If you are a high school teacher, then you may have heard this question: “What did you get on the SAT when you took it last century?” It’s an honest question. Some students just want to see how they compared to you. Students do that. The problem is that there really is no comparable way … Continue reading Distorting The Reality of Public Education – The NCGA’s Revisionist History
Author: caffeinatedrage
The Ignorant Arrogance of Betsy DeVos and Her Bad Seating Charts
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos tweeted the following on the afternoon of March 6th around three o'clock. It is simply ignorance and arrogance. Two photographs of a what she calls a "typical" classroom and she makes numerous claims that she thinks are stereotypical of American schools. Desks in rows Teacher in front of room lecturing … Continue reading The Ignorant Arrogance of Betsy DeVos and Her Bad Seating Charts
Teaching is the Most “Human” of Occupations
Teach a few years and you will come into contact with hundreds if not thousands of people on a regular basis. Some will come to your classroom in regular intervals because they are on your rolls. Some you will see in the hallways or in an extracurricular activity. All will share their experiences with you … Continue reading Teaching is the Most “Human” of Occupations
Why Betsy DeVos Necessitates a “Defense Against the Dark Arts”
When you teach a number of years coupled with the fact that social media has become such a mainstay in our culture, you have the opportunity to stay connected with former students much more easily. It is rather a humbling that these younger people (younger than I) would want to tell you about how their … Continue reading Why Betsy DeVos Necessitates a “Defense Against the Dark Arts”
The “Ignoramasaurus Rex” – How The Average Teacher Pay Increase in NC is Not Really Real
T. Keung Hui’s report for McClatchy Regional News entitled “N.C. teachers are now averaging more than $50,000 a year” is really not what it appears to be simply because that average salary is being bolstered by the very people that the NC General Assembly wants to rid the state of: veteran teachers with due-process rights. … Continue reading The “Ignoramasaurus Rex” – How The Average Teacher Pay Increase in NC is Not Really Real
Tests Can’t Measure the True Strength of Schools And Other Reasons Your Kids Aren’t Numbers
Invariably, in many social situations, I am asked that same ubiquitous question many people face: “So, what do you do for a living?” And when I answer that I am a teacher the reactions are varied. “Wow, that must be exciting!” “Do you guys still use red ink?” “How do you handle those kids?” “I … Continue reading Tests Can’t Measure the True Strength of Schools And Other Reasons Your Kids Aren’t Numbers
There Are No “Silver Bullets” or “Magic Pills” in Changing Schools – It’s About School Culture
There are no “silver bullets” or “magic pills” when it comes to changing a school. There is no one thing that can be done, no standard blueprint, no Harry Potter spell that can be executed that will make a struggling school turn its fortune around overnight. Rather, transforming schools is a process – one that … Continue reading There Are No “Silver Bullets” or “Magic Pills” in Changing Schools – It’s About School Culture
Public Schools Aren’t Businesses – Don’t Believe Me? Try Running a Business as a Public School
Receiving constructive and "unconstructive" criticism is an inescapable reality when one writes a blog or puts out opinion pieces about public education in various media. But whether that feedback is presented as an argument to inquire, assert, or demean, it does further the conversation. In many instances it exposes the many myths concerning public education. … Continue reading Public Schools Aren’t Businesses – Don’t Believe Me? Try Running a Business as a Public School
The Pilgrimage Of Douglas High School
The students at Douglas High School are on a pilgrimage. It has gained a lot of momentum. And as our country begins to see the younger generations start to assert their voices, many in Washington D.C. are having a hard time letting those new leaders “take a turn” at deciding what their country should be … Continue reading The Pilgrimage Of Douglas High School
A Thank You to the West Forsyth Ladies Basketball Team – You Were and Still Are Absolute Warriors
No true competitor wants to end a season with a loss and a small note from a fan will not really ease the sting of a close defeat. Actually, it's one of the many things I respect about your basketball team. But in so many ways you didn't lose tonight. And while it may not … Continue reading A Thank You to the West Forsyth Ladies Basketball Team – You Were and Still Are Absolute Warriors
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