New teacher evaluations: Do they truly evaluate what matters? Our district, like many others across the state and the nation is facing the challenge of evaluating teachers on their classroom teaching practice, as well as, student achievement. As I observe
Read MoreTeacher Whisperers Wanted
To dramatically improve teaching and learning nationwide, structural changes and out-of-the-box thinking are needed. The most quality solutions will involve new layers of teacher support and leadership. I think the chart below speaks for itself. I mean, if horses have
Read MoreWhat Would Your IEP Say?
So I show up for work this morning and immediately have to deal with a challenging student. This kid is the typical, “emotionally disturbed” kid who is strategically placed so that if he throws himself onto the floor in an
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Pollen Counts and The Mitchell 20
My original plan was to continue the fiery debate from my last post, but a strange thing happened last week. I shed a tear while watching a movie. No, I wasn’t crying. I’m a guy and you’ve already read about
Read MoreProtecting the Teacher AllSpark
I read Bill Ferriter’s blog this week about the story of Mitchell 20, a movie about 20 Phoenix elementary teachers who chose to pursue National Board certification as a way to take control of the one thing they could control:
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Sink or Swim?
Each year, I host teaching interns or student teachers (or both) as they move through teacher-preparation programs through local universities. During this process I am able to “pay things forward” by coaching other inspired people to be the best teachers
Read MoreWhat Parents Really Want to Tell Teachers
Personal Facebook friends of mine know that, from time to time, I post links, blogs and overall feelings about the teaching profession in addition to the usual, daily things like, “Alaina Adams is eating Frosted Flakes right now.” On September
Read MoreMy Reverse Ark
Do you have any elephants or gorillas in your ark? You might want to consider letting them out.
They’re stinking up the place.
NCLB-Common Core-Value-Added-Limerick-of-all-Limericks
There once was a passionate teacher, Who cheered with her students in bleachers. Then bubble sheets came, "Data management” reigned, And now her students can’t reach her. *Sometimes, a seemingly-nonsensical poem just says thingsbest.
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