacher-Evaluation Autobahn
In a recent post entitled “Principal-Proof Evaluation” on the National Council for Teacher Quality website, I stumbled upon some baffling commentary. Obviously, I am still a bit confused, or I wouldn’t be responding. (I was supposed to be following up
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The Best Way to Appreciate a Teacher
Oscar Wilde has a famous quote about work: “The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” I invoked the spirit of this quote as I drove to work this morning, completely not in the mood. Then I imagined the quote with a slight twist: substitute the word “job” for “teacher”.
Read MoreOops. I Used My Outside Voice.
So, read at your own risk and have your blood pressure medication nearby. I’m about to defend Teach For America.
Read MoreEnd of the Road (For Some)
Another school year has come and gone. This used to be a really happy time of year for me. All of the hard work was done for a few weeks. I could look back and see how much my students have
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