Teachers and students working in the classroom often know the tech tools we need, and we can learn them an implement them if the systems in our schools are responsive enough to meet our needs quickly.
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The Problem with VAM Scores
Before the district kill-and-drill benchmark test, a student says to me, "You look stressed." "I'm fine," I lie, offering a grin that looks more like a grimace. "I normally blow off the test, but my mom says you could lose
Read MoreIt’s Complicated
The other day I was listening to a news program on the radio about national parks. The scientist on the show suggested that restrictive boundaries around park lands are not actually good for wildlife. Animals need corridors. If a particular species
Read MoreHalf Empty or Half Full
I recently read a post on Facebook… A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead,
Read MoreWhat If? (Part 2)
How could providing test or quiz proctoring change the way we use our time as teachers?
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“I Discovered Something Crazy!”
I went treasure hunting. I sought the definitive metaphor to contrast the power of all that is wrong in education with the power of all that is right. Yin Yang? Nah. A transformative professional development doesn’t need to be balanced
Read MoreWhen Teachers Aren’t Invited
During my prep period today, I ran across a discussion between a few people on Twitter. It revolved around a Harvard Gazette article where five experts engaged in a discussion regarding how to "jump-start effective learning." I read the experts and found
Read MoreA Proper Thank You Note
I publicly thank our district for the level of support they gave our cohort throughout the National Board process. I hope that by doing this publicly, other districts might have a template they could follow in providing support to NBC candidates.
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Wigs, Statues, and the Rest
The state department of education grades schools based on student performance on a yearly standardized test. My school also monitors student progress in reading and math with quarterly assessments provided by a commercial testing service. Questions on the quarterly assessments
Read MoreThe Four Hour Block: Instructional Ghettos
When I began as an ELL teacher, I thought I would be working with students who were trying to learn English. I quickly learned that the ELL Four Hour Block classrooms are essentially instructional ghettos where students who have not
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