For the first time in my career, I am required to turn in detailed typed daily lessons each week, and they are reviewed each week in detail by an administrator and academic coach. Catch me on a cranky day, and
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Open 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 MoreMy Quiet Rage: Against Objectives
I’ll just say it: I resent writing objectives. For those of you who may not teach, I offer a brief primer. Teachers are required to teach to the standards. Teachers generally plan units which target specific standards. Within each daily
Read MoreTime to Grow: To Grade or to Kick Butt?
Today, a student resentfully announced in class that there was no grade in the gradebook for an essay he wrote. A month ago. I couldn’t argue. It has been sitting in the “Speedgrader” of my digital classroom for several weeks.
Read MoreWhat If? First Week Stories and The Time to Read Them
What if teachers had time set aside early in the year to truly analyze their pre-assessments? The first week of school is invigorating or exhausting, depending on how you look at it. There is so much to take care of:
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Salary and the Teacherly Mystique: My 25% Raise
A year in a new position kept me on my toes, but overall my morale this year is very good. I could name five or six major factors that have increased my morale this year. Reason #1, though? Salary. I
Read MoreMatriculation and Metaphor: The Mother of All Core Skills
I had a lovely Mother's Day, thank you. A word root for "mother" is embedded in much language surrounding education: matrix, matriculation, alma mater. To begin to reflect on this phenomenon, one must retreat into a bit of metaphorical thinking.
Read MoreParents: Please Look Beyond the Snapshots to Look at the Core
In the past many months, I’m sure many of you who are on social media have noticed a certain brand of posts related to the Common Core. Most of them begin with a photo of a third-grader’s math homework. Usually,
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