To say that our young people deserve the best education possible goes without saying, and with the North Carolina General Assembly’s glossy championing of “reforms” like charter schools and vouchers to promote “school choice,” it can be easy to overlook the reality that faces schools when they are underfunded. With all of the talk from … Continue reading Concerning the Mental and Emotional Health of Public School Students
Author: caffeinatedrage
Too Many Books To Read, So Any Suggestions?
I simply gathered the books laying around the house that are not on bookshelves that I am either reading, just finished or am about to get to when God makes days longer and the hours pass more slowly. And I got this: I think that I find some sort of comfort in having a lot … Continue reading Too Many Books To Read, So Any Suggestions?
Teachers, What We Do Cannot Really Be Measured
Public school teachers, You can’t really be measured. In fact, those who are measuring you do not have instruments complex enough to really gauge your effectiveness. If you are a public school teacher in North Carolina, you are always under a bit of a microscope when it comes to accountability. Everybody in the community has … Continue reading Teachers, What We Do Cannot Really Be Measured
Dear Sen. Barefoot, Say It Isn’t So!
Dear Sen. Barefoot, News tonight that you will not seek reelection to the NC General Assembly in 2018 was rather surprising. Your meteoric rise in the leadership ranks of the state's GOP hierarchy seemed to be a sign of more to come. At a young age, you became the the co-chairman of the Senate Education … Continue reading Dear Sen. Barefoot, Say It Isn’t So!
Items of the Week For August 13-19
For all of you former AP Lang students, these are your items of the week: Heather Heyer Steve Bannon Boston Barcelona Kissimmee Kennedy Center Awards Gala USS Indianapolis Dick Gregory and Jerry Lewis North Korea Your political cartoons of the week: And the ad of the week:
When I Grow Up, I Want to Be Like Coach Murphy, The Titan of Titans
One of my first memories of Coach Murphy actually came at a Home Depot in Winston-Salem. I had on a West Forsyth t-shirt. Murph had on West Forsyth garb as well. He recognized me and came straight up and told me that the football team was going to Asheville the next Friday for a game … Continue reading When I Grow Up, I Want to Be Like Coach Murphy, The Titan of Titans
About That Civitas Institute Post On Charter Schools – Comparing Apples to Rocks
A recent post on the Civitas Institute’s website entitled “Research: charter schools improve public schools” is worth the read because while it may have provided the writer some light ammunition to make the claim “Is there a more powerful argument for competition and choice?”, what it really does is prove that many would rather cherry … Continue reading About That Civitas Institute Post On Charter Schools – Comparing Apples to Rocks
Dear Sen. Barefoot, The Next NCGA Special Session Should be in an Elementary School Trailer
Dear Sen. Barefoot, A recent report from WRAL brought again to mind the efforts that you specifically have made to handcuff school districts in meeting class size requirements without fully funding public schools. The foreseen problems of the folly that was the HB13 bill you shepherded are now manifesting themselves, specifically in Wake County. From … Continue reading Dear Sen. Barefoot, The Next NCGA Special Session Should be in an Elementary School Trailer
Addressing Charlottesville In Class If School Met Tomorrow
I spent the better part of a seven hour drive today thinking about how I would talk about the events of Charlottesville to my own children. One is a rising sophomore where I teach and she's bright and perceptive and has a great sense of self. It took about ten minutes to finish that mental … Continue reading Addressing Charlottesville In Class If School Met Tomorrow
A Request To Former Students From Me As I Enter Year 20 of Teaching
Actually, it's more than one request. Officially, pre-planning for the 2017-2018 school year starts next week. And yes, I am looking forward to it. I love what I do and where I get to teach. In the nineteen years that I have taught, I estimate that I have taught upwards to 3000 students, graded tens … Continue reading A Request To Former Students From Me As I Enter Year 20 of Teaching
caffeinated rage 