Almost four years ago, Sen, David Curtis delivered a rather uneducated response to a letter from a young teacher in which he outlined a close-minded viewpoint of the teaching profession (http://wunc.org/post/teacher-email-legislators-draws-harsh-reply#stream/0). Needless to say, it garnered quite a response from teachers around the state. Other public education critics have gone out of their way to … Continue reading Dear North Carolina Lawmaker, Exactly What is the Job Description of a Public School Teacher?
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The Greatest Compliment Ever Paid To A Teacher
When a former student sends you a kind email years after he has left your classroom and graduated, When you receive wedding invitations from former students, When you are sent a Christmas Card from the family of a former student, When a former student walks into your classroom just to watch how you still teach, … Continue reading The Greatest Compliment Ever Paid To A Teacher
You Know You Are a Middle-Aged Public School Teacher When…
You Know You Are a Middle-Aged Public School Teacher When... You pull a hamstring going up the stairs right after a fire drill. You make a reference to a movie that a student claims that his parent may have seen. You fondly look back at the time when there were no cellphones in the classroom. … Continue reading You Know You Are a Middle-Aged Public School Teacher When…
West Jones Street, The NC General Assembly, and The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg
“But above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic — their irises are one-yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a … Continue reading West Jones Street, The NC General Assembly, and The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg
Why the Hell Is Mark Johnson Hiring More Public Relations Personnel?
Over fifteen months into office, State Superintendent Mark Johnson is hiring more people loyal to him while in the midst of a lawsuit over the constitutionality of a power grab that happened the month before he took an oath to advocate for public schools. North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson has created two … Continue reading Why the Hell Is Mark Johnson Hiring More Public Relations Personnel?
So Much Changes – Hard to Compare Schools Today to the Past
My grandmother graduated from high school right after the end of WWII. My mother graduated from high school in the late 1960’s. I graduated from high school in the 1980’s, and thirty years later I am watching another class graduate from the public high where I am about finish my 20th year of teaching. And … Continue reading So Much Changes – Hard to Compare Schools Today to the Past
Still The Most Enabled Man in Raleigh – North Carolina’s State Superintendent
Our schools need more nurses. Our schools need more guidance counselors. Our schools need more teachers. Our schools need more resources. And they need to be fully funded. That's why news today that Mark Johnson created two new positions for his office does not set so well. From WRAL's Kelly Hinchcliffe: North Carolina Superintendent of … Continue reading Still The Most Enabled Man in Raleigh – North Carolina’s State Superintendent
May 16th Will Also Be A #LoveMySchoolDay – Like Every Day
Today, State Superintendent Mark Johnson shared the following tweet: Seems nice. And positive. But isn't everyday a #LoveMySchoolDay ? If Johnson really wanted me to share "things that I love about my school," then it seems that he would be willing to fight for those things, especially in light of what has happened with public … Continue reading May 16th Will Also Be A #LoveMySchoolDay – Like Every Day
Great Day to be a Titan
No doubt that this year's West Forsyth Lady Titan basketball team will go down as one of the most successful in school history. What makes them more dynamic is that each one of them possesses a team-first attitude and each is a fantastic young person. The Winston-Salem Journal released its All-Northwest Girls Basketball team. West … Continue reading Great Day to be a Titan
Marching for Public Education and Civil Disobedience in North Carolina
“If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go; perchance it will wear smooth – certainly the machine will wear out. If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider … Continue reading Marching for Public Education and Civil Disobedience in North Carolina
caffeinated rage 